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Protect Yourself Abroad: Best Medical Evacuation Insurance [2024]

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Protect Yourself Abroad: Best Medical Evacuation Insurance [2024]

Best Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance for Europe: IMG

Best medical evacuation travel insurance for antarctica: aegis, best medical evacuation travel insurance for costa rica: worldtrips, best medical evacuation travel insurance for $1 million coverage: travelsafe , best medical evacuation travel insurance for cruises: seven corners, what is medical evacuation travel insurance, medical evacuation is costly, credit card travel insurance may limit medical evacuation coverage, what medical evacuation travel insurance costs, what medical evacuation travel insurance covers, types of medical evacuation travel insurance, what to look for in a medical evacuation travel insurance policy, how to get medical evacuation travel insurance, final thoughts.

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Leaving your destination in a medevac helicopter probably isn’t in your travel plans. But if you need emergency medical evacuation, it will be costly and may be difficult to coordinate without help. A medical evacuation travel insurance plan can cover some or all of the costs of emergency medical evacuation and help you get the medical care you need when it matters most.

If you’re considering a medical evacuation travel insurance policy, read this guide to learn how this type of travel insurance coverage can help you, when it’s worth it, what it costs, and how to choose the best plan for your needs.

The 5 Best Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance Plans

Many travel insurance policies offer emergency medical evacuation benefits, so you have many options to compare. We considered travel insurance plans with at least $500,000 in emergency medical evacuation benefits and coverage for emergency medical care, trip cancellation, and trip interruption.

Consider these medical evacuation travel insurance plans with a good value for the coverage provided:

With IMG’s iTravelInsured Travel SE , your medical evacuation benefits are up to $500,000 if a local attending physician and IMG’s travel assistance services provider determine your condition is acute, severe, or life-threatening and medically necessary treatment isn’t available where you are. IMG will pay to return you to your point of origin, your primary residence, or a hospital or medical facility closest to your home. 

If applicable, costs covered include air and land transportation, including an air ambulance and medical escort. IMG pays covered expenses directly to the service provider if payment is required upfront — so you don’t have to think about paying a huge bill before getting home safely. 

In addition to medical evacuation coverage, you’ll get trip cancellation and interruption insurance. The $250,000 medical benefits offer primary coverage, so you don’t have to go through regular insurance first. For this plan, we got a $53.49 quote for a 35-year-old visiting Switzerland .

The Aegis Go Ready Choice plan offers medical evacuation coverage even when traveling to far-flung Antarctica with limited services. This plan offers evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility if you experience a medical emergency during your trip. 

It covers medically appropriate transportation and medical care en route to the nearest suitable hospital if the on-site attending physician certifies that you’re medically able to travel and there is no suitable local care available. Aegis will also fly 1 person of your choice — subject to a maximum of $3,000 — to your place of hospitalization and provide lodging and meals up to $300 per day for 15 days.

On top of medical evacuation coverage, this plan covers 100% of your costs for trip cancellation and 150% for trip interruption. Emergency medical coverage is for up to $500,000, though it’s secondary coverage, so you’ll have to exhaust other available insurance options first. This plan was quoted to us for $100.57 for a 35-year-old visiting Antarctica.

Using the WorldTrips Atlas Journey Economy plan, you’ll get up to $500,000 in medical evacuation benefits if you need a physician-ordered medical evacuation. That includes medically appropriate transportation and necessary medical care en route to the nearest suitable hospital. 

The coverage applies if you’re critically ill or injured and no suitable local care is available. It also covers non-emergency repatriation to get you to your home or hospital in the U.S. for proper care, plus transportation, hotel, meals, phone calls, and local transportation for 1 person of your choice if you’re hospitalized for 24 hours or more. 

While the medical evacuation coverage is comprehensive, emergency medical coverage is limited to only $10,000 of secondary coverage. But you also will be covered for up to 100% of your total cost with trip cancellation and interruption benefits. Our quote for a 35-year-old visiting Costa Rica came to $114.

If you need up to $1 million in medical evacuation coverage, you can get it from TravelSafe’s Classic plan. You can use this benefit to get to the nearest suitable medical facility if your condition is acute, severe, or life-threatening, and adequate medically necessary treatment isn’t available in your immediate area. It also covers medical evacuation expenses to return you to your point of origin or a medical facility closest to your primary residence.

This plan also includes up to $25,000 for non-medical evacuation, which applies if you need transportation due to natural disasters or civil or political unrest. And emergency medical coverage offers up to $100,000 per person. 

Trip cancellation covers up to 100% of your trip cost and trip interruption up to 150%. For a 35-year-old visiting Costa Rica, this plan came out to $122.

Read our Travelsafe insurance review for more information on all of their plans.

On a Seven Corners Trip Protection Choice plan, you’ll get up to $1 million in medical evacuation coverage. It applies if you have a severe, acute, or life-threatening condition and can’t get medically necessary treatment in your immediate area. It can include a medical escort who can provide medical care during transportation. You can also get transportation back to your point of origin, primary residence, or a hospital or medical facility closest to your primary residence.

If you’re traveling alone and will be hospitalized for more than 7 consecutive days or unable to travel after your evacuation, Seven Corners will pay airfare for a person of your choice to support you. Or, you can get reimbursed for a traveling companion’s expenses if you’re hospitalized for at least 3 days.

Emergency medical coverage offers up to $500,000 in primary coverage benefits with no medical deductible. Trip cancellation benefits cover up to 100% of your trip cost, and trip interruption covers up to 150%. Our quote for this plan came to $139 for a 35-year-old cruising Mexico.

Medical Evacuation Travel Medical Insurance

Medical evacuation travel insurance is a type of travel insurance that can cover the costs of medically necessary emergency evacuation . It applies if you become seriously injured or ill on your trip and there are no appropriate medical facilities where you are. 

With medical evacuation coverage, your insurance generally pays for transportation costs to get to a medical facility with adequate care, which may include land and air ambulance . It also covers the price of a medical escort and may provide coverage for a companion to help you during a hospitalization. Medical evacuation policies frequently offer repatriation benefits, which can get you home after emergency medical treatment.

Medical evacuation travel insurance is crucial if you plan to visit a remote destination or an area with limited medical facilities. With this coverage, you can travel confidently, knowing you can be transported to appropriate medical care without overwhelming costs. 

Is Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance Worth It?

Medical evacuation travel insurance could save your life, and that’s priceless. Prompt medical care from a capable medical facility could be a matter of life and death, particularly if you’ve experienced trauma and need critical care as soon as possible .

Getting medical evacuation travel insurance is often worth it compared to the out-of-pocket cost of medical evacuation. Sure, you might travel your entire life and never need an emergency medical evacuation. But if you do need medical evacuation, the costs can be catastrophic. 

Don’t overlook the value of the support offered by an insurance company’s assistance hotline. If you’re seriously injured or ill, you may struggle to coordinate care and may face language barriers or unfamiliarity with local and regional medical care. An assistance hotline to coordinate care could be crucial in getting the lifesaving medical care you need.

How much medical evacuation travel insurance is worth to you depends on your health conditions, where you plan to travel, and what you plan to do when you travel. If you travel domestically or to locations with robust healthcare facilities, medical evacuation travel insurance might not be beneficial to you. 

On the other hand, if you plan to visit remote locations or destinations with limited access to medical care, medical evacuation travel insurance is probably worth getting. It’s also a good idea if you plan to engage in activities with a high risk of accidents or injuries, such as backcountry skiing or mountaineering.

Consider these factors as you determine whether medical evacuation travel insurance is worth it for you:

  • Your destination and its medical infrastructure
  • Planned travel activities
  • Preexisting health conditions
  • Your financial ability to pay for evacuation expenses
  • How far you’re traveling from home

If you need medical evacuation, you should expect it to cost at least $20,000 just for transportation , according to Allianz Travel Insurance . That number can increase exponentially to $200,000 or more if evacuation is complicated, such as needing a medevac from a remote mountain. 

Emergency transportation can also cover the cost of getting you home once you’re stable. That might be more complicated than you’d think. You may need to ride home on a stretcher with a medical escort who can monitor your condition and administer care. This type of flight generally costs about $25,000 to $30,000, and an air ambulance may cost up to $50,000.

These costs are only for transporting you to and from the hospital , as evacuation is just part of the cost of emergency medical treatment. It’s also best to get medical evacuation coverage as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan with emergency medical coverage. 

Don’t count on Medicare to cover medical evacuation on a cruise ship or while traveling abroad. Medicare medical evacuation coverage is limited to particular circumstances. For example, Medicare may pay when you have a medical emergency in the U.S., and a foreign hospital that can treat you is closer than any hospital in the U.S.

Credit cards with travel insurance coverage may provide medical evacuation benefits, but not all do. Check the limits on your medical evacuation benefit and understand that actual medical evacuation costs could exceed your benefits. 

For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve ® covers up to $100,000 in emergency evacuation and transportation costs . That might be enough if you’re not too far from adequate medical care, but it’s probably not enough coverage to get you out of a remote area with a severe injury.

Some credit cards offer medical evacuation coverage with no limit. The Platinum Card ® from American Express is one of the best travel cards and offers emergency evacuation with no specified limit under its Premium Global Assistance coverage. 

If your credit card’s emergency medical evacuation coverage isn’t adequate for your needs, travel insurance with medical evacuation benefits may be worth it.

Medical evacuation travel insurance is often part of a comprehensive travel insurance policy. All of the quotes we got were about $50 to $140. You should expect comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage costs of about 5% to 10% of your trip. 

Your cost of medical evacuation travel insurance may vary depending on factors including:

  • Age: Your age is a significant factor in medical evacuation travel insurance costs, as older travelers are considered more at high risk for travel insurance coverage.
  • Health Conditions: You may pay more for your policy if you need coverage for preexisting conditions.
  • Destination: Traveling to a location with limited medical facilities, high health care costs, or travel advisories may require paying a higher premium for medical evacuation travel insurance.
  • Travel Duration: The longer you plan to travel, the greater the risk, so you’ll pay more to insure an extended travel period.
  • Activities: The activities you plan on your trip, such as adventure sports, can increase the cost of your medical evacuation travel insurance premium.
  • Policy Details: Your policy’s coverage limits, deductibles, copayments, and features, such as emergency assistance services, will influence how much you pay to carry a medical evacuation travel insurance policy.

Adventure travel insurance policies may cost more but deliver the coverage you need if risky activities are in your travel plans.

Emergency Room Visit

Your coverage with a medical evacuation travel insurance policy depends on the travel insurance company, plan, coverage selections, and other policy details. Still, you can generally expect a medical evacuation travel insurance policy to at least cover emergency medical evacuation along with medical treatment, monitoring, and coordination.

