Business travel insurance is essential in today’s world. Corporate trips are an integral part of business, opening up new opportunities and perspectives for companies. However, as important as achieving business goals is ensuring the safety of employees, especially in terms of their health. Therefore, it is worth considering why business travel insurance abroad has become a key element of responsible corporate policy.

It is worth noting that the employer is responsible for the costs of treatment in the event of an employee falling ill during an international business trip. Additionally, they should ensure adequate business travel insurance.

According to the Regulation of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy of January 29, 2013 (Journal of Laws 2013, item 167), the employer’s liability arises based on § 19:

1. In the case of illness that occurs during a foreign trip, the employee is entitled to reimbursement of documented necessary medical treatment costs abroad.
2. The reimbursement of costs referred to in paragraph 1 is made from the employer’s funds (…).
3. The costs of purchasing medications that were not necessary to acquire abroad are not refundable (…).
4. In the event of an employee’s death abroad, the employer covers the costs of transporting the body to the country.

From experience, we know that different countries have different healthcare systems and payment mechanisms. Looking at this from the perspective of Poles, not everything is covered by the commonly known EHIC, which stands for the European Health Insurance Card issued by the NFZ (National Health Fund).

Remember that EHIC:

• operates only in EU and EFTA countries,
• guarantees only a basic range of medical services,
• does not cover the costs of specialist visits,
• does not cover the costs of returning to the country due to sudden illness, e.g., air transport Germany-Poland costs from approximately 7,000 EUR to 10,000 EUR,
• does not offer assistance services,
• in many countries does not cover the assistance provided by mountain rescuers, e.g., in Austria, you have to pay for the mountain rescue service,
• only applies to health insurance for the purpose of saving health and life.

Additionally, the patient’s co-payment for treatment costs varies; for example, in France, you will pay 30% of the doctor’s fee, in Austria, you will bear the cost of calling an ambulance, and in Germany, you will pay an additional 10 euros for each day spent in the hospital.

The most painful situation is when it is necessary to cover these costs with personal funds. Undoubtedly, the cost of treatment depends on the location of our business trip. The countries where private healthcare is the most expensive include the United States, Switzerland, China (Hong Kong), Canada, and France.

That is why many employers opt for additional insurance for their employees during business travel.

Below are example hospital stay costs abroad and transportation to Poland:

A good insurance policy tailored to the profile and expectations of your organization provides:

• comprehensive coverage for employees during business travel,
• organization of cashless medical assistance through the Alarm Center,
• a wide range of assistance services.

The right contract is not only a financial guarantee, but also the assurance that employees are fully protected during business trips. Therefore, it is worth asking the broker for the appropriate insurance coverage to ensure safe and successful business travel for all employees.

You can find more interesting content in the articles section.

Also, feel free to visit our social media profiles – Facebook, LinkedIn.