What is Medical Evacuation Insurance?
Medical evacuation insurance, also known as medevac insurance, is a feature included in many travel insurance plans and is also available as standalone coverage.
The purpose of medevac insurance is the safe and timely transport of an injured or ill person to a place where adequate care can be given. For example, a person may suffer a serious health issue while visiting a country with limited medical facilities. If the local physician determines that they are unable to provide the care needed, medical evacuation can be ordered to transport the patient to a different hospital, a different city, or even a different country.
Medical evacuation is typically performed via air ambulance, which is a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft. However, depending on the location, medevac can occur via car, pack animal, or other local transport methods.
What does Medevac Insurance Cover?
As you can imagine, the cost of medical evacuation can be extremely expensive; up to $250,000 or more. Since most travelers cannot afford to pay this out of their own pocket, medevac insurance can cover most of these costs.
Typically, medevac insurance covers all applicable charges associated with emergency transport services, as well as repatriation of remains, local burial, or cremation in cases where the patient does not survive.
Emergency Transport Services
Emergency transport services are the primary component of medevac insurance. They provide transportation between one hospital and another for the treatment of a serious, life-threatening medical condition when it is determined that adequate care cannot be given at the initial hospital or facility.
Repatriation of Remains
In the unfortunate case of the insured passing away while abroad, the repatriation of remains benefit offered by medevac insurance can provide coverage for transport of the remains to the home country or cover a large portion of the costs of local cremation and burial. The coverage limit for this benefit will vary by plan.
Medical Escort and Family Travel
This benefit may be available with certain travel insurance plans and can provide coverage for the family to travel with the patient or accompany their remains home. However, standalone medevac insurance may not offer this benefit, and family members will be required to make their own travel arrangements.
What does Medevac Insurance Cost?
The cost of medevac insurance will vary depending on your personal and trip details, and whether the coverage is a component of a travel insurance plan or standalone coverage. Compare multiple plans to see their medevac benefits before purchasing or get an instant quote for Atlas MedEvac below.
Medical Evacuation Insurance vs. Travel Medical Insurance
Although both medevac insurance and travel medical insurance are important for any international traveler to have, they are very different coverages. For instance, whereas travel medical insurance can cover you for any new injury, illness, or medical condition that occurs during your selected coverage dates, medevac insurance does not provide coverage for anything other than medical evacuation and repatriation. Fortunately, many travel medical plans offer medevac insurance coverage, allowing you to get all of the coverage you need from a single plan. Get a travel medical insurance quote today!
How does Medevac Insurance Work?
Medevac insurance essentially works like this:
- A patient is admitted to an initial hospital/care facility.
- A physician at that facility determines that appropriate care cannot be given, and orders medical evacuation to the closest viable facility.
- All arrangements for medevac are made directly between the care facility and the insurance provider.
- The insurance company provides the assistance of a multilingual staff, on-staff physicians and nurses, and any other necessary help throughout the process.
- The medevac insurance company provides emergency medical evacuation coverage up to the policy maximum stated in the plan’s certificate wording.
Should I Purchase Medevac Insurance?
If you’re a J1 visa holder taking part in an official exchange program and your organization/school does not provide emergency medical evacuation coverage, you will need to purchase Atlas MedEvac to meet US Department of State requirements.
For international travelers, business travelers, adventure tourists, etc., the travel insurance or travel medical insurance plan you’re already considering purchasing may include medevac insurance coverage, so be sure to read the fine print. If your plan does not include medevac insurance, you can still purchase standalone coverage so you’re protected.
Medevac Insurance with Insubuy
For nearly 25 years Insubuy has been insuring vacationers, business travelers, new immigrants, international students, exchange visitors, marine crewmembers, missionaries and more on their travels across the world. Our industry-leading website makes it easy to compare different plans from multiple insurance providers side by side, and instantly purchase the policy that suits you best. Plus, our US-based agents are available to assist you before, during, and after you buy coverage.
Are you prepared to protect your finances in case medical evacuation is necessary? Get a quote for medevac insurance today!