Let’s look at some of the coverages common among medical evacuation travel insurance policies:

  • Emergency Medical Evacuation: This coverage covers the cost of transportation to the nearest suitable medical facility, which could require air, land, or sea emergency transportation with ambulance services.
  • Medical Escort: Medical escort coverage provides medical care and monitoring while you’re en route to a medical facility. For example, you may be escorted and treated by doctors and nurses on a medevac helicopter to a hospital.
  • Care Coordination: Travel insurance companies generally offer an emergency assistance line and coordination that can help you find and coordinate with local healthcare providers, monitor your situation, and communicate between you, the medical staff, and your family. They may facilitate admission to hospitals with financial guarantees.
  • Support Travel: Whether you’re traveling alone and need a support person to meet you or you have a traveling companion who needs to come with you, medical evacuation travel insurance may pay for transportation and other costs for a support person so you don’t have to be hospitalized without a trusted friend or family member.
  • Repatriation: Emergency medical evacuation travel insurance may pay to get you home or to a medical facility near your home after you’re stable.

Comprehensive travel insurance plans are the most common type with emergency medical evacuation coverage. However, you may have access to specialized plans that focus mainly on emergency medical treatment and evacuation. These plans may offer higher coverage limits and more specialized services.

You can also look for specialized travel insurance policies. For example, you’d want adventure travel insurance with medical evacuation if you plan to climb a remote mountain or cruise travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage if you’re concerned you may need medical evacuation from a cruise ship. 

It’s also worth considering an annual travel insurance policy or multi-trip coverage, which can cover all your travel within a year.

Read our travel insurance introductory guide to learn more about travel insurance options, which frequently include emergency medical evacuation coverage.

As you compare emergency medical evacuation travel insurance policies, consider these factors:

  • Cost: While the price of a medical evacuation travel insurance policy may pale compared to actual evacuation costs, you still want to be mindful of how much you pay for coverage. Consider adjusting coverage levels, deductibles, and copays to get the right coverage at a reasonable price.
  • Coverage Limits: Compare how much coverage you get from one policy to another. A policy may be more expensive but offer greater coverage. You should also look at the emergency medical coverage limits of each policy.
  • Covered Benefits: The features of medical evacuation travel insurance policies vary between companies and plans. Confirm that the plans you’re considering offer the benefits you want, such as transportation for a support person to join you in the hospital.
  • Policy Limitations: Make sure your policy doesn’t place limitations that would restrict key coverage, such as not covering the region or country you’re visiting, your trip exceeding the allowed duration, or your age or preexisting conditions excluding you from receiving full benefits.
  • Additional Coverage: Medical evacuation coverage may be a major consideration, but consider the complete package when choosing a travel insurance policy. Trip interruption and cancellation, emergency hotlines, and other coverage can be valuable features for protecting your trip.
  • Customer Service and Claims: Read customer reviews to learn about the claims process, how well the company delivers on claims and services, and what you can expect if you buy a policy.

You can usually get medical evacuation travel insurance as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan . Start by getting quotes from travel insurance companies directly, or use a travel insurance comparison website such as Squaremouth to get quotes for multiple policies simultaneously. 

Another option is looking at the coverage offered when you book travel. For example, an airline or online travel agency may allow you to add travel insurance to your booking. Read the fine print to find out if it covers medical evacuation and learn about the coverage details. It makes sense to compare policies offered at booking to the quotes you can get independently from travel insurance companies.

You may have travel protection, including medical evacuation coverage, available with your credit card. Check your benefits guide to see what’s covered, how much coverage you get, and when it applies.

Emergency medical evacuation travel insurance can be critical coverage if you experience a medical emergency while traveling. Getting a travel insurance policy with medical evacuation coverage can offer a financial safety net and the assurance of lifesaving support in case of a medical crisis. While medical evacuation insurance can add to your travel costs, the savings can be exponential if you need to use your coverage.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

Does insurance cover medical evacuation.

Regular health insurance and Medicare may cover medical evacuation under limited circumstances, but in most cases, your plan won’t cover it. Comprehensive travel insurance policies commonly offer medical evacuation coverage.

How much medical evacuation insurance should I get?

You should get at least $100,000 in medical evacuation insurance. If you’re traveling to a particularly remote or dangerous location, you may opt for medical evacuation insurance of up to $1 million.

How much does it cost to be medically evacuated?

Medical evacuation costs vary depending on the complexity of your evacuation but generally range from $20,000 to $200,000 just for transportation costs.

What is the difference between medical evacuation and repatriation?

Medical evacuation gets you to the closest medical facility that can treat you effectively, while repatriation brings you home. For example, you may get a medical evacuation to a regional hospital for critical care, then repatriation to a medical facility near your home once your condition is stable enough for travel.

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About Jessica Merritt

A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little cash as possible.

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Medical Evacuation Insurance – an Overview of Medevac Plans

Medical Evacuation Insurance – an Overview of Medevac Plans

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

What is Medical Evacuation Coverage

Just because you get injured and require medical transportation doesn’t mean you will be sent all the way back to your home. When a well-planned trip goes awry and you, or someone you love, desperately needs immediate medical attention, this is where medical evacuation coverage comes through.

Most travel insurance policies cover transportation to the nearest facility and leave you there for treatment. They decide where you go, not you. They decide what is considered an acceptable medical facility for your care, not you. Once they get you to the hospital, their obligation is finished. You will then be liable to cover the cost of getting home or getting transported to a hospital at home that can complete your treatment.

Medical evacuation coverage gets you transported to the hospital of your choice and then, after you are well enough to be repatriated, it transports you to your hospital at home.

travel insurance with medical evacuation

How does Medical Evacuation Insurance Work?

Most travel insurance plans include basic coverage for medical evacuation. According to the terms of your contract with them, they take you to the nearest facility that can handle your emergency.

This means you have:

  • No choice in where you go
  • No guarantee of going to the best medical facility
  • No one to walk you through the process or translate the language for you

Medical evacuation insurance is important because each year over 10 million travelers are hospitalized abroad and over two million require emergency medical transportation. And medical transport is not cheap.

travel insurance with medical evacuation

When you need a medical evacuation, you will contact your plan provider and they will coordinate your medical evacuation, handle family communications, provide translation services, and provide support every step of the way. When you’re well enough to travel home, they will arrange for medical transportation to your choice of hospital back home.

Different types of Evacuation Coverage

There are essentially two types of evacuation coverage:

  • Medical evacuation coverage (also called medevac)
  • Security/political evacuation coverage

Medical evacuation covers the coordination and cost of transportation to a medical facility. Depending on your need for treatment, it will also transport you either to your home or to a medical facility at home that can continue your care.

Security and political evacuation covers your transportation away from an unsafe place to a safe one. Depending on how the situation develops, you and your dependents can be returned to your trip destination or back home.

What makes Medical Evacuation unique?

A medical evacuation insurance plan provides coverage for evacuations and repatriation for individuals who travel either internationally and/or for business reasons on a regular basis.

Focuses on all types of evacuations

Medevac plans focus on emergency medical evacuations, international security evacuations, and repatriation. The travel insurance company must handle the coordination of these efforts and they usually take care of payments to the rescue team as well. Evacuations are covered up to the policy limits and only for covered reasons listed in the policy document.

Care for the important people in your life

Medevac plans often include emergency medical reunion benefits and return of minor children benefits, so you can care for the people who are important to you as well.

Often includes AD&D or term life benefits

Many medevac plans include AD&D and/or term life benefits as well. These are paid regardless of whether the insured has other AD&D or life insurance benefits to the beneficiary(ies) listed on the application form.

May include extra benefits

A few medical evacuation plans include  some package-like benefits, including:

  • Trip interruption
  • Lost baggage
  • Optional adventure sports coverage

travel insurance with medical evacuation

Why do you need a Medical Evacuation Coverage Plan?

  • You are working on a volunteer project in the middle of the jungle and have a heart attack.
  • Your teenage son has an accident with a jet ski while on a family cruise and suffers a severe concussion at sea.
  • On a hike to a waterfall in Costa Rica, your wife slips off the trail and breaks her leg.
  • Your parents are traveling with you to Rome when your father experiences a stroke.
  • Your daughter’s graduation trip ends in a horrific traffic accident miles from home.

What coverage is included?

The following coverage is typically found in a Medical Evacuation travel insurance plan.

  • Coordination and payment for emergency medical transportation to get you to a medical facility or return you home where you can obtain medical care.
  • Language translation services when you are traveling in a foreign country and don’t understand what the local medical team is saying.
  • Communication to family members and business partners back home who are worried about you.
  • Repatriation 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 buy Medical Evacuation travel insurance?

Travelers like these should purchase medical evacuation travel insurance:

  • Individuals and families on a cruise. The medical facilities on a cruise ship are limited and if you experience a medical emergency, you’ll want coverage to coordinate and pay for your evacuation to obtain proper medical care.
  • Travelers headed to remote destinations. If you are planning to travel to remote regions of the globe, where medical care may be non existent, you’ll want assistance if you are severely ill or injured.
  • Missionaries 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.
  • Business 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 medical evacuation insurance.

How much does Medical Evacuation cost?

The factors that affect the cost of a medical evacuation plan include:

  • The age of the travelers
  • Individual or family plan
  • Annual or single-trip
  • The length of the trip
  • Optional coverage

An annual medical evacuation plan will cost a traveler around $200.00 and cover all the trips taken during the year. A single-trip medevac plan will cost a traveler between $45 and $68 (depending on the factors above).

  • 4 Steps to 100% confidence in your travel insurance plan

Where should you buy your Medical Evacuation travel insurance?

You have two options for buying travel insurance – the best option is to compare plans from all companies, get quotes, and purchase your travel insurance plan online:

  • Compare plans from all companies: Compare travel insurance plans from all companies, get quotes, and buy online.
  • Quote and buy direct: Review the travel insurance companies and plans and purchase directly from the company.

All travel insurance companies include a free look period with a refund that lets you review the plan documentation. If you decide you need something a little different, you can make changes to your policy or cancel it for a refund (minus a small fee).

Which companies offer Medical Evacuation travel insurance plans?

  • Medevac plans focus on all types of evacuations – emergency medical, security, etc.
  • Often includes coverage for emergency medical reunion and return of minor children if you are hospitalized
  • Sometimes includes coverage for medical expenses and package-like benefits
  • Use a travel insurance comparison tool to find medevac plans and compare prices

Damian Tysdal

Damian Tysdal is the founder of CoverTrip, and is a licensed agent for travel insurance (MA 1883287). He believes travel insurance should be easier to understand, and started the first travel insurance blog in 2006.

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Travel Insurance

What is medical evacuation insurance? 

Jennifer Simonson

Jennifer Lobb

Jennifer Lobb

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 9:22 a.m. UTC Nov. 13, 2023

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Editor’s Note: This article contains updated information from a previously published  story .

  • Medical evacuation insurance provides coverage for emergency medical transportation to the nearest adequate treatment center if you become seriously injured or ill while traveling. 
  • If your attending physician determines you should be transported home for care, the cost of emergency medical transportation could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  • Medical evacuation insurance can pay to transport your children home if you require a lengthy hospital stay. 

