Even on a short trip, injuries, sudden illness, and a broken or stolen smartphone can happen. In Vietnam, public healthcare is hard for travelers to use, and treatment costs at hospitals for foreigners tend to be high. Here we compile the necessity of insurance, the difference between credit-card-attached and optional coverage, and how to choose.
Why overseas travel insurance is necessary
- Treatment costs tend to be high—private hospitals for foreigners are expensive, and when hospitalization and transport pile up it becomes a large expense
- You can use cashless treatment—at partner hospitals you can be seen with no out-of-pocket cost, reducing worry about paying on the ground
- Personal belongings and liability are covered too—a broken or stolen smartphone, and liability toward third parties, may also be covered
The difference between credit-card-attached and optional coverage
The insurance attached to a card may cover things, but coverage amounts and conditions differ. The realistic approach is to understand the difference between the two and supplement the shortfalls with optional insurance.
| Credit-card-attached | Easy and no extra cost. However, the treatment-cost limit is on the low side, and it may be usage-linked (with conditions such as paying travel costs by card) |
|---|---|
| Optional insurance | You can beef up treatment and rescue costs and choose the coverage. You can enroll online or at the airport before departure |
| Combination | Using card-attached coverage as the base and topping up shortfalls in treatment and rescue costs with optional insurance gives peace of mind |
Points for choosing
- Prioritize treatment and rescue costs—check whether the amount limit is sufficient and whether it covers local transport and hospitalization
- Partner hospitals for cashless treatment—check whether there's a partner hospital in the city you're staying in
- Belongings, liability, flight delays—whether trouble with your smartphone, camera, or checked baggage is covered
- Conditions of card-attached coverage—always check whether it's automatically attached or usage-linked, and the coverage period (often 90 days from departure, etc.)
Main coverage items
| Treatment and rescue costs | Treatment costs for injury/illness, hospitalization, family rushing over, and transport. The item to prioritize most |
|---|---|
| Belongings damage | Damage or theft of a smartphone, camera, or luggage (with a deductible and limit) |
| Liability | Compensation when you injure someone or break something |
| Flight delay/cancellation | Coverage for lodging and meal costs incurred by a delay or cancellation |
| Emergency assistance | 24-hour Japanese-language support and arranging partner hospitals |
The flow of cashless treatment
"Cashless treatment" at a partner hospital is a system that lets you be seen without fronting a large sum on the ground. If you fall ill, the basic flow is to first call the insurer's 24-hour assistance and have them direct you to a partner hospital.
- Cashless—contact the insurer → be seen at a partner hospital → no payment at the counter (the insurer settles directly)
- Pay upfront—at a non-partner hospital, you pay once yourself and claim after returning home by submitting the statement and diagnosis certificate
- What to prepare—keep your policy number and emergency contacts on both your smartphone and paper
The pitfalls of card-attached coverage
- Usage-linked conditions—the insurance may not be valid unless you pay travel or transport costs with that card
- Coverage period—the period is set, such as up to 90 days from departure, and it can lapse on a long stay
- Treatment-cost limit—attached insurance often has a low limit, easily falling short when hospitalization and transport pile up
- Family / companions—only the primary member is covered, and family may need separate coverage
- Combining multiple cards—if you hold multiple cards meeting the same conditions, death and residual disability are based on the highest amount, but actual-expense coverage such as treatment costs and belongings can sometimes be combined. Adding up the coverage amounts of the cards you hold once makes shortfalls easier to see
How to use insurance by type of trouble
Knowing in what situations insurance actually helps lets you act calmly when the time comes. Using trouble common on Vietnam trips as examples, we organize the flow of response.
| Food poisoning / sudden fever | First call the insurer's 24-hour assistance and have them direct you to a partner hospital. Covered by treatment and rescue costs. After being seen, be sure to get a diagnosis certificate and receipt |
|---|---|
| Injury from a motorbike or traffic accident | Covered by treatment and rescue costs. If hospitalization or transport to Japan becomes necessary, costs balloon, so whether the limit is sufficient matters. If you can obtain an accident report, keep it on hand |
| Theft or pickpocketing of a smartphone or camera | Handled by belongings damage. A claim requires proof of a theft report issued by the police (a police report). When you notice the loss, have the local police issue one |
| Flight delay or cancellation | If it's a product with flight-delay coverage, you can cover lodging and meal costs unavoidably incurred. Keep the airline's delay certificate and receipts |
Documents needed for an insurance claim
To make your claim after returning home smooth, gathering evidence on the ground is above all important. Many documents can't be obtained later, so make it a habit to get them or photograph them on the spot.
- When you receive treatment—a doctor's diagnosis certificate (one showing the injury/illness name) and the treatment-cost receipt and statement
- When there's theft or damage—proof of a theft report from the police (a police report), and the purchase receipt or a photo identifying the product
- When there's a delay or cancellation—the airline's delay/cancellation certificate, and receipts for the additional lodging and meals paid
- Common—your policy number, a copy of your passport, and something showing your boarding pass or itinerary
How to think about coverage-amount guidelines
Which items you prepare heavily for changes both the premium and your peace of mind. Choosing with priorities lets you secure the coverage you need without waste.
- Beef up treatment and rescue costs as the top priority—overseas hospitalization and medical transport to Japan tend to be costly, so make this the most robust
- Cover belongings on an actual-expense basis—if you bring expensive devices like a smartphone or camera, check the deductible and the per-item limit
- Cash and expensive valuables tend to be excluded—belongings coverage often excludes or heavily limits cash, jewelry, and precious metals. To guard against theft, carry them dispersed and don't bring too many valuables
- Liability and delay coverage give peace of mind if attached—liability toward others and flight delay make reassuring support if attached
Timing of enrollment
The basic approach for optional insurance is to enroll online before departure. Even if you forget to apply, you may be able to enroll at an airport counter or online on the day of departure. However, many products can't be enrolled in after you've left the country, so completing the procedure at the latest before departure gives peace of mind.
Frequently asked questions
- Is overseas travel insurance necessary for a Vietnam trip?
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It's not mandatory, but treatment costs at hospitals for foreigners tend to be high, so we recommend enrolling. With insurance that offers cashless treatment, you may be seen on the ground with no out-of-pocket cost.
- Is a credit card's attached insurance enough on its own?
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Card-attached coverage is easy, but the treatment-cost limit may be on the low side, or paying travel costs by card may be a condition (usage-linked). Supplementing shortfalls in treatment and rescue costs with optional insurance gives peace of mind.
- When should I enroll in insurance?
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The basic approach is online enrollment before departure. Some products can be enrolled in at the airport on the day, but since many can't be enrolled in after you've left the country, complete the procedure at the latest before departure.
- What do I need for an insurance claim if I'm robbed?
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A claim for belongings damage generally requires proof of a theft report issued by the police (a police report). When you notice the loss, have the local police issue one. Note that cash and expensive valuables tend to be excluded from belongings coverage, so checking the policy terms gives peace of mind.
- Can the treatment costs of multiple credit cards be combined?
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Actual-expense coverage such as treatment costs and belongings damage can sometimes be combined across multiple cards that meet the conditions. On the other hand, death and residual disability are generally based on the highest amount. It's a good idea to check the coverage amounts of the cards you hold once.
Also check the notes on local safety and water together.
