By Jakey Fishman – Director of Client Management
Fishman & Associates Insurance Services (FAIS)
As Pesach approaches, while many are unfortunately unable to travel to Eretz Yisroel this year, many in our community are preparing to travel across the globe for Yom Tov. With so many details to coordinate, flights, accommodations, and meals, it is easy to overlook something critical: making sure you and your family are properly protected.
Let’s start with what most people miss.
There are two very different types of travel insurance, and confusing them can be a costly mistake. Trip insurance, the kind offered when booking flights or through credit cards, typically covers cancellations, delays, or lost luggage. Some plans include minimal medical coverage, but it is often capped at a few thousand dollars.
That can be helpful for travel hiccups, but it falls short when it comes to real medical emergencies.
What you actually need is travel health insurance, coverage that protects you in the event of a medical emergency while you are outside the United States. This includes doctor visits, hospital stays, emergency procedures, and even medical evacuations. Most importantly, it must be in place before you leave the country.
We continue to see firsthand what happens when people travel without it.
I recently heard a story that really puts things into perspective. Someone crossed the border for what was supposed to be a simple day trip from Seattle to Vancouver to go shopping. During the trip, they had an allergic reaction to something they ate and went into anaphylactic shock, requiring emergency medical treatment. They never even considered that they might need insurance for a short trip like that. The total cost was around 25,000 dollars.
We have also seen this play out in far more severe situations.
A young member of our community suffered a serious medical emergency while traveling in Southeast Asia and required an emergency air evacuation to another country. Without travel health insurance, her family has been left navigating an incredibly difficult financial and logistical situation.
Another family traveling to Tzfas experienced what should have been a meaningful trip, but it turned stressful when a simple fall resulted in over $8,000 in uncovered medical bills.
After working through so many of these scenarios, we have consistently found that plans like Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Solutions offer a reliable and affordable option. These policies can provide up to one million dollars in coverage, access to a global provider network, and in many cases, direct billing so you are not left paying out of pocket. The cost is often just a few dollars per day, but the protection is invaluable.
If you are traveling, you can secure coverage quickly and easily here:
https://fishmaninsurance.com/travel-insurance
But traveler’s insurance is only one piece of the puzzle. Protection does not end once your trip is covered.
At Fishman & Associates Insurance Services, we take a broader approach. Our goal is to make sure that, whether you are traveling, building a business, or protecting your family, every piece works together.
At FAIS, we provide:
• Group Benefits Solutions that help companies design competitive and cost-effective packages to attract and retain top talent
• Affordable Term Life Insurance from a wide range of top-rated carriers, allowing us to shop the market and find the best option for each client
• The ability to secure up to ten million dollars of term life coverage, often exam-free for qualified applicants
• Long Term Care solutions that protect families from the financial strain of extended care needs
Because the reality is simple. The same oversight that leads someone to skip travel coverage can leave other areas of protection exposed.
As you prepare for Pesach, take a few minutes to make sure your coverage is in place so you can travel with true peace of mind.
If you have questions or need help putting the right protections in place, we are here as a resource.
Wishing you and your family a safe, healthy, and uplifting Yom Tov.
And may we all merit to travel this Pesach to Eretz Yisroel, with the ultimate protection of Moshiach Tzidkenu.
If you have any questions or need help putting the right protections in place, feel free to reach out at [email protected]