Imagine you are on your dream vacation skiing through the Swiss Alps and you take a serious tumble that shatters your femur. To make matters worse, the healthcare facility in the remote town you are visiting doesn’t have adequate doctors, equipment or supplies to treat you. What do you do? 

To pay out of pocket to be transported to a proper medical facility could potentially cost you tens of thousands of dollars. That is where a comprehensive travel insurance plan with emergency medical evacuation benefits comes into play. 

While every plan is different, buying enough medical evacuation insurance coverage can give you peace of mind that you will be taken care of no matter what happens when you are away from home. And that an outrageous medical bill isn’t one of the souvenirs you bring home.

Compare the best travel insurance offers

Travel insured.

travel insurance with medical evacuation

Via TravelInsurance.com’s website

Top-scoring plan

Worldwide Trip Protector

Covers COVID?

Medical & evacuation limits per person

$100,000/$1 million

travel insurance with medical evacuation

Atlas Journey Preferred

Seven Corners

travel insurance with medical evacuation

RoundTrip Basic

$500,000/$1 million

What is medical evacuation insurance?

Medical evacuation insurance is often found in comprehensive travel insurance policies in the form of a benefit called emergency medical evacuation, medical evacuation or repatriation insurance. This benefit covers the cost of emergency medical transportation to the nearest adequate treatment center if you become seriously injured or ill while traveling. If a qualified facility is not available, it may even cover the cost of transporting you back home. 

A physician generally certifies that the severity of the accidental injury or illness warrants the move. The ultimate objective is to save your life, arm, or leg by ensuring you receive the emergency treatment you require. 

Do I need medical evacuation insurance? 

If you’re traveling in a location not covered by your domestic health care plan and are not prepared to pay for medical bills out of pocket, travel insurance that includes emergency medical coverage is crucial, says Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners.

Emergency medical treatment overseas can be challenging to navigate. Most providers do not accept U.S. health insurance plans, Medicare or Medicaid. Travel insurance companies can help by coordinating with doctors, providing translation services, arranging emergency transportation and handling billing, says Durazo.  

How much does medical evacuation cost? 

Medical evacuation charges are not cheap, especially in remote locations.

“The cost of emergency medical transportation can run into the tens of thousands of dollars or more, and varies based on the traveler’s health condition, care required and their location,” Durazo said. 

Medical evacuations are logistically challenging to coordinate leading to the high cost of transportation. According to Durazo, if you need emergency medical transportation back to the U.S., it can cost the following.

How much medical evacuation insurance do I need? 

Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison site, recommends at least $100,000 in medical evacuation insurance if you are traveling internationally. If traveling to a remote location or going on a cruise, Squaremouth recommends $250,000 in coverage.

You can buy medical evacuation insurance coverage for up to $1 million, depending on the travel insurance plan you buy. 

What does medical evacuation insurance cover?

Medical evacuation insurance typically covers emergency transportation, medical escorts, the cost of a companion to be by your side and the cost to send your children home if there is no one available to care for them. 

Emergency transportation 

If you become seriously ill or injured while traveling, medical evacuation insurance can cover the cost of transportation to the nearest adequate facility for treatment. If medically necessary, it may even cover the cost of your flight back home.

Should emergency medical transportation be deemed necessary, options may include air ambulance or commercial carrier, Durazo said. 

While some might assume an air ambulance is the best mode of transportation, most patients report a better experience on a commercial carrier. Commercial airlines not only offer more options for direct flights, better overall flight quality and more room for medical staff and travel companions, but they also allow patients to travel in either first or business class where they can lay flat if medically necessary. 

Medical escort 

Medical evacuation insurance can pay for the cost of medical escort services should you need a medical professional to assist you on the trip home. In-flight medical teams could include nurses, paramedics or doctors that monitor vital signs, manage pain and assist with medication administration. 

Transport to bedside 

If you become seriously ill or injured or develop a medical condition while on your trip requiring hospitalization for more than a predetermined amount of time, the insurance might arrange and pay for round-trip transportation for a family member or friend to stay with you. 

Some plans also provide compensation for food, hotel and other expenses your bedside companion incurs while remaining close to you is also available on certain plans. 

Return of dependents

Insurance companies may also pay for the transportation of traveling companions who are under the age of 18 to their primary residence or a location of your choice if you do not have an adult family member traveling with you who can care for them. 

You typically need to be told by the treating doctor that you will be in the hospital for a minimum number of days before you can claim this benefit.

What does medical evacuation not cover? 

While medical evacuation insurance covers most illnesses and accidents, be aware that injuries resulting from extreme, high-risk sports and activities like bungee jumping, skiing in areas accessed by helicopter, free climbing and skydiving are often excluded from coverage. 

If you are planning risky activities, look into a travel insurance plan that offers an adventure bundle. The Travel Guard Deluxe plan, for example, comes with up to $1 million in coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains and offers an Adventure Sports upgrade that removes the exclusions for adventure and extreme activities. 

Other exclusions to medical evacuation coverage may include: 

  • Transportation not pre-approved by the travel insurance company.
  • Transportation that goes against the advice of your physician.
  • Pre-existing medical conditions.
  • Mental or psychological disorder.
  • Normal pregnancy or childbirth (complications are generally not excluded).
  • Intentional injury, suicide or attempted suicide.
  • Loss that occurs within 100 miles of your home.

Make sure you read and understand the exclusions listed in your travel insurance policy. Travel insurance companies typically offer 14 or 15 days to review your plan. During this “free look” period, you can request a refund if you’re not satisfied with the coverage. 

When would I need medical evacuation insurance?

While it is always a good idea to travel with medical evacuation insurance, it is even more important to do so when you are traveling off the beaten path such as on safaris, Antarctic expeditions or car trips through remote countryside. 

“Slips and falls that result in broken legs, broken hips and head injuries are some of the most frequent things we transport for,” said John Gobbels, chief operating officer of air medical transport company Medjet. “We also see a lot of cardiovascular episodes such as heart attacks and strokes as well as infections that have progressed to sepsis.”

Other medical transport options 

Most medical evacuation insurance plans stipulate that you are flown to the nearest adequate facility for treatment. Once you reach that “acceptable facility,” you are often required to stay there until you’ve recovered to the fullest extent possible before being flown home via a commercial carrier. If you are unhappy with that facility because the most modern equipment is not available, the language barrier is frustrating or simply because you do not want to have corrective surgery so far from home, you are often out of luck. 

“People need to understand what the ‘acceptable facility’ and ‘medically necessary’ terms in their coverage really mean. When you read about people with very good travel insurance ‘stuck’ in foreign hospitals, it’s usually because of those terms,” said Gobbels. “The insurance company gets to decide what’s acceptable and whether it’s medically necessary to move you.”

That’s where “medical transport memberships” like Medjet can help. They pick up where insurance leaves off. With a medical transport membership, you can choose the hospital where you are treated even if it is not the same one deemed the closest adequate hospital by the insurance company.

“We move you just because you want to be moved home. It doesn’t have to be “medically necessary” to move you,” he said about medical transport memberships. “You get to choose whether you want to go home or not. That’s the difference.”

What if I am traveling within the United States? 

If you are traveling within the United States or to U.S. territories like Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, the need for medical evacuation insurance is less dire. 

If you are traveling to a remote location like the Rocky Mountain backcountry or an adventure-oriented trip like hiking the Grand Canyon, purchasing a travel insurance plan that includes medical evacuation might still be the smart choice. 

While your domestic health care plan likely covers transportation to a hospital within the U.S., it probably does not cover a flight home requiring medical equipment and a medical escort. In addition, you would still be responsible for copays and deductions. 

How do I buy medical evacuation insurance? 

Medical evacuation insurance is often included in comprehensive travel insurance plans, but you can also buy a stand-alone travel medical plan. 

One such option is the OneTrip Emergency Medical plan from Allianz, which includes up to $250,000 in emergency medical transportation, $50,000 for medical and dental emergencies and $10,000 in travel accident coverage.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Jennifer Simonson

Jennifer Simonson covers everything from business to the wine industry to international travel. Outdoor adventure, water parks and all things Texas are by far her favorite beats. Her work has appeared in Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Texas Monthly, Smithsonian Magazine, Fodor's, Lonely Planet, Slate and more. You can follow her on Instagram at @storiestoldwell.

Jennifer Lobb is deputy editor at USA TODAY Blueprint and is an experienced insurance and personal finance writer. Jennifer served as an insurance staff writer and editor at U.S. News and World Report and deputy editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor. She also spent several years covering finance and insurance for various financial media sites, including LendingTree and Investopedia. For nearly a decade, she’s helped consumers make educated decisions about the products that protect their finances, families and homes.

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Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage | Travel Insurance Guide

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No one wants to think about the possibility of being involved in a major accident or having a medical emergency during a vacation. However, it’s important to plan for the worst-case scenario — especially if you’re traveling to a country where you do not speak the primary language or an area with a less robust medical system.

Medical evacuation coverage can provide financial protection if a traveler experiences an emergency and requires evacuation to a medical facility. You can buy medical evacuation coverage alone or as part of a travel insurance policy. Read on to learn more about medical evacuation coverage, what it is and how much it costs, and the best travel insurance companies offering coverage. 

travel insurance with medical evacuation

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. 

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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. 

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

What is emergency evacuation travel insurance.

Emergency evacuation insurance covers the cost of transportation to the closest medical facility if you become seriously ill or injured while on vacation.

Does travel insurance cover medical repatriation?

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.

Does travel insurance cover your medical bills?

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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Medical Evacuation Insurance |

Axa travel protection: travel medical expense and emergency evacuation insurance plan   .

When exploring the world, the last thing you want to consider is a medical emergency. That is why AXA Travel Protection offers you reliable support when you need it most. Our travel coverage protects you against unexpected medical situations, including Emergency Evacuations and more. Let us delve into the details to understand how AXA Travel Protection has your back in times of need. 

Covering Emergency Evacuations 

Life is unpredictable, and accidents or sickness can strike even during your travels. That is why AXA Travel Protection provides coverage for emergency evacuations. If you suffer from an accidental injury or illness during your trip that requires immediate medical attention, we have you covered. We can pay benefits for the covered evacuation expenses incurred up to the maximum benefit mentioned in your policy. 

What is included in Covered Evacuation Expenses? 

AXA Travel Protection covers reasonable and customary expenses related to your Emergency Evacuation. This includes necessary transportation, medical services and supplies required during evacuation. We are committed to getting you to safety using the most direct and cost-effective route possible. 

Transportation Details 

Transportation arrangements are made with precision and care. We ensure that the attending physician recommends all transportation, complies with conveyance regulations, and is authorized in advance by us or our authorized travel assistance company.   

What is an Emergency Evacuation?

