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Medical Evacuations: Better Safe Than Sorry

Medical evacuation travel insurance plans, often called Medevac plans, are focused on emergency medical evacuations, international security evacuations, and repatriation.

 

Your travel plans may find you scratching an adventuresome itch, but that’s no reason to push the limits without insurance in the event that you need to be relocated because of an emergency. Medevac insurance covers expenses related to transportation if something goes awry in the most harrowing of circumstances.

 

Here’s our guide to medical evacuations: better safe than sorry!

What Is Medical Evacuation Insurance?

Medical evacuation insurance plans provide coverage for evacuations and repatriation for individuals who travel either internationally and/or for business reasons on a regular basis. It’s a type of insurance which, as the name suggests, focuses on emergency medical evacuations, international security evacuations, and repatriation. Medvac plans handle the coordination of these efforts and they cover payments to the rescue services as well.

 

Medical evacuation travel insurance plans are typically membership-based, annual plans and some policies may even include Adventure Sports policies or Trip Interruption insurance. Many medical evacuation plans offer some additional flexibility, offering options such as “Hospital of Choice” preference for medical evacuation.

Why Would You Want Medical Evacuation Insurance?

blue outline of arrow pointing rightYou are working on a volunteer project in the middle of the jungle and have a heart attack.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightYour teenage son has an accident with a jet ski while on a family cruise and suffers a severe concussion at sea.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightOn a hike to a waterfall in Costa Rica, your wife slips off the trail and breaks her leg.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightYour parents are traveling with you to Rome when your father experiences a stroke.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightYour daughter’s graduation trip ends in a horrific traffic calamity miles from home.

What Is Covered Under Medical Evacuation Insurance?

Coverage types and limits differ based on what type of evacuation plan you purchase. Most evacuation plans include coverage for:

blue outline of arrow pointing rightCoordination and payment for emergency medical transportation to get you to a medical facility or return you home where you can obtain medical care.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightLanguage translation services when you are traveling in a foreign country and don’t understand what the local medical provider at the hospital is saying.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightCommunication to family members and business partners back home who are worried about you.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightRepatriation arrangements, including proper handling, negotiations, and payments necessary to return your body to your home or a nearby funeral home if you are killed or die on your trip.

Who Should Have Medical Evacuation Insurance?

blue outline of arrow pointing rightIndividuals and families on a cruise: The medical facilities on a cruise ship are limited and if you experience a health emergency, you’ll want coverage to coordinate and pay for your evacuation to obtain proper medical care.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightTravelers headed to remote destinations: If you are planning to travel to remote regions of the globe, where hospitalization may be nonexistent, you’ll want assistance if you are severely ill or injured.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightMissionaries and foreign aid workers: Often missionaries and foreign aid workers travel to politically dangerous areas or regions that are damaged by natural disasters. Be sure you can save yourself if something happens to you, so you can continue doing important work.

blue outline of arrow pointing rightBusiness travelers working abroad: When you work in a foreign country, you may have access to your own health care or universal health care, but you won’t have coverage to be returned home if something truly terrible happens without Medevac insurance.

helicopter landing on snowy hill for a medical evacuation

It’s likely not inexpensive, easy or quick to get from one place to another in a pinch abroad. If you have reason to believe evacuation is worth being covered based on the way you’re traveling, evacuation travel insurance coverage is a safe bet. Ensure that you are protected from the unknown with medical evacuation insurance today!

 

We like to make the travel insurance comparison process easy, so use our instant quote tool today and email yourself your quoted plans to review later. If you have any questions about what policy to choose, reach out to us at [email protected] –we’d love to help!

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