AfricaTexas

My understanding of Evacuation Insurance is that should I need urgent care, and suitable hospitals are not available, the policy pays for me to get on a scheduled flight back to the US.

But Africa, on safari, presents a unique issue. If I am in a remote camp, and by that I mean one that I have been driven to, or flown into on a small aircraft, and I get injured, just what does insurance do. Who calls who to get a plane to take me from the camp to Nairobi, or Maun, or wherever I need to go to either get to a hospital, or to get back to the US?

Anyone have any experience with this, or have any insight into it?

Safari_Craig

I have plenty of experience with this as a tour operator. We have had four clients evacuated over the past ten years. If a client buys travel insurance (mandatory for many lodges) we pass a copy of the policy to the camps or to our office in Cape Town or to the ground office in the destination country. Typically our clients travel with a copy as well.

I have simplified this chain of events quite a bit but, essentially, if you get injured and you are conscious and you require evacuation you can direct the lodge manager to call your insurance company and they send a plane. If you are not conscious they will call the insurance company and send the plane. There are three hospitals in Africa that our clients have been evacuated to. Two are in South Africa and one is in Nairobi. Before the plane is sent the insurance company will ask some questions and due their due diligence.

Most policies also pay for you to get home (eventually).

Craig Beal - owner - Travel Beyond

Safari_Craig

I meant "do" not "due".

thursdaysd

Evacuation insurance gets you to the nearest suitable medical facility, "suitable" as defined by the insurance company. Repatriation insurance gets you home. I carry both, usually bought either from tenweb.com or, for longer trips, through Seven Corners.

TC

We carry an annual policy with MedJet Assist. If you are injured and hospitalized anywhere, they will fly you home to whatever hosipital YOU want to fly to...not just the nearest medical facility. They will also fly you (and your spouse) home on commercial air if your injuries allow with a medical assitant along -- in Business Class. This insurance is good no matter where you are...even 150 miles from home. MedJet Assist will contact doctors and make all the arrangements in the event you are injured. They offer interpreters and medical consults. I think they offer the absolute best product. A nice discount if you are an AARP member.

www.medjetassist.com

Standard policy benefits:
http://medjetassist.com/docs/default...r.pdf?sfvrsn=4

Marija

MedJet Assist requires that you find your own way to an inpatient facility from which you can then be transferred. While on safari In Africa, you must make other arrangements to get to a hospital.

AfricaTexas

Appreciate the replies. One of the comp[anise I've looked at was Lion World and they offer insurance through a company called Manulife, a Canadian company. Is there any problem dealing with a non-US insurance company?

ShayTay

You might do some price comparisons on www.insuremytrip.com. I've used the site several times to purchase trip insurance. It was easy get the coverage I wanted and to compare prices. My group of 10 to Kenya this year had two people that made good use of their travel insurance (Travel Guard.) My sister had to back out at the last minute due to medical issues and my roommate had to be flown to Nairobi Hospital from Meru NP, where she spent a week. I think it's critical to have insurance, especially for medical evacuation. It's also important that the people on the ground in the camps can handle any situation that arises.

AfricaTexas

Some camps note that they provide emergency medical evacuation. Having looked now at a lot of policies it seems most policies that include Medical coverage also provide emergency medical evacuation. I also suspect that the camp is simply saying they will get you to the nearest medical facility. In that case I don't see what the benefit is, nor the savings, and one would always get the evacuation coverage as part of his own policy along with medical coverage. Am I right?

My plan now is to just get a comprehensive policy, as I've done on all of my travel to Europe, and make sure it includes medical and evacuation.

Am I right?

thursdaysd

No, you have to read the fine print on each policy.

In general, evacuation = get you to the nearest medical facility. If you want to go home you need repatriation, not evacuation. Evacuation gets you OUT of a bad situation, repatriation gets you (or your remains) HOME. You should also look at the amount of coverage. If you're on a stretcher needing a row of seats and a medical attendant that will get pricy fast.

christabir

I use insuremytrip.com and read the fine print very carefully. Some will bring you home, some will get you to nearest facility. Just remember you can't travel unless you are stable - they won't get you home if you are not capable of surviving the trip! I make sure to get $100,000 medical/$1,000,000 evac and that I can get to a hospital near my home (I don't want the hospital nearest my home - terrible hospital. May as well stay in Johannesburg where the private hospitals are top notch!) The last time I just got med/evac for a three week trip to Southern Africa it was less that $100 - don't skip it for that small amount of money. Read the fine print. Some policies are better than others. I don't get the MedJet type policies - they are more expensive and, though they may be easier to deal with (doubt that), I get a policy that states they will "repatriate" me. Dead or alive.

sandi

If traveling within the East African countries - Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda or Uganda - there is Flying Doctors* that for a fee of about $15-20/pp will fly into the bush to extract you to hospital often in Nairobi where your situation is determined and contact made to your insurer so they're aware of situation. Then once stabilized you can be evacuated to hospital in home country... most often one of your choice (don't know anyone who's been dropped at other than their desire).

*most tour operators include this in your price

I use Insuremytrip for a Comprehensive Policy... check their site and compare offerings. Best that policy be purchased within 10/days of initial deposit to be covered if any in your party have 'pre-existing' medical issues. If any questions, there's an 800# with agents who can assist what's best for you.

ShayTay

The travel insurance company will make the determination as to whether or not an evacuation to your home country is necessary, or not. The Flying Doctors took my roommate to Nairobi Hospital, but Travel Guard decided that they could provide the necessary treatment for her intestinal blockage. Fortunately, it was resolved without surgery.