In the event of an accidental injury or sickness that warrants immediate transportation from a location, Emergency Evacuation or Medical Emergency Evacuation is deployed to rescue or treat the patient. These services are designed to transport the affected individual to a suitable medical facility for treatment or rescue purposes.

Understanding Emergency Evacuation 

Emergency Evacuation might sound daunting, but it is designed to ensure your well-being.Here is what it means:

Hospital-to-Hospital Transport: We have your back if your medical condition requires swift transfer from the initial hospital where you received treatment to the nearest hospital that can provide suitable medical care. 

Returning Home for Further Treatment: If your situation demands it, we will organize transportation for you to return home after treatment so you can continue recovery or receive further medical attention. 

Combination of Both: Sometimes, circumstances call for a variety of the above situations. We are here to make sure your evacuation needs are met. 

Is Emergency Evacuation necessary?

Maximum Benefit: $1,000,000 Hospital Companion: $10,000 File for a  Free Quote  to see the full range of coverage details.

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Emergency Evacuation FAQs

Who should i call during an emergency evacuation.

If you experience a medical emergency during your travels, contact your local emergency services. Then call AXA’s 24/7 emergency services: 855-327-1442

Transportation of Minor Children and Hospital Companions  

Your loved ones are important to us too. If you are expected to be in the hospital for over seven days following a covered emergency evacuation or if the worst occurs and you pass away during your trip, we will ensure the safe return of your unattended minor child(ren) (under the age of eighteen (18)) who accompanied you on the trip. They will be taken to the domicile of a person nominated by you or your next of kin, with an attendant if needed. 

For those times when you find yourself alone in a hospital for more than seven consecutive days due to an accidental injury or sickness, we will arrange for a companion of your choice to visit you once.  

This person will be provided with necessary transportation, authorized and organized by us while adhering to the applicable guidelines. 

Why choose AXA Travel Protection

With a presence in over 30 countries worldwide, AXA provides assistance with a wide range of features that include: 

  • Extensive knowledge of local health risks and medical facilities to respond swiftly in the event of a medical emergency
  • 24/7 global team of travel experts that offers assistance and assurance while traveling

How to get a Travel Protection Quote Receive a  free quote  within minutes Or call us at  855-327-1441  to speak with our licensed Travel Insurance Advisors. Monday-Saturday, 8AM-7PM Central Time Disclaimer: It is important to note that the specifics for Emergency Evacuation will depend on the policy selected, date of purchase, destination, and state of residency. Customers are advised to carefully review the terms and conditions of their policy, and to contact AXA Partners with any questions or concerns they may have.

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Speak with one of our licensed representatives or our 24/7 multilingual Insurance advisors to find the coverage you need for your next trip. From Medical Coverage to Trip Cancellation Protection, our team of travel experts will help you choose the right coverage.

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  • Section 5 - Histoplasmosis
  • Section 6 - Obtaining Health Care Abroad

Travel Insurance, Travel Health Insurance & Medical Evacuation Insurance

Cdc yellow book 2024.

Author(s): Rhett Stoney

  • Domestic Health Insurance & Overseas Travel

Paying for Health Services Received Abroad

Travel insurance, supplemental travel health & medical evacuation insurance, finding an insurance provider, travelers with underlying medical conditions, medicare beneficiaries.

Severe illness or injury abroad could cause a financial burden to travelers. Regardless of whether they have a domestic health insurance plan, travelers can substantially reduce their out-of-pocket costs for medical care received abroad by purchasing specialized insurance policies in advance of their trip. Three types of policies—travel insurance, travel health insurance, and medical evacuation insurance—each provide different types of coverage in the event of an illness or injury. Such policies might be particularly beneficial to travelers with preexisting medical conditions. Besides protection against costs, the insurance might also help travelers obtain medical care abroad.

Basic accident or travel health insurance might be necessary for travelers with certain itineraries. For example, although cruise lines employ health care staff, the cost for medical treatment delivered onboard a ship might not be included in the price of a passenger's ticket; thus, travelers on cruise ships might want to consider investing in specialized insurance policies.

Domestic Health Insurance & Overseas Travel

Some US health insurance carriers cover medical emergencies that occur when policyholders travel internationally. Encourage travelers to contact their insurer before traveling to learn what medical services, if any, their policies cover. Box 6-01 includes suggested questions travelers should ask their insurance company.

Box 6-01 Supplemental travel health insurance: suggested questions to ask before purchasing a policy

Coverage requirements.

  • Do I need preauthorization before receiving treatment, hospital admission, or other medical services?
  • Do I need a second opinion before I can receive emergency treatment?
  • What are company policies regarding coverage of care received "out of network"?
  • Does the company provide policyholders access to a 24/7/365 physician-backed support center?

POTENTIAL EXCLUSIONS

  • Does this policy include or exclude coverage for treatment of injuries sustained while participating in high-risk activities (e.g., skydiving, scuba diving, mountain climbing)?
  • Does this policy include or exclude coverage for mental health (psychiatric) emergencies?

PREEXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS

  • Does this policy cover exacerbations of preexisting medical conditions?
  • Does this policy cover complications of pregnancy or neonatal intensive care?

During the pretravel consultation, discuss insurance options and suggest that all travelers consider purchasing supplemental medical insurance coverage (see Box 6-02 for a discussion checklist), particularly if they are going to remote destinations or places lacking high-quality medical facilities. Strongly encourage supplemental medical insurance coverage for travelers planning extended international travel, those with underlying health conditions, and those participating in high-risk activities (e.g., scuba diving, mountain climbing) abroad. In addition to covering costs of treatment or medical evacuation, travel health insurers can assist the international traveler by organizing and coordinating care and by keeping relatives informed in the event of a medical emergency, which is especially important when the traveler is severely ill or injured and requires medical evacuation.

Nationalized health care services at a given destination do not necessarily cover health care costs of nonresidents. Even with a supplemental travel health insurance policy in force, receiving medical care abroad usually requires a cash or credit card payment at the point of service, which can result in expenditures of thousands of dollars. US citizens paying for health care abroad should obtain copies of all charges and receipts and, if necessary, contact a US consular officer, who can assist the traveler with transferring funds from the United States.

The US Department of State might be able to offer limited emergency medical assistance loans to US citizens who experience a medical emergency abroad but have no means to pay at point of service and cannot arrange for a transfer of funds from the United States. Travelers must repay these loans, but the funds might be available for temporarily destitute US citizens and their qualified dependents. Once a loan is issued, the Department of State will limit the traveler's US passport and, in most cases, will not issue a new passport until the loan is paid in full. US citizens should contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or the US Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 888-407-4747 (or from abroad, +1-202-501-4444), for information about assistance options and eligibility requirements.

Box 6-02 Supplemental travel health insurance: discussion checklist

Travel medicine professional responsibilities.

  • Determine travelers' health profile, including underlying medical conditions.
  • Identify potential medical needs abroad, including health risks based on itinerary and destination, duration of travel, method of transportation (air-, land-, or water-based), lodgings or accommodations, and planned activities.
  • Instruct travelers to review domestic health policies to identify gaps in coverage for identified potential medical needs.
  • Discuss the differences between the 3 types of supplemental insurance (travel, travel health, and medical evacuation), and explain how to choose supplemental policies that cover potential medical needs abroad.
  • Travelers should be prepared to pay out of pocket at the time services are rendered, in some instances even before care is received, and then provide insurers with copies of bills and invoices to initiate reimbursement afterward.
  • Travelers should plan for potential emergencies in advance by identifying health care providers at the destination who see international travelers.

TRAVELER RESPONSIBILITIES

Before travel

  • Review domestic health insurance policies to determine what medical services are or are not covered overseas.
  • Purchase supplemental travel health insurance coverage based on potential medical needs and health risks.
  • Identify medical service providers at destination (for a directory of English-speaking health care providers, see International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers .
  • Check with the insurance company to confirm they reimburse for out-of-pocket payments made to healthcare providers abroad. In most cases, health care providers abroad do not accept payment from insurance carriers, and travelers must pay up front (with cash or credit card) for all services received.

During travel

  • Carry insurance policy identity cards (including supplemental travel health insurance) and insurance claim forms while traveling.
  • Have contact information of medical providers at destination(s).
  • Keep copies of all charges and receipts for medical care received.

After travel

  • Promptly seek medical attention upon return to the United States and at the first sign of any unexpected complications from care received internationally.
  • Bring copies of all summary records, charges, and receipts for medical care received abroad.
  • Give the US health care provider the following details: dates of travel, dates medical care received, contact information for the facility and all international health care providers seen.

Travel insurance protects the traveler's financial investment in a trip, including lost baggage and trip cancellation. Travelers who become ill before departing are more likely to avoid or postpone travel if they know their financial investment in the trip is protected. Depending on the policy, travel insurance might not cover medical expenses abroad, so travelers need to carefully research the coverage offered to determine their need for additional travel health and medical evacuation insurance.

Travel health insurance and medical evacuation insurance are 2 types of short-term supplemental policies that cover health care costs incurred while abroad. Each is relatively inexpensive. Many commercial companies offer travel health insurance; travelers can purchase such policies separately or together with medical evacuation insurance. Some recommended features to consider when purchasing supplemental travel health and medical evacuation insurance include whether the insurer arranges with hospitals to guarantee direct payment; provides assistance via a 24-hour physician-backed support center, which is critical for medical evacuation insurance; offers emergency medical transport to facilities in the home country (repatriation) or to facilities equivalent to those in the home country; and covers high-risk activities (e.g., scuba diving).

Although travel health insurance covers some international health care costs, the quality of care might be inadequate and medical evacuation (sometimes referred to as "medevac") from a resource-poor area to a hospital delivering definitive care might be necessary. The total cost of medevac varies by location, ranging from $25,000 for transport within North America to ≥$250,000 for more distant and remote locations. Costs increase when the patient being evacuated is critically ill or needs complex infection control measures. In such cases, medevac insurance covers the cost of transportation, including transportation to another country if necessary.

Some medical evacuation companies have more extensive experience working in some parts of the world than others; travelers should ask about a company's resources in each region of travel, especially if planning trips to hard-to-reach locations in a region. Even if travelers select their insurance provider carefully, unexpected delays in care can still arise, especially in remote destinations. Thus, if the health risks are too high, a traveler might want to postpone or cancel their international trip.

Several organizations provide information about purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance, including the US Department of State ; International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers ; US Travel Insurance Association ; and the American Association of Retired Persons , among others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not endorse any provider or medical insurance company.

Travelers with underlying medical conditions should discuss any concerns with the insurer before departure. In a study of international travelers with travel health insurance claims, insurance companies fully paid only 2/3 of claims, and the main reasons for coverage refusal were preexisting illness and poor documentation of expenses incurred.

