Tell us where the patient is. We do the rest.
What's actually covered, what gets denied, and what to do when you need a medevac and the policy isn't enough. Written for travellers, families and HR teams — not for insurance salespeople.
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover emergency medical evacuation up to a stated limit (commonly USD 250,000 to USD 1,000,000). Standard or budget policies often cap evacuation at far lower limits or exclude it altogether. Always check the policy schedule for 'medical repatriation' and 'emergency evacuation' separately — they are different cover types.
Emergency evacuation moves a patient from the place of injury to the nearest facility capable of treating them. Repatriation moves a patient — usually once stabilised — back to their home country for ongoing care. Some policies cover one but not the other; many cap repatriation more tightly than emergency evacuation.
Without pre-authorisation the assistance company cannot verify medical necessity, choose an accredited operator, or commit to payment. Self-arranged evacuations are frequently denied on the basis that the insurer was not given the opportunity to manage the case — even when the clinical need was obvious.
Common denial reasons are pre-existing conditions not declared, alcohol or drug involvement, hazardous activities outside the policy, or failure to pre-authorise. If you're facing a denial, request the assessor's written reasons in full, then escalate to the insurer's complaints function. In parallel we can arrange self-pay repatriation and provide the documentation needed for a later reimbursement claim.
Many mass-market policies cap cover at age 65, 70 or 75 — often with higher premiums and stricter medical screening above those ages. Specialist senior-traveller insurers extend cover beyond 80 but typically exclude pre-existing cardiac, neurological and oncological conditions unless individually underwritten.
Carry the assistance company's 24/7 phone number, your policy number, and a one-page medical summary in English. If you have any pre-existing condition, get written confirmation from the insurer that it is covered. Take photos of your policy schedule and store them in cloud storage you can access from anywhere.
Self-pay medevac is possible and arranged regularly. Families typically wire funds before launch; corporate clients can use PO terms. We can also issue documentation suitable for later reimbursement claims against employer schemes, embassy hardship funds or charitable foundations.