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Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation Coverage

22 March 2011
Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation Coverage

This coverage provides for medically necessary evacuation to a medical facility, medically equipped flights to return home, or the repatriation of mortal remains to your primary residence. (A repatriation definition is provided below.)

Contents (click to jump down)
What does Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation cover?
Repatriation definition
What is NOT covered
Is there coverage for non U.S. citizens?
Important notes about this coverage
What type of policy covers this?
How much coverage does each company provide?
Summary

Let us tell you a story

Carol and her young son, Jacob, were on a skiing holiday in Switzerland. Carol’s husband, Richard, had to remain at home due to concerns about a buyout at his employer.

On their second afternoon, Carol was skiing some distance behind Jacob when her ski caught an icy edge and she tumbled off the slope into a deep ravine. Jacob witnessed the accident and was able to ski down to alert the rescue teams who found Carol nearly buried in snow, unconscious, and bleeding. The team at the bottom of the slopes worked with Jacob to call his father in the States and Richard contacted their travel insurance provider for assistance. Carol was air-lifted to a nearby hospital where they began treating her injuries. Richard was able to join his family with emergency travel assistance from the travel insurance plan operators. A week later, when Carol was stable and able to travel, their travel insurance provider arranged a commercial flight to send the family home.

What does Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation insurance cover?

The emergency medical evacuation coverage provides benefits payable up to the policy limit in if the insured suffers a medical emergency and requires transportation. It’s important to understand that this coverage is not medical coverage. Instead, it is coverage for medically necessary transportation.

The method of evacuation is determine based on the patient’s condition and location. For example, in less severe cases (such as a broken leg) a patient may be transported by air and then transferred to commercial airline service. In other cases, evacuations are complex procedures involving:

  • evaluation of transportation requirements such as oxygen, special equipment, altitude, etc.
  • coordination of admission to an appropriate medical facility
  • identification of appropriate air transportation and medical escort if necessary
  • coordination of ground transportation at both ends of the evacuation
  • immigration and flight clearances
  • assistance with travel arrangements

If you are seriously ill or injured during your trip, this coverage will determine the closest medical facility appropriate to your needs and make arrangements and pay to transport you to that facility. After receiving medical care, this coverage provides assistance arranging and paying for you to be transported by commercial transportation carrier to either:

  • your primary residence,
  • a location of your choice within the United States, or
  • a medical facility near your primary residence or, with some plans, location of choice in the United States.

In many policies, emergency medical transportation coverage also includes the following benefits:

  • Bringing a friend or family member to the medical facility where you are being treated.
  • Returning your dependent children to your home or to a location of your choice.

Repatriation definition

The term repatriation is not familiar to most travelers, so we’ve provided a definition here. Repatriation coverage means that the travel insurance company arranges for and handles the transportation necessary to return a covered person’s body to his or her home or to a nearby funeral or cremation facility.

This benefit will arrange and pay for reasonable and necessary expenses, including, but not limited to, expenses for embalming, an appropriate container for transportation, and shipping costs to transport your remains via the most direct and economical route.

Some travel insurance plans also provide non medical evacuation services or security/political evacuations.

What is NOT covered

This benefit does not include funeral, burial, or cremation expenses or related containment expenses for items such as urns or coffins.

Is there coverage for non U.S. citizens?

Yes, there are some travel insurance plans that provide this coverage for non U.S. citizens. Specifically:

  • Diplomat America from Global Underwriters
  • Inbound Guest and Inbound Immigrant from Seven Corners

Important notes about this coverage

  • All medical evacuations must be approved in advance and coordinated with the travel insurance plan agents
  • Emergency evacuation and repatriation coverage does not extend to your home country
  • In a situation of repatriation, your representative must contact the travel insurance provider to make arrangements
  • Some plans provide reimbursement to bring a friend or family member to your bedside if you are hospitalized for at least 7 days
  • Some plans provide reimbursement to return dependent children home if you are hospitalized for at least 7 days
  • Benefits paid for evacuation and/or repatriation are less the cost of your unused return travel ticket

What type of policy covers this?

All travel insurance companies offer at least a few plans ‒ both travel and medical plans ‒ with emergency medical evacuation and repatriation benefits. In some travel plans, the travel insurance company may not provide additional benefits for the return of dependent children or a bedside visit.

How much coverage does each company provide?