Beyond purchasing supplemental travel health insurance coverage, encourage travelers with medical conditions to take additional steps before departure. To facilitate ease of access to health records when overseas, travelers should store copies of their health records with a medical assistance company. Instruct travelers to obtain letters from their health care providers listing all medical conditions and current medications, including generic drug names, written in the local language if possible. Travelers should pack medications in the original packaging in carry-on luggage during transport. To facilitate ease of entry through customs, travelers should check with the destination country's embassy before departure to ensure that none of the medications they are bringing are considered illegal in that region. Anyone with a known heart condition should carry a copy (paper or electronic) of their most recent electrocardiogram.

Medicare beneficiaries are no different from other travelers; they need to examine their coverage carefully and supplement it with additional travel health insurance, as required. Except in limited circumstances, the Social Security Medicare program does not provide coverage for medical costs incurred outside the United States, nor does it cover medical evacuation. Medicare beneficiaries can purchase supplemental Medigap plans to fill gaps, including for travel coverage. Medigap plans C, D, F, G, M, and N cover some emergency care received outside the United States. After meeting the yearly $250 deductible, this benefit pays 80% of the cost of emergency care during the first 60 days of international travel. The coverage has a $50,000 lifetime maximum. International travelers can find more information on Medicare and Medigap options at www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/medigap-travel.

The following authors contributed to the previous version of this chapter: Rhett J. Stoney

Bibliography

American Association of Retired Persons. Overview of Medicare supplemental insurance 2010. Available from: www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-10-2008/overview_medicare_supplemental_insurance.html .

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medigap & travel. Available from: www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/medigap-travel .

Flaherty G, De Freitas S. A heart for travel: travel health considerations for patients with heart disease and cardiac devices. Ir Med J. 2016;109(10):486.

Leggat PA, Carne J, Kedjarune U. Travel insurance and health. J Travel Med. 1999;6(4):243–8.

Leggat PA, Leggat FW. Travel insurance claims made by travelers from Australia. J Travel Med. 2002;9(2):59–65.

Teichman PG, Donchin Y, Kot RJ. International aeromedical evacuation. N Engl J Med. 2007;356(3):262–70.

US Department of State. Emergency financial assistance for U.S. citizens abroad. Available from: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/emergencies/emergency-financial-assistance.html .

US Department of State. Insurance providers for overseas coverage. Available from: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/your-health-abroad/insurance-providers-overseas.html .

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Travel Medical Insurance: Emergency Coverage While You Travel Internationally

Elina Geller

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

What is travel health insurance?

Travel insurance vs. travel medical insurance, what does travel medical insurance cover, different types of travel medical insurance plans, how to purchase travel medical insurance, who needs travel health insurance, how much does travel medical insurance cost, how do i use my travel health insurance, what you need to know about limits, exclusions and deductibles, long-term travel medical insurance options for expats.

Travel medical insurance provides protection against unexpected illnesses or injuries during travel abroad.

Premium travel credit cards may offer limited coverage, making stand-alone travel medical insurance necessary.

In case of a medical emergency, contact the insurer, pay expenses and file a reimbursement claim.

Primary vs. secondary coverage: Primary allows direct claims, secondary requires filing with primary first.

If you’re looking for a policy that protects you in the event of an unexpected illness or injury while traveling abroad, then you need to learn about stand-alone travel medical insurance. This type of insurance can be provided by the benefits of certain premium travel credit cards , but the coverages can be both limiting and low in value.

Emergency medical coverage is included within some comprehensive travel insurance policies but can also be purchased on its own. Even if you have a primary U.S. insurance plan, including Medicaid or Medicare, odds are it will help very little (or often not at all) while out of the country.

Checking all the different sources of information can get confusing, and it's easy to misunderstand what type of medical insurance you have when traveling or accidentally duplicate your coverage by purchasing a policy when you already have those benefits covered from another source. Here’s everything you need to know about travel medical insurance so you can choose the best option for your trip.

» Learn more: The majority of Americans plan to travel in 2022

Travel medical insurance provides reimbursement for emergency medical expenses, including medical evacuations, while you’re traveling. These policies do not provide coverage for routine expenses.

So, if you break your leg while you're on vacation internationally, emergency medical coverage will protect you. However, if you decide to get a teeth cleaning while you’re abroad, you will not be covered. Travel medical insurance is meant to protect you in case of emergency.

Expats, frequent business travelers or individuals who spend significant periods of time living outside the U.S. can purchase a comprehensive travel health insurance policy meant for long-term travelers (more on this below). These policies offer routine medical coverage for those living abroad (generally for one year or longer) rather than vacationers. Long-term international travel health insurance policies should not be confused with travel medical insurance.

Travel medical insurance products and comprehensive policies may also include coverage for family members who are traveling with you, or coverage for a family member to visit you if you become hospitalized. The definition of "family" can vary, but it commonly includes your spouse, children, siblings, parents, grandparents and more. So if your travel companion gets sick or injured during the trip, trip cancellation benefits may kick in. Or if you get hospitalized in a foreign country, the insurer could pay for a flight and hotel accommodations for a designated family member to visit you.

Although natural disasters that impact your plans are usually covered, travel medical insurance policies often exclude pandemics from coverage or those countries that have a ‘Level 4 Do Not Travel’ advisory issued by the U.S. Department of State . If U.S. citizens travel to those countries, travel medical insurance services may not be available. It's important to check the fine print of your policy to determine what may or may not be covered.

» Learn more: Where can U.S. citizens travel right now?

A comprehensive travel insurance policy will include more protections than stand-alone travel medical insurance.

Travel medical insurance plans will have protections related to emergency medical events, while comprehensive trip insurance policies cover everything from medical care to trip cancellations.

Here are how those differences generally shake out.

With travel medical insurance, there are no trip cancellation benefits, so the cost of the trip is irrelevant. This makes the policy cheaper compared to purchasing comprehensive travel insurance, where you’ll need to include the entire nonrefundable cost of your vacation when calculating your quote.

Although travel medical plans can include coverage for benefits like trip interruption, the covered amounts will usually be limited.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

You will be reimbursed for unplanned, emergency medical costs that you incur during your trip. We reviewed several travel medical insurance plans on InsureMyTrip and found that they offer the following protections:

Since we reviewed several policies in the chart above, these limits show a wide range.

» Learn more: Does travel insurance cover medical expenses? Kinda.

Both the type of trip and type of coverage determine which travel medical policy makes the most sense. You’ll need to become familiar with four terms: primary coverage, secondary coverage, single trip and multi-trip.

Primary vs. secondary coverage

Travel medical insurance plans will refer to medical coverage as primary or secondary.

Primary means that you can submit a claim to your travel medical insurance company before submitting to any other insurer.

When the policy is secondary , you will need to submit your claim to your primary insurance provider before you can submit a claim to the travel insurance provider.

For example, say you break your leg on vacation and have to go to the emergency room right away. If your travel health insurance is primary, you can pay your medical bill with your credit card and then submit a claim directly to the travel insurer.

However, if your travel medical coverage is secondary, you will first have to submit this claim to your U.S.-based medical insurer even though they may deny the claim (because the policies limit coverage abroad). You may even be required to include the refusal notice from your primary insurance along with your claim to your secondary travel health insurer.

Single-trip vs. multi-trip

Whether you’re a frequent traveler or go on vacation only once a year, you can choose a policy that is tailored to your travel needs. You can purchase either single- or multi-trip coverage, and it's important to know the difference between the two types.

Single-trip coverage: You leave home, travel internationally and return home. You can visit as many countries as you like while traveling, but when you return home, the coverage ends. These plans are purchased for each trip, whether you’re gone for four days or four weeks.

Multi-trip coverage: You can leave, travel and return home as many times as you want during the covered period. You can, for example, leave home, travel to France for a week, return home for a month, travel to Panama for three weeks and return home. The coverage continues no matter how many times you return home as long as each trip does not exceed the allowable period (usually 30 to 90 days). These plans must be purchased on an annual basis, and they require you to have health insurance in the United States.

Multi-trip coverage makes sense (and is usually more cost effective) if you travel frequently and do not want to purchase a single policy each time you go on an international trip. However, if you do not have medical insurance in the U.S., you will not be covered under multi-trip plans.

Do I need to have primary health insurance in the U.S. to be eligible for travel medical insurance?

The answer to this question is: maybe. It depends on the type of coverage you have. If your single-trip plan refers to your medical coverage as primary, you don’t need another health insurance policy. However, if the coverage provided under your single-trip plan is secondary, then you must have primary health insurance.

As noted above, all multi-trip plans require that you have primary medical insurance coverage in the U.S.

» Learn more: What to do if you get sick while traveling overseas

You can search for medical travel policies on insurance comparison sites like Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner), InsureMyTrip or Travel Guard . Policies differ by state, and availability may change during or after the pandemic, so verify that the state you reside in offers travel medical insurance in light of coronavirus.

If you plan on traveling and your existing medical insurance will not cover you in the country you are traveling to, buying a travel medical insurance plan could make sense. You could either purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy or one that only provides medical coverage.

Purchasing a policy strictly for travel medical insurance is a good idea for those who want emergency coverage while traveling but:

Have a premium travel card that already provides trip cancellation and trip delay coverage the individual deems sufficient.

Do not need trip cancellation, trip delay or the other benefits provided by a comprehensive policy because the traveler will remain in one location for a while and is not worried about a canceled trip.

If you do not have a travel card with trip cancellation benefits and you also want emergency medical coverage, then you’re better off with a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

The cost of the policy varies based on a number of factors including:

The country you’re going to.

The state you’re from.

Coverage provided.

We did a search on InsureMyTrip for a one-month trip to Italy in November 2024 for a 36-year-old, and found one policy that offered medical coverage.

While we only got one result for this search, $31.80 is around the typical price you're likely to see for basic medical travel insurance for a trip of this nature. This is because travel medical insurance does not include other travel insurance benefits.

If you encounter a medical emergency while traveling, contact your travel insurance provider about how to proceed.

You will likely need to pay for your medical expenses using your credit card and subsequently file a claim for reimbursement with the insurer.

Some coverage (e.g., emergency evacuation) may need to be arranged by your travel medical insurance provider to be eligible for reimbursement.

In all instances, it's best to contact your insurance provider before making any arrangements or paying any bills.

Similar to your regular health insurance, travel medical coverage also comes with limits, exclusions and deductibles.

Exclusions are specific events that are excluded from coverage. For example, some plans may exclude coverage for activities (e.g., skydiving) that are deemed risky. Check the policy to make sure that the activities you plan to partake in are not excluded.

Limits are monetary caps on coverage. For example, the policy may cover emergency dental treatment but only up to $500 worth. Anything over that maximum you would be responsible for paying.

A deductible is an amount you need to pay before your policy will reimburse. For example, if you have a policy with a $250 deductible and you submit claims for eligible expenses totaling $400, the insurer will reimburse you only $150. Policies can often be customized to increase or decrease the deductible. The screenshot below includes the same travel medical policy for a one-month trip to Costa Rica in June 2023 for a 30-year-old, with the option to change the deductible.

The lower the deductible, the more expensive the policy and vice versa.

