What Is Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage?
Medical evacuation coverage is a type of travel medical insurance that covers the cost of transportation if you experience an emergency while traveling. For example, if you need an ambulance ride after breaking your leg in Paris or require a helicopter evacuation if you are seriously hurt while hiking Mount Fuji in Japan. If you’re visiting an area with limited medical services, medical evacuation coverage could also include transportation home or to an international hospital with sufficient resources to treat your condition.
Medical evacuation coverage is worth considering if you’re traveling abroad without sufficient health insurance. American-issued health care, notably Medicaid, does not always extend coverage outside the country. Without coverage, you could end up with a final bill ranging between $25,000 to $100,000 or more for the cost of medical evacuation services.
Evacuation insurance is usually included as part of a travel insurance policy’s medical coverage. Other coverage found alongside medical evacuation includes the cost of emergency care you receive abroad and the repatriation of your remains if you pass away in another country. You can also purchase independent medical evacuation coverage on its own with select providers.
What Does Medical Evacuation Insurance Cover?
Medical evacuation insurance covers the cost of medical evacuation to a medical facility elsewhere in the area you’re traveling to or back in the U.S. However, there are other factors to consider during a medical evacuation or emergency, like what will happen to the rest of your family or travel companions. We’ve included specifics below as to what medical evacuation insurance covers:
Emergency Transportation
First and foremost, medical evacuation covers the cost if you sustain a serious or life-threatening injury while traveling and need urgent transportation to a medical facility. It can also cover transport to a U.S.-based facility if deemed necessary.
Medical Escort Upon Arrival
If the medical professionals treating you deem it necessary for you to return to the U.S. for continued treatment, medical evacuation coverage will cover the costs if you require specialized care on the flight home. A medical escort may be on hand to administer intravenous antibiotics or supply oxygen during your flight.
Support Person Expenses
Medical evacuation insurance can pay for a round-trip flight for a family member to accompany you if you need to be hospitalized due to your illness or injury. However, this coverage can vary between policies and usually has a minimum hospital stay requirement before kicking in.
Certain policies will include additional benefits such as compensation for hotel stays, meals and other costs a support person may incur.
Flights for Children
Your medical evacuation insurance can arrange to have your children flown home if you are hospitalized while on vacation with your family. Coverage benefits will compensate for related costs, minus any refunds for unused airfare if your initial trip is cut short.
Repatriation of Remains
In the event of your or a travel companion’s death, evacuation coverage includes repatriation benefits or the cost of transporting remains back to your home country.
Checking Fine Print for Evacuation Coverage
As is the case with any type of insurance, it’s important to check the fine print and details of what a policy does and does not cover when you purchase medical evacuation coverage. Start by taking a look at the details of situations that warrant emergency evacuation coverage compared to the details of your trip. For example, you usually need to be at least 100 miles away from your departure point to qualify for evacuation coverage. Trip length restrictions are also common — if you plan to be away from home for more than 60 days, you may need a special policy or coverage rider.
Next, read a policy’s fine details and note any medical exclusions in which the company waives liability. For example, some medical coverage is listed as “secondary,” which means you’ll need to first exhaust your health insurance benefits before travel medical insurance will pay a portion of the remaining expenses.
Some medical evacuation policies also include limitations on benefits if you participate in extreme sports or other dangerous activities abroad, such as skydiving. Some companies may allow you to add a waiver or extend benefits to include certain circumstances if you plan on playing sports, snorkeling, scuba diving or participating in another commonly excluded recreational activity.
It is also important to familiarize yourself with your insurance provider’s claims submission policy. In most cases, providers limit the use of coverage unless a return home or other transportation is determined medically necessary by local physicians or other healthcare providers. Be sure to keep every form of documentation of medical services and treatments you receive to submit to your insurance provider. You can also keep your medical evacuation provider’s number in your list of important travel documents so it’s accessible in the event of an accident.
How Much Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance Is Necessary?
Travel insurance coverage limits, or the amount your provider will cover, vary by plan and provider. Most medical evacuation plans provide $1 million in medical evacuation coverage per person, although limits may be lower depending on the provider.
