Our newest sponsor – a long time member of the Talk Baja community – offers our members the very best options available today in health and travel insurance products for when you find yourself traveling or living abroad.

Meet Arno…

Arno Chrispeels grew up in La Jolla, California and became enamored with the Sea of Cortez at a very early age; his first experience as a toddler on a family trip to Puerto Peñasco and as a young boy was already “hooked” on fishing, telling his parents of his plans to “run away to Mexico to become a fisherman.”

When he was only 13 years old, he spent a summer living in Oaxaca and where he would learn Spanish.

He would soon develop a chronic case of “Baja fever” and over the years would travel all over the peninsula, camping, kayaking, exploring and spear fishing from San Quintin to LA Bay, down across the Vizcaino plains to the remote fishing villages along the Pacific, further south to San Ignacio, Santa Rosalia, Mulege, Loreto and then finally all the way down to the East Cape.

Graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a degree in Biochemistry, Arno didn’t hear the calling to the world of research, preferring the idea of working directly with people over working in the laboratory, focusing on sub-cellular proteins, membranes and DNA.

Company History

After a long career as a biology teacher, he still felt the connection to travel pulling at his heart.

While spending a year in Texas, he recognized how foreigners living in the USA, whether from Mexico or from Germany needed international health insurance, and in 2006 would launch International Health Insurance Solutions.

And so his company began, providing this unique type of coverage and soon thereafter he came to realize that there was an even greater need for the same type of product for US and Canadian citizens moving abroad or traveling to foreign countries for business and/or pleasure.

Returning to San Diego, International Health Insurance Solutions would soon expand its offerings to include travel insurance, trip cancellation insurance, travel medical and even evacuation and air ambulance offerings with their specialty being international health insurance for those traveling abroad or coming to this country for short trips or even longer stays.

The company today has developed a large and diverse client base including a great relationship with the international cruising and sailing communities, supporting their search of adventure at sea.

Types of Coverage

There are many international insurance products available today and they can often seem confusing and unclear on their applications and real benefits. Arno is here for you to navigate through the confusing terms and jargon, helping you to really understand the products that are available and find best insurance coverage you need.

Here are some of the products that he offers to our community:

International Health Insurance for Expats – year over year policies with access to healthcare abroad, or on both sides of the border. These are the more expensive plans, and they will cover you from now into the future, covering all maladies that may befall you.

Travel Medical Insurance – short term, up to 1 year. This insurance is best used by people going on a short trip, who still have insurance back home. While it could be used long term, that isn’t what it’s designed for. These plans are most popular with travelers heading down to Baja for a vacation or a few months in the sun. They are also popular with people who have Medicare, as they have insurance back in the USA no matter what.

Multi-Trip Medical Insurance – for any trips up to 70 days, excellent plans for the frequent baja adventurer and very affordable, about 220/year/person regardless of age. An excellent deal, especially as you get older. These plans will even cover pre-existing conditions if you have insurance back in the USA.

Evacuation Insurance – these plans evacuate you from any clinic or hospital where you have been admitted TO any hospital of your choice. This is a very popular solution for people who have medicare and are living in Mexico, but want to be able to get to a hospital in the USA in a hurry.

Trip Cancellation Insurance – most valuable to people who are booking an expensive cruise or adventure, and want to avoid losing the money they have paid for the trip should something happen and they can’t go. Also provides some medical coverage.

Visitors Insurance – for people coming TO the USA but who reside in Mexico full time; could be for US citizens or Mexican citizens as well.

International Life Insurance – term life insurance for expats living and or working internationally.

International Student Insurance – for students living and studying abroad, in or outside of the USA.

Which Policy is Right for You?

Arno’s life experience taught him that insurance is not really about selling but the process of getting to know and understand his customers and then matching them up with the best products for their needs and budget as well as explaining how to use them.

Being insured offers you and your loved ones peace of mind – especially when you are traveling or living abroad. And when you are matched up to the right product and understand the real benefits, it also makes good, solid economic sense as well.

Providing personal customer service is his specialty. Arno is easy to reach and always eager to help you with any questions or to solve a problem. Like many of us, he has a strong connection with the Baja peninsula that has spanned an entire lifetime – he really “gets us”.

If you are even considering the purchase of international health or travel insurance, check out his website first and be sure to fill out the short form for a quick quote from Arno – he’s looking forward to talking with you!