Individuals who live or work abroad and spend a considerable portion of the year living outside the U.S. are eligible for a travel health insurance plan that provides coverage for routine medical care. These policies are different from travel medical insurance, which is meant to cover only emergencies.

Long-term international travel health insurance plans usually have higher limits than travel medical insurance policies and are available on a long-term basis only (one year or more).

The policies are only available for one year or longer and have high maximum limits of $1,000,000 to $8,000,000. The plans are customizable and allow you to receive worldwide medical treatment.

For the most part, your U.S.-based medical insurance provider will not cover your medical treatment when you’re abroad. If you want peace of mind while you’re on a trip away from your home country, a travel medical insurance plan is your best bet.

Anytime before your trip begins.

Generally, the emergency medical insurance coverage on credit cards offers fewer protections and lower limits than a stand-alone policy. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers emergency medical coverage up to $2,500 with a $50 deductible. The policies we looked at above offered medical coverage from $50,000 to $2,000,000. If you want a higher limit, you may want to purchase a travel medical insurance policy.

It depends on the type of coverage you’re looking for. Generally, if you’re only concerned with emergency medical benefits and don’t need trip cancellation, trip delay, rental car coverage or any of the other benefits provided by a comprehensive travel insurance plan, a medical plan should be enough for you. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and your particular circumstances determine which policy is most suitable.

Yes. Travelers can purchase medical-only travel insurance coverage, and on the bright side, this type of plan is often more affordable than comprehensive policies. In 2023, travelers spent an average of $96 on medical-only travel insurance, versus over $400 on average for comprehensive plans, according to Squaremouth.

Generally, the emergency medical insurance coverage on credit cards offers fewer protections and lower limits than a stand-alone policy. For example, the

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

offers emergency medical coverage up to $2,500 with a $50 deductible. The policies we looked at above offered medical coverage from $50,000 to $2,000,000. If you want a higher limit, you may want to purchase a travel medical insurance policy.

Final thoughts on international medical insurance plans

Travel health insurance can protect you if you experience an unexpected medical emergency during a trip. Although this is a topic no one wants to think about, it's important to know your options.

Depending on the coverage you’re looking for, you can either pick a stand-alone medical policy or get a comprehensive travel insurance one. Deciding what policy is best depends on your situation and any additional protections you may already have through your premium travel credit card.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

travel insurance with medical evacuation

Overview of Travel Insurance Coverage

What does travel insurance cover, what does credit card travel insurance cover, what travel insurance coverage do you need to pay more for, choosing the right travel insurance, what does travel insurance cover frequently asked questions, understanding what travel insurance covers.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Chase Freedom Flex℠. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

  • Travel insurance is intended to cover risks and financial losses associated with traveling.
  • Coverage can include trip cancellation, baggage protection, medical care, and emergency evacuation.
  • When filing a claim, be specific and comprehensive in your documentation to ease the process.

Whether it's a trip across the world or a trip across the state, having travel insurance provides major relief if things go awry. Flight delays, lost baggage, illness, injuries, and other unforeseen events can disrupt even the best-laid plans. With a major disruption comes the potential for unanticipated expenses.

Travel insurance and the coverage it offers can help keep you protected and save you money in the long run.

Travel insurance policies protect travelers from financial losses should something go wrong during their trip. You can customize which coverages you want to include, and there are several to choose from.

"Common types of coverage include trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage protection, coverage for medical care if you get sick or hurt during your trip, and emergency medical evacuation," says Angela Borden, a travel insurance expert and product strategist for travel insurance company Seven Corners.

Travel insurance plans offer nonrefundable payments and other trip-related expenses. While monetary compensation is a primary benefit, there is another valuable perk of travel insurance. It can provide peace of mind.

Your specific travel insurance plan (and its terms and conditions) will determine the minutia and specifics of what is covered. As with most other forms of insurance, a general rule of thumb is the more you spend, the better your coverage.

"Travel insurance can be confusing, so it's best to research a reputable company that specializes in travel insurance and has a long history of successfully helping travelers all over the world," says Borden.

Trip cancellation and interruptions

A travel insurance policy can reimburse you for a prepaid, nonrefundable trip if it is canceled for a covered event, such as a natural disaster or a global pandemic.

Trip interruption insurance covers you if you're already on your trip and you get sick, there's a natural disaster, or something else happens. Make sure to check with your travel insurance providers to discuss any inclusions, coverage, and more.

Travel delays and missed connections

Travel delay insurance coverage provides reimbursement for any expenses you incur when you experience a delay in transit over a minimum time. Reimbursements can include hotels, airfare, food, and other related expenses.

Medical emergencies and evacuations

Typically, US healthcare plans are not accepted in other countries. So travel insurance with medical coverage can be particularly beneficial when you are abroad. Medical coverage can also help with locating doctors and healthcare facilities.

Medical transportation coverage will also pay for emergency evacuation expenses such as airlifts and medically-equipped flights back to the US. Out of pocket, these expenses can easily amount to tens of thousands of dollars. Certain plans may even transport you to a hospital of choice for care.

Travel insurance generally does not include coverage for pre-existing conditions. That said, you can obtain a pre-existing condition waiver, which we will talk about later.  

Baggage and personal belongings

Most airlines will reimburse travelers for lost or destroyed baggage, but be prepared for limitations. Travel insurance plans will typically cover stolen items, such as those stolen out of a hotel room. This may not include expensive jewelry, antiques, or heirloom items. Typically, airlines have a few days to recover your bag.

In the meantime, you can make a claim to pay for items like certain toiletries and other items you need to pick up. If your bag is truly lost or you don't get it for an extended period, you can file a true lost baggage claim.

A major perk on several travel credit cards is embedded credit card travel insurance . Typically, you will need to use the specific card for the transaction (at least with partial payment) for travel coverage to kick in.

Each card has specific rules on what exactly is covered. But one of the industry leaders is the $550-per-year Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card. Here's a snapshot of what is covered with this specific card:

  • Baggage delay: up to $100 reimbursed per day for up to five days if a passenger carrier delays your baggage by more than six hours.
  • Lost and damaged baggage: up to $3,000 per passenger per trip, but only up to $500 per passenger for jewelry and watches and up to $500 per passenger for cameras and other electronic equipment.
  • Trip delay reimbursement: up to $500 per ticket if you're delayed more than six hours or require an overnight stay.
  • Trip cancellation and interruption protection: up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses.
  • Medical evacuation benefit: up to $100,000 for necessary emergency evacuation and transportation when on a trip of five to 60 days and traveling more than 100 miles from home.
  • Travel accident insurance: accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $100,000 (up to $1,000,000 for common carrier travel).
  • Emergency medical and dental benefits: up to $2,500 for medical expenses (subject to a $50 deductible) when on a trip arranged by a travel agency and traveling more than 100 miles from home.
  • Rental car coverage: primary coverage for damages caused by theft or collision up to $75,000 on rentals of 31 days or fewer

More protections are included with cards with an annual fee, but there are exceptions. The no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex, for instance, includes up to $1,500 per person (and up to $6,000 per trip) in trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage.

However, there are some differences between credit card travel coverage and obtaining coverage from a third party.

"Credit card coverage does not typically provide travel medical benefits," Borden says. "For protection if you get sick or hurt while traveling, you'll want a travel insurance plan with medical coverage."

Whether you get your travel insurance in a standalone policy or through a credit card, it's important to review your plan details carefully. In either case, there may be exclusions and other requirements such as deadlines when filing a claim, Borden notes.

Knowing what travel insurance doesn't cover is as important as knowing what it does cover.

"Travelers should understand that travel insurance benefits come into play only if a covered reason occurs," Borden says. Most standard travel insurance plans won't reimburse you for the following:

Cancel for any reason (CFAR)

Cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance covers a trip cancellation for any reason, not just a covered event. your standard benefits won't kick in unless it's a covered event. For instance, you'll be reimbursed simply for changing your mind about taking a trip.

That said, CFAR travel insurance is not without its downsides. For one, it's more expensive than traditional insurance, and most CFAR policies will only reimburse you for a percentage of your travel expenses. Additionally, CFAR policies aren't available for annual travel insurance . 

You can find our guide on the best CFAR travel insurance here.

Foreseen weather events

Sudden storms or unforeseen weather events are typically covered by standard travel insurance plans. There are exceptions to be aware of. For example, an anticipated and named hurricane will not be covered.

Medical tourism

If you're going to travel internationally for a medical procedure or doctor's visit, your travel insurance plan will not cover the procedure itself. Most medical travel plans also won't cover you if something goes wrong with your procedure.

Pre-existing conditions and pregnancy

Those with specific pre-existing conditions, such as someone with diabetes and needing more insulin, will not be covered by most plans. In addition, pregnancy-related expenses will likely not be covered under most plans.

That said, you can obtain a pre-existing condition waiver for stable conditions. In order to obtain a wavier, you will need to purchase travel insurance within a certain time frame from when you booked your trip, usually two to three weeks, depending on your policy.

Extreme sports and activities

Accidents occurring while participating in extreme sports like skydiving and paragliding will typically not be covered under most plans. However, many plans offer the ability to upgrade to a higher-priced version with extended coverage.

Navigating claims and assistance

When a trip goes awry, the first thing you should do is document everything and be as specific as possible with documentation. This will make the claims process easier, as you can substantiate and quantify your financial losses due to the delay.

For example, your flight home has been delayed long enough to be covered under your policy, you'll want to keep any receipts from purchases made while waiting. For instances where your luggage is lost, you will need to file a report with local authorities and document all the items you packed.

Cancellation protection also requires meticulous attention to detail. If you're too sick to fly, you may need to see a doctor to prove your eligibility. If an airline cancels a flight, you'll also need to document any refunds you received as travel insurance isn't going to reimburse you for money you've already gotten back. 

Part of the benefit of CFAR insurance is the reduced paperwork necessary to file a claim. You'll still need to document your nonrefundable losses, but you won't have to substantiate why you're canceling a trip.

Each plan should be personalized to meet the insured party's needs. Some travelers prefer to stick to the bare minimum (flight cancellation benefits through the airline). Others want a comprehensive plan with every coverage possible. Before you buy anything, set your destination. Are there any travel restrictions or changes pending? Does your destination country require emergency or other medical coverage?

If the destination airport is known for lost or delayed luggage, travelers should keep important items in carry-ons. Lost or delayed luggage coverage protects insured parties in the event of a significant delay or total loss.

Second, check current credit card travel benefits to avoid redundancies. Savvy travelers don't need to pay for the same coverage twice.

Finally, consider your individual needs. Do you have a chronic medical condition, or do you feel safe with emergency-only medical coverage? Keep in mind, this does not include coverage for cosmetic surgery or other medical tourism. Do you have a budget limit for travel insurance? Asking and answering these important questions will help every traveler find the right product.

Most travel insurance plans are simple, and Business Insider's guide to the best travel insurance companies outlines our top picks. Remember, read your policy and its specifics closely to ensure it includes the items you need coverage for.