It’s up to you to decide how much coverage you need depending on where you are going and what you may be doing — higher allowances naturally offer more financial protection in the event of an emergency.
Some insurance companies offer a grace period of around two weeks to look over your policy and be sure it is right for you. Companies may offer reimbursement if you decide to cancel the plan or decide you need more coverage.
When Should You Get Medical Evacuation Insurance?
While you can purchase medical evacuation insurance for general peace of mind, there are certain situations in which it could be useful — like if you’re traveling to a remote area or participating in certain sporting activities. As a traveler or an expatriate, you may find yourself in a location without high-quality healthcare facilities. Likewise, remote locations can have limited transport infrastructure to support you in an emergency. Medical evacuation insurance can ensure you receive the care you need if you or your travel companion get hurt and require immediate care.
We suggest you compare medical evacuation coverage options as early as possible. While medical evacuation coverage typically does not have purchase time limits in the same way as coverage for pre-existing conditions, shopping early leaves you more time to review policy choices. We recommend shopping for travel insurance in the early stages of your travel planning to gain access to the most comprehensive medical benefits.
Do You Need Medical Evacuation and Travel Medical Insurance?
When deciding if you need medical evacuation and travel medical insurance, consider your destination first and planned activities. Familiarize yourself with local hospitals near where you are staying and the location of major medical facilities nearby. You can also look into average medical facility staffing and quality — if you’re traveling to an area with less funded medical facilities and plan to participate in sporting events, consider investing in travel medical insurance.
We also recommend looking into the health insurance coverage you already have and how it applies abroad. For example, Medicare will not cover most medical expenses incurred abroad. If your health insurance does not cover services where you are traveling, consider protecting yourself financially with travel insurance that includes medical benefits.
“How much travel medical insurance is needed is unique to every traveler,” said Angela Borden, a product marketing specialist at Seven Corners. “There are several factors to consider.”
Borden also posed some questions worth thinking through when deciding on medical evacuation and travel medical insurance:
“Do you have pre-existing conditions or other health concerns where having additional coverage would be advantageous or give you peace of mind?” she asked. “How long is your trip? The longer you’re away from home, the higher the chances you could get sick or hurt while traveling. What is your budget? Would you have the financial resources to cover a medical emergency out of pocket? Do you have other insurance?”
Answering these questions can help make deciding on a policy easier.
How Much Does Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance Cost?
The cost of medical evacuation insurance depends on your provider and coverage type. Companies like Medjet offer annual, membership-based medical evacuation and transport services for around $315 to $500 or more, depending on your selected coverage.
You can also obtain single-trip coverage by purchasing a travel insurance policy. Travel insurance premiums vary depending on your plan, coverage limits and provider. Based on quotes we gathered for companies like Seven Corners and Tin Leg, a comprehensive policy with $500,000 to $1 million in evacuation coverage plus emergency medical coverage and trip cancellation benefits costs between $52 to $79.
Keep in mind that your travel insurance costs may vary depending on your trip details and coverage needs.
How To Use Medical Evacuation Coverage
In the event of a medical emergency, it’s important to know how to use your coverage. These general steps can help you in knowing how to use your travel medical evacuation coverage.
Contact local emergency services: If you or someone you’re traveling with requires medical attention, call local emergency services for immediate assistance. Ensure you or your companion receive any necessary initial medical attention before trying to navigate your insurance coverage.
Call your insurance provider’s emergency line: As soon as it’s safe to do so, inform your travel insurance company’s 24/7 emergency services hotline about the situation. Utilize the company’s dedicated assistance line for real-time support and include any current documentation you have for your claim. For example, if there is a police report in progress when you call for medical attention, you may want to request a copy to submit to your insurer later on.
Insurance case review and physician consultation: Your insurance provider will initiate a comprehensive case review, potentially contacting a physician to evaluate your medical condition where you are located. This consultation is crucial in determining the necessity of emergency medical transport and is required for reimbursement and coverage of services in most cases.
