What is Emergency Travel Medical Evacuation Insurance and Why Do I Need It?

What is Travel Medical Air Evacuation Insurance?

Travel medical air evacuation insurance protects you, should you be hospitalized due to an injury or illness that occurs while traveling domestically or abroad, when a transport is necessary.

How is Evacuation Insurance Different From Travel or Trip Insurance?

Travel or Trip insurance can cover a wide range of services including trip change/cancellation charges, travel delays, lost baggage, medical evacuation, and emergency medical expenses.

In the event of a medical emergency, trip Insurance policies typically cover the cost of a medical evacuation transport to the 'nearest suitable hospital.' This often leaves you far from home, and even outside the U.S.

Many trip insurance plans are limited to $10,000-$20,000 in medical coverage and may not provide the protection you need in a critical situation. Even if some emergency medical expenses are covered by your health insurance provider while traveling, your out-of-pocket costs could include large deductibles and out of network charges.

Why Should I Purchase Medical Evacuation Coverage?

An Emergency Medical Evacuation insurance plan or Travel Medical insurance plan from Mexpro provides coverage for medical evacuation to your hospital of choice, in the event of a medical emergency where an evacuation is warranted. It allows you to be near home rather than in a distant domestic or foreign hospital, should you have a qualified medical emergency.

Are all Medical Evacuation plans the same?

It's important to note that not all Medical Evacuation plans are created equal. Actually many are not real insurance plans, but rather assistance or membership programs that are not regulated by the insurance industry.

True insurance companies are rated by A.M. Best Company for financial stability and the ability to pay claims. You know you are truly protected when you purchase from a highly rated insurer.

Membership and assistance plans are unable to provide the option of purchasing emergency medical coverage because they are not insurance policies. Thus, you could be exposed should you incur medical expenses, even if a medical evacuation is warranted.

What Coverage Should I Look For?

Here's the coverage you want to look for when you are researching Travel Medical Evacuation insurers.

• High policy limit ($250k or more)
• International & Domestic Coverage
• Transport to HOSPITAL OF CHOICE
• Transport of companion/family member
• Vehicle return
• Highly accredited, fully equipped, state of the art, medical air transport providers
• Emergency Accident and Sickness Expense Coverage

You also want to ensure your insurance provider has an A.M. Best rating of A or better.

Make sure you review plan details as many can have limited coverage both in terms of benefits and policy dollar limits. Ideally the plan will provide robust medical evacuation coverage to one's home 'hospital of choice', not just the 'nearest suitable facility.'

How Will My Companion or Family Member be Transported?

If possible, your companion or family member will ride with you when you are air evacuated. However, if this poses a risk to yourself or the medical personnel on the aircraft, they will be flown by commercial flight to the nearest airport to your home hospital.

What is 'Vehicle Return'?

If you and your companion/family member must evacuate due to a medical emergency, and you have driven your vehicle or RV to your destination, your evacuation coverage will pay to have the vehicle returned to your home.

What is Emergency Accident and Sickness Expense Coverage in a Travel Medical Plan?

Emergency medical expense coverage can provide for the cost of one or more of the following:

• Physician services
• Hospital stays
• Lab tests, X-rays, exams, and treatments
• Ground ambulance
• Prescription drugs
• Therapeutic services
• Emergency dental expenses

Conclusion

Be sure you are covered by travel insurance you can count on. Whether you secure coverage for a single trip, an extended stay, or even an annual plan, travel with peace of mind that you are protecting your health and finances – your family will thank you.

TME Travel Insurance

Mexpro offers Emergency Medical Evacuation, Travel Medical/Dental, and Trip Protection Insurance from TME Travel Insurance, an A.M. Best A-Rated insurer.

TME Travel Insurance plans not only provide premier hospital of choice medical evacuation and many other services, but also the option to secure coverage for emergency accident and sickness expenses when traveling up to 180 days on any given trip. This coverage can reimburse everything from hospital expenses, physician services, treatments, X-rays, diagnostics, ground ambulance and even emergency dental expenses.

Mexpro's travel medical evacuation plans have no infectious disease exclusions. Many other programs are excluding infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Please contact us if you have further questions toll-free at (855) 639-7761 or mexico@mexpro.com.