No one likes to dwell on how a trip might not go as planned before even leaving. However, at its core, travel insurance provides peace of mind as you go about your trip. While the upfront cost may seem significant, when you compare it to the potential expenses of a canceled flight, emergency evacuation, or a hefty medical bill, it's a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

Coverage for pandemics vary from policy to policy. Some travel insurance companies have specific provisions for pandemic-related cancellations, while others may exclude them entirely.

Sports injuries are often covered under travel insurance, but high-risk or adventure sports might require additional coverage or a special policy.

Travel advisories have different effects on your travel insurance depending on your policy. Traveling to a country already under travel advisory may invalidate your coverage, but if you're already traveling when a travel advisory is announced, you may be covered.

Travel insurance usually covers the cost of emergency medical evacuations to the nearest suitable medical facility, and sometimes back to your home country, if necessary.

Many travel insurance policies provide coverage for the cost of replacing lost or stolen passports during a trip.

travel insurance with medical evacuation

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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OneTrip Emergency Medical Plan

Even free-spirited travelers need the reassurance of insurance. OneTrip Emergency Medical is flexible and affordable travel insurance that includes only post-departure benefits. This means you get emergency medical and emergency transportation benefits, as well as benefits for travel delays, missed connections and lost/stolen or damaged baggage. Designed for travelers with few prepaid expenses, this low-cost plan does not include trip cancellation or trip interruption benefits.

All benefits are  per insured traveler  unless otherwise noted. If you’re renting a car for your trip, you can upgrade your plan to include the affordable OneTrip Rental Car Protector.

Benefits/Coverage

Benefits/Coverage may vary by state, and sublimits may apply. Please see your plan for full details.

Epidemic Coverage

Adds certain epidemic-related covered reasons for Travel Delay; Emergency Medical Care; and Emergency Transportation benefits. For example, if you are diagnosed with an epidemic disease such as COVID-19 and require emergency medical care, you may be reimbursed for costs up to your plan’s maximum limit for the Emergency Medical Care benefit.

Emergency Medical

Up to $50,000

Provides benefits for losses due to covered medical and dental emergencies that occur during your trip. There is a $750 maximum for all covered dental expenses.

Benefit is  per insured traveler.

Emergency Medical Transportation

Up to $250,000

Provides benefits for medically necessary transportation to the nearest hospital or appropriate facility following a covered illness or injury during your trip.

Baggage Loss/Damage

Up to $2,000

Covers loss, damage or theft of baggage and personal effects. 

Baggage Delay

Reimburses the reasonable additional purchase of eligible essential items during your trip if your baggage is delayed or misdirected by a common carrier for 12 hours or more. Receipts for emergency purchases are required.

Travel Delay

Up to $1,000

Reimburses up to $200 per day per person for additional travel and lost prepaid expenses if your trip is delayed for six or more hours for a covered reason. Can also reimburse eligible additional transportation expenses if you miss your cruise or tour because of a covered delay.

Travel Accident Coverage

Up to $10,000

Pays benefits for losses when you, as a result of an accidental injury occurring during the covered trip, sustain a covered loss of life, sight, hands or feet.

24-Hr Hotline Assistance

With Allianz Global Assistance, you'll never travel alone. Our multilingual assistance team is  available 24 hours a day   to help you handle all kinds of travel emergencies. We can help you find local medical and legal professionals, arrange to send a message home, help with missed connections and lost/stolen travel documents, and much more.

Provides personalized information about your destination and assists you with obtaining restaurant reservations, tee times and tickets to events.

Pre-Existing Medical Condition

Your plan may provide pre-existing medical conditions coverage if you, a traveling companion, or family member has a pre-existing medical condition. We define a pre-existing medical condition as an injury, illness, or medical condition that, within the 120 days prior to and including the purchase date of this policy: 1. Caused a person to seek medical examination, diagnosis, care, or treatment by a doctor; 2. Presented symptoms; or 3. Required a person to take medication prescribed by a doctor (unless the conditions or symptoms are controlled by that prescription, and the prescription has not changed). The illness, injury, or medical condition does not need to be formally diagnosed in order to be considered a pre-existing medical condition.

Coverage for a pre-existing medical condition is excluded unless:

  • You purchased your plan within 14 days of making your first trip payment or first trip deposit;
  • On the policy purchase date, you insured the full non-refundable cost of your trip with us. This includes trip arrangements that will become non-refundable or subject to cancellation penalties between the policy purchase date and the departure date. (If you incur additional non-refundable trip expenses after you purchase this policy, you must insure them with us within 14 days of their purchase. If you do not, those expenses will still be subject to the pre-existing medical condition exclusion.);
  • You are a U.S. resident;
  • You were medically able to travel on the day you purchased the plan.

All other contract terms and conditions apply.

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Insurance benefits underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: 2 Mid America Plaza, Suite 200, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181), rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233), rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101-C series or 101-P series, depending on your state of residence and plan chosen. A+ (Superior) and A (Excellent) are the 2nd and 3rd highest, respectively, of A.M. Best's 13 Financial Strength Ratings. Plans only available to U.S. residents and may not be available in all jurisdictions. Allianz Global Assistance and Allianz Travel Insurance are marks of AGA Service Company dba Allianz Global Assistance or its affiliates. Allianz Travel Insurance products are distributed by Allianz Global Assistance, the licensed producer and administrator of these plans and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance benefits and assistance services. Any Non-Insurance Assistance services purchased are provided through AGA Service Company. Except as expressly provided under your plan, you are responsible for charges you incur from third parties. Contact AGA Service Company at  800-284-8300 or 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233 or [email protected] .

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Passing Thru Travel

Passing Thru Travel

Travel Insurance 2024 – 10 Things You Need to Know – Choosing the Right Policy for International Trips

Posted: February 20, 2024 | Last updated: February 20, 2024

<p><strong>Traveling internationally is an exciting adventure, but it also comes with its share of uncertainties. Choosing the right travel insurance is one of the most important steps in planning your trip. Travel insurance can protect you from many unexpected circumstances, from medical emergencies and trip cancellations to lost luggage and flight delays. This guide will explore ten different travel insurance offerings, helping you make an informed decision for your next international journey.</strong></p>

Traveling internationally is an exciting adventure, but it also comes with its share of uncertainties. Choosing the right travel insurance is one of the most important steps in planning your trip. Travel insurance can protect you from many unexpected circumstances, from medical emergencies and trip cancellations to lost luggage and flight delays. This guide will explore ten different travel insurance offerings, helping you make an informed decision for your next international journey.

<p><span>World Nomads is widely acclaimed for its flexibility and comprehensive coverage, catering especially to adventurous travelers. Their policies often include activities that other insurers typically exclude, such as scuba diving, skiing, and hiking. Coverage extends to medical emergencies, trip cancellation, interruption, and baggage loss. They also provide tech gear coverage, a bonus for digital nomads. Their 24/7 emergency assistance is a key feature for those traveling to remote destinations.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Check their activity list to ensure your adventure sport is covered.</span></p>

World Nomads

World Nomads is widely acclaimed for its flexibility and comprehensive coverage, catering especially to adventurous travelers. Their policies often include activities that other insurers typically exclude, such as scuba diving, skiing, and hiking. Coverage extends to medical emergencies, trip cancellation, interruption, and baggage loss. They also provide tech gear coverage, a bonus for digital nomads. Their 24/7 emergency assistance is a key feature for those traveling to remote destinations.

Insider’s Tip: Check their activity list to ensure your adventure sport is covered.

<p><span>Allianz Global Assistance offers a variety of plans, allowing travelers to choose a policy that best suits the nature and budget of their trip. Their offerings range from basic emergency medical coverage to more comprehensive plans including trip cancellation, interruption, delay, baggage loss, and emergency medical transportation. Their annual plans are economical for frequent travelers. The 24/7 assistance service is invaluable for dealing with emergencies or unexpected changes in travel plans.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Consider their multi-trip annual plans if you travel frequently.</span></p>

Allianz Global Assistance

Allianz Global Assistance offers a variety of plans, allowing travelers to choose a policy that best suits the nature and budget of their trip. Their offerings range from basic emergency medical coverage to more comprehensive plans including trip cancellation, interruption, delay, baggage loss, and emergency medical transportation. Their annual plans are economical for frequent travelers. The 24/7 assistance service is invaluable for dealing with emergencies or unexpected changes in travel plans.

Insider’s Tip: Consider their multi-trip annual plans if you travel frequently.

<p><span>Travelex is renowned for its user-friendly policies, providing essential coverage like trip cancellation, interruption, medical expenses, and evacuation. They have a particular focus on family travel, with children under 17 covered at no extra cost under a parent’s policy. The Travel Select plan stands out for its upgrade options, allowing travelers to add coverage for adventure sports, additional medical coverage, and car rental protection.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Their Travel Select plan is highly customizable with upgrades.</span></p>

Travelex Insurance Services

Travelex is renowned for its user-friendly policies, providing essential coverage like trip cancellation, interruption, medical expenses, and evacuation. They have a particular focus on family travel, with children under 17 covered at no extra cost under a parent’s policy. The Travel Select plan stands out for its upgrade options, allowing travelers to add coverage for adventure sports, additional medical coverage, and car rental protection.

Insider’s Tip: Their Travel Select plan is highly customizable with upgrades.

<p><span>AXA Travel Insurance offers a range of plans, including single-trip, multi-trip, and annual plans, each with varying levels of coverage. They cover medical emergencies, trip cancellation, and baggage loss, and offer additional options like “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage. Their plans are known for high coverage limits and the option to add adventure sports coverage, making them a versatile choice for different types of travelers.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Look into their “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage for ultimate flexibility.</span></p>

AXA Travel Insurance

AXA Travel Insurance offers a range of plans, including single-trip, multi-trip, and annual plans, each with varying levels of coverage. They cover medical emergencies, trip cancellation, and baggage loss, and offer additional options like “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage. Their plans are known for high coverage limits and the option to add adventure sports coverage, making them a versatile choice for different types of travelers.

Insider’s Tip: Look into their “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage for ultimate flexibility.

<p><span>IMG specializes in medical travel insurance, ideal for travelers prioritizing health coverage. Their plans range from basic medical coverage to comprehensive policies that include evacuation, trip cancellation, and adventure sports. They also offer unique plans for travelers such as expats and missionaries. The inclusion of pre-existing conditions and their global network of hospitals make them a strong contender in medical travel insurance.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Their global network of hospitals can be particularly useful.</span></p>

IMG (International Medical Group)

IMG specializes in medical travel insurance, ideal for travelers prioritizing health coverage. Their plans range from basic medical coverage to comprehensive policies that include evacuation, trip cancellation, and adventure sports. They also offer unique plans for travelers such as expats and missionaries. The inclusion of pre-existing conditions and their global network of hospitals make them a strong contender in medical travel insurance.