Physician certification: To validate your medical evacuation coverage, your attending physician must certify the severity of your case and endorse the need for the service. Ideally, this certification occurs in advance of the evacuation but depending on the situation, may need to be submitted after the fact. You can request that your attending physician submit this information to your insurance provider using online claims submission or by contacting the emergency line.
Ideally, aim to notify your insurance provider of your need for emergency medical evacuation and transport before it occurs. While this might not always be possible depending on the circumstances and the type of emergency you’re experiencing, notifying your insurance provider can help streamline the claims process.
How Does Evacuation Transportation Work?
Initially, you will be transported to the nearest acceptable medical facility for treatment. Depending on the severity of your injury, you will stay at the facility until you can travel home.
The circumstances surrounding the medical emergency will dictate how you’re transported home following an injury or illness abroad. In most circumstances, your travel insurance provider will arrange a commercial flight home for you and your traveling companions as soon as your physician deems it medically safe for you to leave. If you have a medical condition that requires you to lie down, you’ll likely be flown first or business class home.
If commercial air transport is not safe or viable, an air ambulance may be used to provide a direct flight back home. However, this option is not preferred for several reasons. First, the ambulance must stop every four to six hours to re-fuel, delaying the total transit time. These vehicles can also usually only accommodate the patient, a companion and medical professionals in tight quarters and may not have a bathroom. Whenever possible, it’s better to opt for a commercial flight home, even if a direct route is not available.
Benefits of Medical Evacuation Coverage
There are multiple benefits to investing in medical evacuation coverage. This type of insurance ensures you will receive transportation to an adequate facility if you experience a life-threatening emergency while traveling. You will also have peace of mind that if the worst were to happen while traveling, you have a plan in place and financial protection from medical evacuation costs.
How To Purchase Medical Evacuation Coverage
When looking into purchasing medical evacuation insurance, you may find it is usually part of a comprehensive travel plan. Comprehensive travel insurance also includes emergency medical care and trip interruption, cancellation and delays.
If you don’t need the additional coverage a comprehensive plan provides, you can purchase a standalone travel medical plan with medical evacuation coverage. You can also opt for a membership or service that provides travel medical evacuation and transport services, such as Global Rescue or Medjet.
Factors To Consider When Selecting Medical Evacuation Insurance
There are certain factors to consider when evaluating medical evacuation insurance plans, especially if coverage is part of a comprehensive travel policy. Understanding the policy exclusions and limitations is important to ensure you have adequate coverage in the event of an emergency.
Common travel insurance exclusions include the following:
- Extreme sports: Some coverage plans exclude medical coverage if you are hurt from participating in extreme sports, such as rock climbing or skydiving. However, some providers offer coverage add-ons to cover extreme sporting events.
- Hospital-stay requirements: If you are hurt while traveling and need transport to a hospital, your policy may require you to stay for a certain number of days before support benefits kick in. For example, your policy may only cover flying your children home or out to visit you once you are in the hospital for an extended period.
- Hospital of choice: Most travel insurance plans will fly you to the nearest adequate facility if you need further care, not allowing you to choose the location. Some plans offer add-on coverage that allows you to choose a different hospital for further treatment, and membership services such as Medjet allow you to select the hospital or go back home for care.
Medical Evacuation Insurance for Domestic Trips
If you are a permanent resident of the U.S. and have an active health insurance policy, you may not need to purchase additional medical evacuation coverage while traveling domestically. The country requires long-term health insurance providers to cover all emergency medical services that require immediate attention, regardless of whether the incident occurs within your local insurance network.
The Affordable Care Act introduced a series of services and treatments that insurance companies must cover as a condition of selling insurance policies. One of these requirements is all types of ambulatory medical services, including transportation to a local medical facility using whatever means medical and safety professionals deem necessary. Coverage also includes emergency services, hospitalization and laboratory services. As a result, medical evacuation insurance will often act as supplemental coverage to your health insurance policy and provide more limited benefits.
However, in certain circumstances, you might want to consider a medical evacuation policy for a trip within the U.S. If you don’t have health insurance, you could owe tens of thousands of dollars if you require medical transportation and evacuation services. You might also want to buy coverage if you have a health insurance policy with a higher out-of-pocket maximum — sometimes, evacuation coverage is more affordable than relying on less comprehensive health insurance.
