Security/Political Evacuation Coverage

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This coverage provides for necessary evacuations from a location that is unsafe to a place of safety, and, when the danger is cleared, back to the original destination or to your home country.

Let us tell you a story

Kristin and her parents were thrilled when she won a semester of language study in Santiago, Chile. In the second month of her trip, however, the citizens began large scale protests about some recent political changes. The school officials where Kristin was studying recommended all students return home, but Kristin was unable to get a commercial flight out of Chile.

Kristin’s parents had purchased student travel insurance and contacted the travel insurance provider for assistance. The assistance services coordinator arranged safe ground transportation for Kristin (and several other covered students) to an airport many miles away from the protests. The students were then evacuated by airplane to Bolivia where they were safely lodged together in a hotel near the airport. The parents back home were updated as to the students’ whereabouts and security. Kristin was on a commercial flight home a short two days later with some great stories to tell.

What does Security and Political Evacuation Coverage cover?

In the event an emergency situation occurs and you are in imminent danger while traveling in a foreign country, the travel insurance company will arrange for you and your insured dependents to be evacuated immediately to a place of safety.

Covered reasons for non medical, security or political evacuations include:

• natural disasters
• civil uprisings, military coups, or political unrest
• identification as a persona non grata or being expelled from the country you are visiting

It’s important to understand that security evacuations are different from political evacuations and the travel insurance provider will be the one to determine whether an evacuation is a covered event or not based on the circumstances. A security evacuation is typically necessary in the event of an impending natural disaster such as a hurricane. A political evacuation is for situations of political unrest and military action.

After the danger has cleared, you and your insured dependents will either be returned home or back to the destination from which you were evacuated.

Coverage typically includes:

• flight arrangements
• securing visas
• logistical arrangements such as ground transportation and housing
• contact with the insured and messages relayed to loved ones

Some, but not all, plans include repatriation expenses with their security and political evacuation coverage.

Important notes about this coverage

• All arrangements must be made by the travel insurance provider who will use the most economical means of transportation available.
• Security and political evacuations do not apply within your home country – only when traveling abroad.
• This coverage is not available to residents of all U.S. states due to regional laws.
• Some plans require the evacuation to occur within a certain number of days (usually 10) of the covered event.
• During the emergency situation, the travel insurance provider’s assistance services team will endeavor to maintain contact with the insured and relay messages to their loved ones back home about their situation.
• Where a security evacuation is not practical due to hostile or dangerous conditions, the travel insurance will remain in contact with the insured until a secure evacuation is viable.
• This coverage pays for eligible expenses (up to the plan maximum) for transportation and related costs to get the insured to safety.
• After the situation that caused the evacuation is resolved, benefits are also payable (up to the plan maximum) to have the insured returned to the insured’s original destination country, to the insured’s home country, or to the insured’s point of origin for the trip (depending on the plan).

What type of policy covers this?

Some package plans offer this as part of their coverage package, and medical evacuation plans sometimes have a non medical evacuation option too.

How much coverage does each company provide?

Summary

• All security and political evacuations must be approved and coordinated with your travel insurance provider
• Security and political evacuations do not extend to your home country
• Where an evacuation is impractical or dangerous to the rescue team, it will not be attempted, but contact will be maintained with the insured if possible
• The intend of this coverage is to get the insured to a place of safety, not necessarily back home or to a location he or she desires