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Top-Notch Medical Evacuation & Travel Insurance
It’s every traveler’s worst nightmare come true—falling seriously ill or getting badly injured far from home and far from any decent hospital—but help and peace of mind are at hand thanks to these leading medical evacuation and travel insurance companies.
Medjet Assist
When Geoffrey Weill—president of the public relations agency representing Medjet Assist—went on vacation to Peru with his wife, he never dreamed he’d be able to offer a firsthand account of his client’s services. But as luck would have it, Geoffrey took a spill on the Incan Trail, broke his ankle, and, to make a long story short, had to decide between having orthopedic surgery in Cuzco or being flown to a hospital near home in New York. Because he had a membership with Medjet he was able to choose the latter. Not a travel insurance agency, Medjet Assist concentrates solely on the medical security of its travelers—if you’re looking to cover lost luggage or a canceled trip, they can't help you. But if you’re injured at least 150 miles from home, for any reason, Medjet will orchestrate ground and air transportation, all staffed by medical personnel, and transport you to any hospital of your choice—not just any old medical center nearby—for no extra cost beyond your annual membership fee. They’ll pick you up almost anywhere in the world, no matter how remote, even if it means organizing ground transport to get you to the nearest landing strip (obvious exceptions would be travel-restricted areas like Iraq and North Korea). They offer family or individual memberships, and plans tailored for students studying abroad and for non-U.S. residents studying state-side. Annual Individual Membership from $225; Annual Family Membership from $350.
Medjet Assist
3500 Colonnade Parkway
Suite 500
Birmingham, AL 35243
United States
+1 205 595 6626
AIG Travel Guard
If you’re looking for all-in-one coverage—from medical evacuation to reimbursement for stolen luggage—AIG Travel Guard may be the way to go. Their MedEvac plan offers all the usual travel insurance coverage plus worldwide medical evacuation and coverage of related medical expenses. Be prepared that you’ll have to fork over a bit extra if you want a guarantee that you’ll be transported home—otherwise you may end up at “the nearest adequate medical facility,” according to the company site. On the up side, they do have an extremely wide range of unique plans to choose from—even packages covering sports activity vacations or others that offer a concierge service so you can get reservations at the hottest restaurants. Annual and per-trip plans are available. Insurance rates vary depending on the type of plan chose, age of client, length of trip, and other variables, so contact Travel Guard for a personalized estimate.
AIG Travel Guard
1145 Clark Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481
United States
+1 715 345 0505
Medex Assist
This travel medical insurance provider has an impressive range of safety net plans—and more than three decades of experience to boot. From medical evacuation services and covering round-trip flights for family members to reach a patient’s bedside to hotel arrangements for convalescence, Medex Assist has a range of plans, including those suitable for a one-off trip or for expatriates living abroad; Medex Plus Scholastic is geared specifically to students studying internationally. However, you’ll want to read the fine print of each plan carefully—for example, most of their policies don’t cover any injuries sustained during some adrenaline pumping activities, such as heli-sking, rock climbing and contact sports. So if you’re planning an action-packed vacation, consider going with another provider. Although Medex won’t necessarily transport you to your hospital of choice as MedJet Assist does, you can rest easy knowing that the company invests significant time evaluating and vetting the facilities it chooses. Rates vary, contact Medex Assist for estimate.
Medex Assist
85 LaSalle Road
Suite 200
Baltimore, MD 21284
United States
info@medexassist.com
International SOS
The great thing about International SOS is that you know no matter where you are, they’ll reach you in a jiffy: they have medical crews and air ambulances stationed from Papua New Guinea to South Africa and more than 150 contracted air charter companies all across the globe. Great for frequent travelers or expats living or working abroad as a membership offers more than just emergency medical evacuation or repatriation. Lose a filling or have a mild allergic reaction? Members can call the International SOS hotline to get medical and dental referrals to nearby practitioners. Not sure what’s wrong? A medical professional will offer over-the-phone advice (not diagnosis) and can make sure proper medication or supplies reach you, no matter where you’re staying; they even refill prescriptions). Slight catch: unlike other some medical evacuation services that will transport you if you’ve been hospitalized, International SOS ultimately reserves the right to decide if your condition is severe enough to warrant evacuation. They also make the final decision of where you’ll be transported (which may not be in your home country or the country you were visiting). Also, like Medex Assist, they don’t cover some riskier sports related injuries, so be sure to read their policy carefully! Individual Annual Memberships from $572.
International SOS
+1 215 942 8000
AirMed International Traveler
Headed up by Birmingham, Alabama-native Captain Jeff Tolbert, the man originally behind Medjet Assist, AirMed International has an easy to use—and understand—medical evacuation plan on offer. Just sign up (they have solo, family, expat and student memberships), pay a short term or annual fee, and you'll have access to medical evacuation benefits whenever you‘re 150 miles or more away from home. If you’re injured or ill and hospitalized, you can call the AirMed hotline, and a medically-staffed air ambulance will come collect you and bring you to exactly where you’d like to go—no questions asked. A pilot by vocation, Tolbert put a lot of thought into his fleet of long-range jets, which are each outfitted and configured as a complete intensive care unit. A great option for families, as family plans include up to five dependents. Unfortunately, however, AirMed doesn’t offer any membership options for anyone over 75. Individual Annual Membership $250; Family Annual Membership $350
AirMed International Traveler
1000 Urban Center Drive
Suite 470
Birmingham, AL 35242
+1 205 443 4840
United States
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