Alternatives To Medical Evacuation Insurance
In addition to purchasing a comprehensive travel insurance policy with medical evacuation coverage, you can also subscribe to a rescue-only plan. The following companies offer additional options for medical evacuation assistance and coverage.
Medjet
If you take multiple adventurous vacations a year, you might consider protecting yourself with annual medical evacuation coverage from a provider like Medjet. Medjet is a subscription-based, global medical transportation and evacuation service. After signing up for coverage, you’ll receive protection throughout the year, which you can use if you’re ever injured abroad.
Medjet’s most popular policy option is the MedjetAssist coverage, which has the added benefit of returning you to your preferred hospital domestically. While most medical evacuation policies will transport you to the nearest facility equipped to care for your condition, Medjet gives you the option to go straight home so long as you’re at least 150 miles away from your departure point. Medjet also allows you to return to the U.S. regardless of medical necessity, offering more control over your care.
Medjet offers the option to add MedjetHorizon benefits to your standard coverage for travel security and crisis response services. For example, this policy extends your evacuation services to include non-medical emergencies such as kidnapping, political threats and wrongful detention. MedjetHorizon members also have access to up to $60,000 in upfront cash benefits, as some international hospitals in underdeveloped areas may only have the capacity to accept cash.
Travelers can purchase Medjet coverage for as little as eight days or as long as five years. Coverage costs start at $314 per year for standard Medjet medical evacuation benefits and $474 annually for MedjetHorizon extended benefits. Travelers can choose coverage limits of 90 to 365 days maximum, which offers an option for expats living abroad full-time.
Read our full Medjet review to learn more.
Global Rescue
Global Rescue is another worldwide medical evacuation service provider offering international medical and security rescue. Global Rescue maintains multiple teams of rescue professionals at stations around the world, allowing a quicker intervention should a crisis strike. It also maintains partnerships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations, Elite Medical Group and affiliates of Harvard Medical School.
Like Medjet, Global Rescue allows you to upgrade your medical evacuation insurance to include coverage for political and security-related evacuations. Global Rescue’s security team is staffed by military special operations veterans, and policies protect you against non-medical related hazards like political unrest, natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
Policies with Global Rescue are available for periods as short as seven days and as long as five years. Policies start at $139 for a seven-day trip and $380 for basic annual coverage. Upgrading to include security evacuation benefits increases your pricing to $260 for a seven-day trip or $790 for annual coverage. Global Rescue also allows you to add coverage for high-altitude excursions and sports, which standard travel insurance policies often exclude.
Is Medical Evacuation Insurance Worth It?
While we never want to consider the worst when planning a vacation, medical evacuation insurance can protect travelers in the event of an emergency circumstance. Purchasing travel insurance with evacuation coverage can ensure your transport to a local hospital to receive medical attention. It can also prevent you from paying expensive evacuation bills out-of-pocket.
Borden, quoted earlier, makes the case for a well-rounded travel medical insurance plan.
“While evacuation and repatriation coverage is important, you’re more likely to use the accident and sickness benefits in your plan for things like an unexpected case of the flu or a sprained ankle,” she said. “A plan that provides only medical evacuation may not include coverage for these more common events, leaving you with the medical bills.”
Ultimately, deciding if travel insurance is worth it is up to you. If medical evacuation insurance seems like it would offer you peace of mind while traveling abroad, we recommend requesting free quotes from at least three insurance providers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Evacuation Coverage
Emergency evacuation insurance covers the cost of transportation to the closest medical facility if you become seriously ill or injured while on vacation.
A comprehensive travel insurance plan usually covers medical repatriation, or the cost of returning your remains home if you die abroad. While some insurance companies include this coverage automatically, others may offer it as an add-on that costs extra.
Most comprehensive travel insurance plans include the cost of emergency medical treatment expenses up to a certain limit. Some policies may also include expenses to get you home if you are injured or fall ill overseas. But every policy is different so we suggest checking your provider’s coverage for more information.
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