A call for Barbadians travelling overseas to obtain comprehensive travel insurance, including adequate medical coverage, before departure.
The advice is coming from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
In a statement, the Ministry expressed concern about an increase in cases involving Barbadian nationals who became ill or suffered accidents overseas and faced substantial medical bills.
The Ministry is therefore reminding Barbadians that visitors are generally not entitled to free or subsidised healthcare in the countries they visit.
The Ministry urges Barbadians travelling abroad to ensure that the travel insurance policies they purchase provide adequate coverage for all possible medical expenses.
They should be prudent when selecting a policy and ensure that they are fully aware of any exclusions, limits, deductibles or other restrictions.
The public is also reminded that while Barbados’ diplomatic and consular representatives will support Barbadian nationals overseas, within the limits of their responsibilities, consular assistance does not include providing health insurance or assuming responsibility for medical expenses incurred by Barbadians overseas.