Insider’s Tip: Their global network of hospitals can be particularly useful.

<p><span>Seven Corners stands out for its flexibility and range of plan options. They offer medical coverage, trip cancellation, and interruption insurance, with unique features like the ability to choose your medical facility abroad. Their RoundTrip plans are particularly beneficial for trip cancellation, offering reimbursement for trip costs due to unforeseen cancellations.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Their round-trip plans are great for trip cancellation coverage.</span></p>

Seven Corners

Seven Corners stands out for its flexibility and range of plan options. They offer medical coverage, trip cancellation, and interruption insurance, with unique features like the ability to choose your medical facility abroad. Their RoundTrip plans are particularly beneficial for trip cancellation, offering reimbursement for trip costs due to unforeseen cancellations.

Insider’s Tip: Their round-trip plans are great for trip cancellation coverage.

<p><span>Travel Guard by AIG offers a comprehensive range of travel insurance plans. Their offerings include medical expenses, evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, baggage loss, and flight insurance. The Gold Plan is notable for its family-friendly coverage, offering coverage for children at no additional cost, making it an excellent option for family vacations.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Their Gold Plan is ideal for families traveling with children.</span></p>

Travel Guard by AIG

Travel Guard by AIG offers a comprehensive range of travel insurance plans. Their offerings include medical expenses, evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, baggage loss, and flight insurance. The Gold Plan is notable for its family-friendly coverage, offering coverage for children at no additional cost, making it an excellent option for family vacations.

Insider’s Tip: Their Gold Plan is ideal for families traveling with children.

<p><span>HTH Worldwide is known for its high medical coverage limits and extensive network of medical providers worldwide. They cover various medical services, including pre-existing conditions and medical evacuation. Their plans also cater to students and expatriates. The mobile app, which helps find local healthcare providers, is a notable feature for travelers in unfamiliar destinations.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Use their mobile app to find qualified medical care internationally.</span></p>

HTH Worldwide

HTH Worldwide is known for its high medical coverage limits and extensive network of medical providers worldwide. They cover various medical services, including pre-existing conditions and medical evacuation. Their plans also cater to students and expatriates. The mobile app, which helps find local healthcare providers, is a notable feature for travelers in unfamiliar destinations.

Insider’s Tip: Use their mobile app to find qualified medical care internationally.

<p><span>Cigna Global is a leader in international health services, offering extensive medical insurance coverage. Their customizable plans allow travelers to add modules like vision and dental care. Their 24/7 customer support, providing assistance and guidance in medical emergencies, is a critical feature.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>They offer 24/7 customer support, which is useful for emergencies.</span></p>

Cigna Global

Cigna Global is a leader in international health services, offering extensive medical insurance coverage. Their customizable plans allow travelers to add modules like vision and dental care. Their 24/7 customer support, providing assistance and guidance in medical emergencies, is a critical feature.

Insider’s Tip: They offer 24/7 customer support, which is useful for emergencies.

<p><span>Generali Global Assistance provides traditional travel insurance coverage along with specialized services. Their plans cover trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and baggage loss, and offer concierge services. Their premium plans are ideal for sports enthusiasts, offering coverage for sporting equipment and adventure sports activities.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Their premium plans offer coverage for sporting equipment.</span></p>

Generali Global Assistance

Generali Global Assistance provides traditional travel insurance coverage along with specialized services. Their plans cover trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and baggage loss, and offer concierge services. Their premium plans are ideal for sports enthusiasts, offering coverage for sporting equipment and adventure sports activities.

Insider’s Tip: Their premium plans offer coverage for sporting equipment.

<p><span>Choosing the right travel insurance policy is crucial for peace of mind on your international travels. Whether you prioritize medical coverage, trip cancellation insurance, or specific needs like adventure sports coverage, there is a policy to suit your travel style. Always read the fine print, understand the extent of the coverage, and consider any pre-existing conditions you might have. With the right travel insurance, you can embark on your international adventures knowing you’re well-protected against the unexpected.</span></p> <p><span>More Articles Like This…</span></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/barcelona-discover-the-top-10-beach-clubs/"><span>Barcelona: Discover the Top 10 Beach Clubs</span></a></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/top-destination-cities-to-visit/"><span>2024 Global City Travel Guide – Your Passport to the World’s Top Destination Cities</span></a></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/exploring-khao-yai-a-hidden-gem-of-thailand/"><span>Exploring Khao Yai 2024 – A Hidden Gem of Thailand</span></a></p> <p><span>The post <a href="https://passingthru.com/travel-insurance-things-you-need-to-know/">Travel Insurance 2024 – 10 Things You Need to Know – Choosing the Right Policy for International Trips</a> republished on</span> <a href="https://passingthru.com/"><span>Passing Thru</span></a><span> with permission from</span> <a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/"><span>The Green Voyage</span></a><span>.</span></p> <p>Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Song_about_summer.</p> <p><span>For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.</span></p>

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right travel insurance policy is crucial for peace of mind on your international travels. Whether you prioritize medical coverage, trip cancellation insurance, or specific needs like adventure sports coverage, there is a policy to suit your travel style. Always read the fine print, understand the extent of the coverage, and consider any pre-existing conditions you might have. With the right travel insurance, you can embark on your international adventures knowing you’re well-protected against the unexpected.

More Articles Like This…

Barcelona: Discover the Top 10 Beach Clubs

2024 Global City Travel Guide – Your Passport to the World’s Top Destination Cities

Exploring Khao Yai 2024 – A Hidden Gem of Thailand

The post Travel Insurance 2024 – 10 Things You Need to Know – Choosing the Right Policy for International Trips republished on Passing Thru with permission from The Green Voyage .

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Song_about_summer.

For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.

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Travel expert says common mistake while booking holiday can end up costing people thousands

Travel expert says common mistake while booking holiday can end up costing people thousands

Even if you're in the pits of holiday booking hell, you can't let this slip your mind.

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

The idea of booking a break in the sun is much more serene than the reality of it. You're trawling through hundreds of destinations and hotel options, all while having to decide on dates which work for everyone involved.

You end up needing another holiday to recover from the mental exhaustion of simply arranging the first one, as there are that many things swirling around your head that you need to worry about .

But even if you're in the pits of holiday booking hell, there is one extremely important aspect of your trip that should never slip your mind - as travel experts have warned that this common mistake can end up costing people thousands .

Although you might be trying to get away on the cheap and are cutting corners where you can, not purchasing travel insurance is a huge no-no according to mini-break boffins at Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI).

They warned that it could end up costing you a lot more in the long run if you don't get cover before you head abroad and end up running into trouble while your away.

Forgetting to buy travel insurance could bite you on the backside big time.

The insurance firm 's CEO, Jo McCauley, explained that there has been an uptick in Gen Z travellers ditching insurance as they head off on an adventure, which she described as a 'concerning trend'.

She told news.com.au that recent research conducted by the company found that 'twice as many Gen Zs are saying they won’t be purchasing travel insurance this year compared to Baby Boomers'.

There's a reason they say we should listen to our elders - they've been there, ended up needing to lean on their travel insurance and are wearing the t-shirt with pride.

"Travelling without travel insurance simply isn’t worth the risk," McCauley added.

Holidaymakers can protect themselves and their belongings by getting cover.

The travel expert said young holidaymakers who do take out travel insurance most often claim for lost or stolen baggage, personal belongings, medical or evacuation costs and changes to their travel plans.

Having to potentially seek medical attention abroad is arguably one of the most important reasons for getting insured, as McCauley explained fees can reach ridiculous amounts.

"We’ve seen medical bills in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for simple injuries like a broken bone," she added.

"It’s a cliche but, it’s true - if you can’t afford travel insurance then you can’t afford to travel."

It might seem like an inconvenience and an unnecessary expense to some people, but you can't put a price on the peace of mind of knowing that you're protected while off on your travels.

Topics:  Travel , Health , Money

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

@ livburke_

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InsureMyTrip Reveals Top Canadian Travel Trends and Insurance Insights for 2024

Toronto, March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canadian travellers are seeking a mix of relaxation and exploration in 2024. InsureMyTrip Canada researchers looked at top destinations for those requesting travel insurance quotes so far this year – and found that the United States and Mexico are emerging as top international destinations for 2024. 

Top 10 Destinations for Travellers Requesting Travel Insurance Quotes

United States 

Dominican Republic 

United Kingdom 

For those Canadians planning a trip this year– there is some good news. Flight costs are trending in the right direction. According to Statistics Canada, in January 2024 airfare was down about 14% over January 2023, and 23.7% over December 2023.  However, airfare remains about 10% higher than before the pandemic in 2019.    

While the cost of flights doesn’t seem to be deterring travellers, it’s important to protect that financial investment.  Here are three ways a travel insurance policy can act as a vital safeguard as prices remain high. 

Medical Expenses

If you are travelling to another province, territory, or country this year, you may not be protected by your government health insurance. Having a travel insurance plan that includes emergency medical benefits can offer reimbursement for additional expenses in the event of a covered and unexpected injury or illness during the trip.   

While emergency medical evacuation coverage may provide transportation assistance to the nearest appropriate care facility if the initial hospital can’t properly treat you.  

MORE: Travel Medical Plans  

Travel Delays, Cancellations, and/or Interruptions  

These benefits can be part of an all-inclusive travel insurance policy, non-medical all-inclusive, or as a standalone trip cancellation/interruption plan.  

Flight Delay - This benefit provides reimbursement for reasonable meals, and accommodation while you are unable to travel for a covered flight delay.  

Trip Cancellation - A benefit that provides reimbursement for cancellation of a trip for an unforeseen, covered reason. Every policy is different and lists covered reasons for a cancellation within the policy.  

Trip Interruption - This benefit can provide reimbursement of the unused portion of pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs if your travels are unexpectedly cut short.  

MORE: All-Inclusive Travel Insurance  

No Longer Want to Travel

With fluctuating economic conditions, you may decide it best to forego a holiday in 2024.  However, you likely won’t get back the money you’ve already paid on a trip - if your reason for cancelling isn’t covered.  That is, unless you have the “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) benefit.  

 CFAR may either be an optional benefit or included in a plan if requirements are met.  To be eligible for reimbursement under the CFAR benefit, you will be required to cancel your plans within a certain time period before departure.    

If you follow all requirements, you may be reimbursed 50% of your insured, prepaid, non-refundable trip costs. CFAR requirements can differ by provider, so it’s important to read and understand a policy before purchasing.   

MORE: Travel Insurance Coverage and Benefits  

Reporters can request an interview or quote from InsureMyTrip CEO Suzanne Morrow by contacting [email protected].   

Media Contact:    

Meghan Kayata    

[email protected]  

About InsureMyTrip  

You like options. We do too. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. We are committed to empowering travellers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise. InsureMyTrip is based in the U.S. with offices in Toronto.  

*Not available to Quebec residents.  

Meghan Kayata

InsureMyTrip

[email protected]

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