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Medevac insurance covers the cost of emergency medical evacuations for expats. The cost of emergency medical evacuations can be very high, especially if you are transported from a remote location and they have to use a helicopter to transport you or your loved ones.
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Are you an expat traveling abroad? If so, you will want to secure emergency evacuation coverage along with your international health insurance plan. The insurance experts at Pacific Prime have created this guide to explain what Medevac insurance is and answer all your questions.
We will explain who needs Medevac insurance, what it covers, and more. Keep reading to learn more about Medevac insurance, or click here to begin comparing insurance quotes on your own!
Medical Evacuation Insurance for Expats
Medical evacuation insurance, also known as Medevac insurance, covers the costs of transportation in an emergency medical evacuation. An emergency medical evacuation occurs when an individual suffers an illness or accident and needs to be transported to a qualified medical facility.
There are different ways one can be transported in an emergency medical evacuation: by land, sea, or by air. Ambulances or helicopters are two common modes of transportation for emergency evacuations.
Medevac insurance covers the cost of transportation to a qualified medical facility via these modes of transportation, and depending on where you are, the costs can be very high.
Other costs covered by medical evacuation coverage include:
- Collecting the patient from their ward and transporting him or her by ground ambulance to the fully equipped medical aircraft
- Providing medical air ambulance for the patient and potentially also for the accompanying person
- Getting the patient’s medical notes and translating them if needed
- Providing highly trained medics to accompany the patient to their destination
- Providing medicine and all necessary medical equipment to the patient
- Covering airport landing fees for the patient
Who Needs Medevac Insurance
Anyone can benefit from Medevac insurance, but it is especially necessary for expats, global travelers, seniors, and individuals with pre-existing conditions. Medevac insurance is an important part of health and travel insurance for these specific groups and can protect them while abroad.
- Expats and Global Travellers: It is vital that expats and travelers visiting remote destinations that don’t have adequate nearby healthcare facilities secure Medevac insurance, as the costs of transporting them to the closest hospital can be extremely high.
- Seniors and Individuals with Pre-existing Conditions: Seniors and individuals with pre-existing conditions may already be at risk of health hazards when traveling and adventuring. To mitigate the financial risk of accident or injury, they should secure Medevac insurance.
Other Medevac Insurance Benefits
Medevac insurance generally covers the cost of transportation from an emergency evacuation, but it can also cover emergency repatriation and more. The exact benefits included with Medevac insurance can vary across plans and providers.
We will explain the different parts of Medevac insurance coverage below:
Emergency Repatriation
An emergency repatriation benefit covers the costs of transportation to your home country to receive medical treatment for your accident or illness you acquired while traveling. This benefit also covers the transportation costs if you are going home to recover from said illness or accident.
Repatriation of Mortal Remains
The repatriation of mortal remains benefit covers the cost of transporting the insured person’s deceased body back to their home country. They will also cover the cost of a funeral or cremation of the body overseas if the insured person’s family chooses it.
This benefit can also include coverage for:
- Coordination with local authorities for any necessary authorizations or services
- The cost of transporting the remains to and from medical facilities, coroner, and airport
- The cost of the container (coffin, urn, etc)
Travel Assistance Services
Medevac insurance can cover the cost of travel assistance services like translation, lost document assistance, and emergency prescription replacement. These services also can include coordinating transportation and communicating with medical providers.
These travel assistance benefits are often offered as complementary by insurers.
Accompanying Person
Medevac insurance may cover the transportation costs of an accompanying person during your emergency evacuation. Often insurers will only pay for an accompanying person if you require an adult to assist with your care or recovery or to escort you back home.
How to Secure Medevac Insurance
Medevac insurance can be secured through standalone policies, travel insurance, and international health insurance policies. You can secure one of these policies online, or through an international insurance broker like Pacific Prime.
Travel Insurance Medevac Coverage
Travel insurance policies often provide medical emergency evacuation coverage in their policies. This is because of the added risks travelers may have while traveling abroad for the need to be transported elsewhere for medical treatment.
Travel insurance typically covers the costs of travel-related risks, such as baggage loss and delayed flights, but it can also cover medical emergencies as well. The Medevac benefit limits and details may vary across plans and providers.
Travel insurance providers that offer medical evacuation coverage are:
Standalone Medevac Insurance
Standalone Medevac insurance policies cover the costs included with medical evacuations and repatriations but won’t cover any other benefits like travel or health insurance. If you are someone who wants higher coverage limits for emergency evacuations, this might be the plan for you.
