When planning a family vacation, solo trip, or holiday away with friends, the last thing on your mind is planning for an unforeseen medical evacuation or repatriation. However, travel insurance with emergency evacuation and repatriation benefits is essential in protecting yourself against costly expenses.
If you are involved in an accident or experience a serious injury while traveling away from home, an emergency medical evacuation can provide safe transportation to a medical facility. Similarly, should you or a traveling companion pass away while on vacation, repatriation benefits can cover the cost of transporting remains home or to the intended place of rest.
Do I need emergency evacuation and repatriation coverage?
Unfortunately, accidents can happen to anyone. And in instances where you choose to explore remote locations or unfamiliar terrain, a bad incident could have grave consequences. According to On Call International, medical evacuation costs can average $25,000 within North America, as much as $100,000 from Europe and $250,000 globally, depending on location. If something happens while traveling, it’s important to know you have a safety net in place for you and your finances.
When would I need an emergency evacuation?
If you become injured in a remote area such as a small rural town or on a snowy mountain, there might not be a medical facility nearby. Or if there is, what about potential foreign language barriers and finding immediate transportation? For these reasons, emergency evacuation benefits should be an essential part of your travel insurance.
If you have a medical emergency, Travelex and its assistance provider take care of all your arrangements. Help is just a phone call away. 24/7 travel assistance is provided by a team of board-certified doctors with access to an extensive network of certified medical providers worldwide.
With emergency evacuation benefits, you can receive up to $500,000 in coverage on the Travel Select plan, up to $100,000 on the Travel Basic or Travel Med plans, and up to $250,000 on the Travel America plan should something critical happen to you while traveling. Additional benefits apply if you’re hospitalized for an extended period of time. These include helping pay for your children to return back home with an escort, bringing a person to be at your bedside, and covering expenses for your bedside companion.
What is repatriation of remains coverage?
If you are traveling with an elderly relative, participating in any adventurous activities, or if you suffer from a chronic ailment, the repatriation benefit can provide coverage in the unfortunate event of an untimely death. The death of a loved one is devastating but having a comprehensive travel insurance plan with repatriation coverage can help ease both the emotional as well as financial pressure experienced after someone passes. Repatriation coverage lets your loved one be put to rest as effortlessly and quickly as possible.
Which Travelex medical evacuation and repatriation coverage is right for me?
Travelex offers multiple insurance plans with varying levels of coverage to help ensure your wellbeing is protected while you’re away from home.
The Travel Basic plan offers a maximum of $100,000 in emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains. This plan can also provide coverage up to $15,000 for emergency medical expenses that you may incur as a result of an illness or injury.
The Travel Select plan offers up to $500,000 in coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains. The Travel Select plan also allows you to include the additional medical coverage upgrade on your policy. With the additional medical coverage upgrade, you can receive up to $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage.
The Travel America plan offers up to $250,000 in coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains. This plan can also provide up to $50,000 in coverage for emergency medical expenses.
The Travel Med plan offers up to $100,000 in coverage for emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains. This plan can also provide up to $10,000 in coverage for emergency medical expenses.
If you’re planning a long vacation, a trip to a remote location, or a thrill-seeking adventure, the Travel Select plan with higher medical benefits is the most comprehensive option worth considering. For quick domestic trips or weekend getaways where you won’t be engaging in many high-risk activities, the Travel Basic or Travel America plan might be the best plan for you.
If you are still unsure which Travelex insurance plan is right for you, a member of the Travelex team is happy to discuss your unique requirements in more detail.
Why is having medical evacuation and repatriation coverage important?
From becoming ill while trekking through the Amazon to getting a concussion while skiing in Aspen, there are many things that could go wrong on vacation. Without proper coverage, you may find yourself in debt or unable to afford the medical care you truly need. Such a situation could potentially create long-term health and financial problems for yourself.
Similarly, organizing the transportation of remains to get safely back home can be complicated, distressing, and expensive. Travelex travel insurance not only provides financial coverage for repatriation of remains, but it also helps navigate this unfortunate circumstance with 24/7 travel assistance and a customer service team that truly cares.