Adventure travelers into active sports, whether close to home or across the globe, should take a look at these two types of medical evacuation insurance. One - On Call - offers emergency medical evacuation if you have an accident more than 50 miles from home. The other - Medjet - provides medical transport services if you wind up in a hospital virtually anywhere in the world. Some of these travel assistance policies can be purchased on a trip-by-trip basis. Others are available on an annual basis.
These are policies to consider if you venture to remote locales where you might get sick, or if you often go hiking in the mountains or back country skiing where you might get lost or hurt. The cost of emergency medical transportation can be astronomical, running into tens of thousands of dollars, which is the reason why many travel insurance companies place the higher dollar amounts required for evacuation coverage into an 'extra option for additional cost' category.
These are not conventional travel insurance policies. They aren't designed to cover the cost of a delayed or missed trip, lost baggage and other problems that regular travel insurance policies cover. But, they can be valuable add-ons to conventional policies.
On Call International
It doesn't matter where you are in the world, if you need to get home after a major accident and you're an On Call member your emergency transportation costs, even if it's a medically equipped private plane, should be covered. The policies include evacuation/repatriation to a hospital of your choice, and medical transportation to your home after you get out of the hospital.
A 24-hour medical help line, medical and dental referrals, dispatch of medicine, a doctor or a nurse, and the return of minor children are all included. On Call International policies cover members during any trip that is 50 miles or more from home, so you're covered domestically and internationally. The policies include helping with travel arrangements for the members, companions and family members in case of an emergency back home.
For more information visit On Call International.
MedjetAssist
MedjetAssist offers just what its name implies. The company arranges for a ride home from a hospital virtually anywhere in the world. After consultations with the attending medical staff and the member's own physicians , MedjetAssist will arrange for transportation to bring any member hospitalized more than 150 miles from home to the hospital of their choice. If physically able to fly commercial, members fly first class accompanied by medical personnel. If commercial air travel is not medically tenable, members are evacuated on a medically equipped private jet.
If you're under the age of 75 Medjet won't ask any questions about your health, and there are no adventure travel exclusions. There are no out-of-pocket deductibles or claim forms. Short term and diamond membership options are available for singles, couples and families.
For more information, visit MedJetAssist.
More About Insurance for Adventure Travel
Many regular travel insurance policies do not cover adventurous activities, but a growing number of insurance companies are offering adventure travel insurance for people like us. Here's where to find
policies that include adventurous travel. Always read a policy carefully to see which activities are - and are not - included.
Taking an Adventure Medical Kit on a trip is always a good idea.
Here's where to find some health tips for before and during a trip.