International Health Insurance Medevac Coverage
International health insurance providers may also offer Medevac coverage through their policies. This kind of health insurance differs from other local domestic health insurance plans, which only cover those insured within one country’s borders.
With international health insurance, expats can take their plans with them as they travel across the globe. Expats looking for comprehensive health insurance coverage in addition to Medevac coverage will appreciate this option.
International health insurance providers that offer medical evacuation coverage are:
Medevac Insurance Exclusions
Medevac insurance exclusions will vary across insurers, but typically they will exclude any expenses they deem unnecessary. They will require the insured person to provide written certification from the attending doctor that the insuree cannot receive adequate care at the local medical facility.
They may also not pay for the following injuries incurred from:
- A self-inflicted bodily injury
- Flying in an aircraft other than a passenger
- War or civil war
- AIDS
- Use of nuclear weapons
Most insurers reserve the right to the final decision on whether you will be moved to another location for medical treatment.
How to Choose the Right Medevac Coverage
You can choose the right Medevac insurance coverage by determining your risk for medical emergencies, reviewing coverage limits and benefits, reading all terms and conditions, and working with an insurance broker.
We will go over these steps below:
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Determine Your Risk
Take the time to determine your risk of medical emergencies while abroad by asking yourself if your location is remote, if it has adequate healthcare services, and if you are engaging in any activities like hiking or boating.
You should also take a hard look at your health, and if you suspect you may need extra medical support while abroad. The right Medevac plan will have coverage to mitigate these risks.
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Review Coverage Limits and Benefits
When looking at Medevac plans, review the different coverage limits and benefits on each policy. Medical evacuations can be very expensive, so you will want to ensure you have the correct coverage limit for your needs.
In addition to the coverage limit, check out the benefits covered by the Medevac insurance. Does it cover repatriation for remains? Will it cover the cost of a support person? If these are things you want in your policy, check to see that the plan you’re eyeing offers it.
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Read All Terms and Conditions
Reading the terms and conditions of medical evacuation coverage can protect you from being caught unaware of any exclusions or limitations. You should ensure you know your policy’s rules well, so you are not caught paying anything out-of-pocket because your insurer excludes it.
Watch out for waiting periods, restrictions, and limitations included in the terms and conditions.
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Work with an Insurance Broker to Secure a Medevac Plan
Working with an insurance broker to secure your Medevac coverage can streamline the process and get you your desired coverage faster. An insurance broker can offer free and unbiased advice, and provide years of market knowledge to help you find the best plan for your needs.
Insurance experts like Pacific Prime have the experience and knowledge necessary to help you find Medevac coverage for your trip. If you’d like to compare plans on your own, use Pacific Prime’s free quote tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do health insurance plans cover emergency medical evacuations?
Health insurance plans can cover emergency medical evacuations, but not every insurance provider will offer that coverage. International health insurance providers like AXA, Allianz, and others provide emergency medical evacuation and repatriation coverage to their members.
Do Cigna Global health plans cover medical evacuations?
Cigna Global provides medical evacuation coverage in its international health insurance plans through an optional add-on benefit, International Medical Evacuation and Crisis Assistance Plus™. This benefit offers Medevac coverage to its members worldwide.
How much can medical evacuations cost without insurance?
The cost of medical evacuations can vary greatly depending on what mode of transportation you take, how long your flight or ambulance ride is, the severity of your medical emergency, and other factors. The average cost of a medical evacuation can vary from USD $20,000 to higher than US $200,000.
Conclusion
With Medevac insurance, expats and travelers can stay protected in case of any medical emergencies or evacuations that may occur as they journey abroad. This important coverage can save them thousands of dollars and give them peace of mind.
Are you ready to begin shopping for your Medevac insurance? The insurance experts at Pacific Prime can help. Whether you’re interested in medical evacuation coverage through travel insurance or an international health insurance policy, we can help find the right fit for you.
Contact us today online or call us toll-free at 1-800-868-1451. If you’re interested in a free insurance quote, click here!
If you’d like to read more about medical evacuation coverage, download our free guide here.
Since joining Pacific Prime, Martin has become even more aware of the gap between the true value of insurance products and most people’s appreciation of it, and developed a passion for demystifying and simplifying matters, so that more people get the protection they need at a cost they can easily afford.
In his free time, Martin attends concerts of various genres, and plays the violin with piano accompaniment he pre-recorded himself or played live by his niece.
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