POLICYCOMPANYRETURN OF CHILDRENBEDSIDE VISITPOLICY LIMITREPATRIATION LIMIT
QuickTrip ProtectorAllianzYesYes$300,000
ClassicAllianzYesYes$500,000
Annual Business TravelerAllianzYes$250,000
Annual Travel ProtectionAllianzYesYes$100,000
DeluxeAllianzYesYes$1,000,000
Drive ProtectionAllianzYesYes$15,000
Med EvacAllianzYesYes$1,000,000
BasicAllianzYesYes$50,000
CustomCSAYes *Yes$250,000
Custom LuxeCSAYes *Yes$1,000,000
TravMed ChoiceFrontierMEDEXYes *Yes *$100,000$20,000
TraveMed GlobalFrontierMEDEXNo limitNo limit
TravMed InternationalFrontierMEDEXNo limitNo limit
SafeTripFrontierMEDEXYesYesNo limitNo limit
TravMed AbroadFrontierMEDEXYesYesNo limitNo limit
Plus ScholasticFrontierMEDEXYesYesNo limitNo limit
EssentialGlobal AlertYesYes$50,000
Preferred PlusGlobal AlertYesYes$1,000,000
PreferredGlobal AlertYesYes$500,000
Diplomat LTGlobal UnderwritersYes$300,000$20,000
Diplomat InternationalGlobal UnderwritersYes$300,000$20,000
Diplomat AmericaGlobal UnderwritersYes$300,000$20,000
International Group MedicalGlobal UnderwritersYes$5,000-$75,000$5,000-$50,000
TravelGap VoyagerHTH WorldwideYes *$500,000$25,000
Trip Protector PreferredHTH WorldwideYes *$1,000,000
Global Citizen (annual)HTH Worldwide$100,000$25,000
TravelGap Multi-trip GoldHTH WorldwideYes *$500,000$25,000
TravelGap ExcursionHTH WorldwideYes *$500,000$25,000
TravelGap Multi-trip SilverHTH WorldwideYes *$250,000$15,000
Trip ProtectorHTH WorldwideYes *$1,000,000
Advantage CompleteMH RossYesYes$1,000,000
Advantage AssetMH RossYesYes$50,000
Advantage BridgeMH RossYesYes$500,000
RoundTrip EliteSeven Corners$500,000
Liaison WorldwideSeven CornersYesYes$300,000$50,000
Liaison SilverSeven CornersYesYes$300,000$50,000
RoundTrip EconomySeven Corners$250,000
RoundTripSeven CornersYesYes$350,000
RoundTrip ChoiceSeven CornersYesYes$1,000,000
Liaison MajesticSeven CornersYesYes$300,000$50,000
Liaison InternationalSeven CornersYesYes$300,000$50,000
Liaison ResideSeven Corners$25,000-$50,000$20,000-$25,000
Wander Frequent TravelerSeven CornersYesYes$300,000$50,000
Inbound ImmigrantSeven Corners$10,000$7,500
Liaison ContinentSeven CornersYesYes$300,000$50,000
Liaison StudentSeven CornersYes *$100,000$25,000
Liaison Traveler (multi-trip)Seven CornersYes *Yes$20,000
Inbound GuestSeven Corners$50,000$7,500
Liaison Reside PrimeSeven CornersYes *$250,000$25,000
MissionarySeven CornersYes *Yes *$50,000$7,500
Travel PlusTravelex$2,000,000
Business TravelerTravelex$1,000,000
Travel LiteTravelex$50,000
BasicTravelex$100,000
Travel Select AdvantageTravelex$500,000
Business TravelerTravelexYesYes$1,000,000(included in Evacuation limit)
Travel MaxTravelex$1,000,000
Travel SelectTravelex$500,000
SilverTravel Guard$150,000
Savvy TravelerTravel Guard$100,000(included in Evacuation limit)
Sportsman’s Travel **Travel GuardYes$500,000(included in Evacuation limit)
TravelRiteTravel GuardYes$100,000(included in Evacuation limit)
Worldwide Health InternationalTravel GuardYesYes$500,000(included in Evacuation limit)
PlatinumTravel GuardYes$1,000,000
Tee, Tour, and Travel **Travel GuardYes$500,000(included in Evacuation limit)
My Travel GuardTravel Guard$100,000
BasicTravel Guard$100,000(included in Evacuation limit)
Adventure **Travel GuardYes$500,000(included in Evacuation limit)
Pack ‘n GoTravel Guard$300,000(included in Evacuation limit)
Business TravelerTravel GuardYes$500,000(included in Evacuation limit)
GoldTravel GuardYes$500,000
MedEvac (annual)Travel GuardYesYesNo limit
BasicTravel Guard$100,000
WorldMedTravel Insurance ServicesYes$100,000-$500,000$20,000-$50,000
Study USATravel Insurance ServicesYes$500,000$100,000
Select EliteTravel Insurance ServicesYesYes$100,000
InterMedicalTravel Insurance ServicesYesYes$50,000-$75,000$7,500
Select BasicTravel Insurance ServicesYesYes$25,000
Visit USATravel Insurance Services$75,000-$150,000$20,000
Select PlusTravel Insurance ServicesYesYes$1,000,000
Trip Protector Lite ExpandedTravel InsuredYesYes$100,000
Trip Protector LiteTravel Insured$200,000$100,000
Worldwide Trip ProtectorTravel InsuredYesYes$500,000
Worldwide Trip Protector GoldTravel InsuredYesYes$1,000,000
Atlas Travel MedicalTravel InsuredYesYes$500,000$50,000-$1,000,000
Protect-a-GroupTravelSafeYesYes$100,000
Vacation ClassicTravelSafeYesYes$1,000,000
VacationTravelSafeYesYes$1,000,000

* Limited maximum payout
** Optional upgrade

Summary

  • All medical evacuations and repatriations must be approved and coordinated with the travel insurance provider
  • Not all plans provide for the return of minor children or bedside visits
  • Emergency evacuation and repatriation coverage does not extend to visits to your home country
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Damian Tysdal
Author
DamianTysdal

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.

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.