Medical evacuation insurance: What it is and how it works (2024)

Getting sick or injured abroad can be costly, especially if you require medical transport. Investing in medical evacuation insurance coverage can alleviate medical expenses and provide emergency transport if you have a medical emergency while traveling internationally.

What is emergency medical evacuation insurance?

If you become sick or injured, your emergency medical evacuation insurance will provide transport for you via ambulance or air evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility for treatment. It may also cover transportation back to the US if your attending physician says it’s medically necessary.

Sometimes referred to as “medevac” or “repatriation insurance,” medical evacuation insurance comes standard with most comprehensive travel insurance policies and serves as short-term supplemental insurance to cover health care expenses when traveling abroad.

When is medical evacuation insurance needed?

Medical evacuation insurance is a good idea when traveling internationally since most personal US health insurance policies don’t apply outside the country. Practically speaking, if you’re injured while traveling abroad and need to be flown back to your home country, medevac insurance is crucial.

Travelers who plan on participating in extreme sports (such as skiing in remote areas), who have health conditions or who are headed to a hard-to-reach destination may need higher medical evacuation insurance coverage.

How does medical evacuation insurance work?

If you become sick or injured on a trip, seek emergency treatment at a local medical facility first. Then, call — or have a travel companion call — your insurance provider’s customer support or emergency hotline for assistance.

“The process is handled by your insurance company with local or regional providers to aid during this time of medical crisis,” said Andrew Jernigan, CEO of Insured Nomads, a company that provides insurance for remote workers, travelers and companies that send employees abroad.

Your provider’s medical support team will evaluate your case and any medical evacuation orders the attending physician gives. Your insurance company should assist with coordinating transportation and, if needed, evacuation and provide a guarantee of payment for services.

What does medical evacuation insurance cover?

Medevac insurance typically covers costs related to relocation, evacuation, medical escorts such as a nurse or physician and transportation for children. Depending on the policy, it might cover return transportation to your home country for further treatment and repatriation of remains.

Here are details about the common medical evacuation coverages you’ll encounter:

• Emergency transportation: Medevac coverage provides transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility via ambulance or air evacuation.
• Transportation to your home country: If the attending physician treating you recommends you return home to receive medical treatment, then the medical evacuation benefit should cover costs for you to be transported home.
• Medical escort: If you require medical care during the return flight home, medevac typically covers expenses for a nurse, physician or other medical professional to travel with you. It also covers their associated costs while caring for you, like hotels, food and their return home.
• Transportation for family or friends to be with you: If you’re alone, some providers cover the cost of a round-trip ticket for a friend or family member to visit you in the hospital once you reach a minimum stay length, typically seven days.
• Reimbursem*nts for a bedside companion: Travel companions who stay nearby during your treatment may be reimbursed for lodging, meals and transportation.
• Transportation home for your children: If you’re hospitalized while traveling with children, this benefit can arrange for their transportation back home or to another US city, although it may require a minimum hospital stay to take effect.
• Repatriation of remains: If you or a travel companion die during your trip, this benefit can cover the cost of transporting your remains home as well as cremation, embalming or other end-of-life expenses.

How much medical evacuation cover should you have?

Most comprehensive travel insurance policies offer medical evacuation coverage between $100,000 and $1,000,000, according to our study of the best travel insurance companies. On average, the cost of a medevac domestically is about $25,000, while a medevac from an internationally remote location can exceed $250,000. Your costs will rise even more if you’re critically ill or require infectious control measures.

“An emergency medical trip home to the US from the Asia Pacific region can cost from $175,000 to $200,000, and I’ve seen a pediatric life-support transport from East Africa to Germany cost close to $800,000,” Jernigan said.

“The cost for medical evacuation insurance does not increase significantly to have $500,000 in benefits, so it’s recommended to have this as your minimum when buying a plan,” he said.

For cruises, remote destinations or senior travelers, a policy with a minimum of $500,000 of coverage is recommended.

What to consider before buying medical evacuation insurance

The amount of medical evacuation coverage is one of the biggest factors when evaluating an emergency medical evacuation insurance policy.

“Cost of emergency medical evacuation can vary significantly according to the age, medical condition, care required and the distance being traveled to the care facility,” Jernigan said.

In addition to the amount of coverage, travelers headed to remote destinations, participating in adventure sports, or who have preexisting conditions will want to gather specific details about policy coverage. Questions to ask the provider may include:

• Does the insurer pay hospitals directly, or do you have to pay upfront and file for reimbursem*nt?
• Is there a 24/7 physician support line?
• Are there any restrictions for engaging in high-risk activities or adventure sports like skydiving?
• Will the policy allow you to choose which hospital, or is it the closest facility?
• Is medical transport back to the US covered?
• Does the plan exclude preexisting conditions?
• Does the policy include coverage for psychiatric emergencies?
• Does the insurer have resources in the region you’re visiting — especially if it’s remote?
• Is there an age restriction?

Read the fine print before purchasing your policy. These coverage details will reveal any requirements or limits regarding your benefits.

Will my health insurance cover medical evacuation?

Unless you have an international private health insurance policy, it’s unlikely that your US health insurance policy will provide coverage outside the country; however, some carriers may cover a medical evacuation during domestic travel.

“Most US personal health insurance policies would not cover out-of-network transport and care, so check your policy wording to verify if you have medical evacuation as an included benefit,” Jernigan said.

Medical evacuation vs. travel medical insurance

Medical evacuation and travel medical insurance are two types of insurance you can buy for international travel.

Medical evacuation insurance typically includes emergency transportation to a local medical facility, medical transport home if you’re sick or injured while traveling abroad and repatriation of remains. You can buy it as a stand-alone policy or include it in a travel insurance policy.

Travel medical insurance offers an array of health care coverage while traveling internationally. It usually includes medical evacuation; however, some travelers may prefer or require more extensive coverage and opt for a separate medical evacuation policy.

How to buy medical evacuation insurance

Finding the best medical evacuation insurance depends upon factors like your personal needs, preferences, health conditions and trip details such as length and location.

You have the option to purchase a medical evacuation insurance policy by itself, as part of a comprehensive travel policy or with a travel medical insurance plan. Comprehensive travel insurance includes other benefits like travel delay, trip interruption and baggage insurance, whereas a travel medical insurance policy bundles medical evacuation with emergency medical coverage.

Once you decide how much medical evacuation coverage you need, you can obtain and compare policy quotes online through an insurance marketplace like Squaremouth or request a quote directly through a provider’s website.

Alternatives to medical evacuation insurance

Travelers who are excluded from medical evacuation due to health conditions, age or participation in extreme sports may want an alternative to medevac insurance. Prominent medical evacuation providers like MedJet and Global Rescue offer medical evacuation memberships on an annual or short-term basis.

“The membership model is often a wise choice in addition to travel insurance so that you get benefits that go beyond the evacuation benefits of the travel insurance policy,” Jernigan said.

Medical evacuation memberships give you more choice in where you’re taken for medical care and will cover medical transport domestically and internationally.