Evacuation Insurance. What are your thoughts?
 

In today's Atlanta Journal (Nov 18) is an article about emergency evacuation insurance.<BR>It asks "What if you are trapped by an avalanche in a Himalayan valley with no safe way out? What if you fall victim to a political upheaval, riots or invasion?" And then the article goes on to discuss a woman found comatose in her hotel room during a Cambodian trip.<BR>Have you been in a situation where you used such coverage? Wished that you had it?<BR>Insurers you would recommend?<BR>Thanks

no to all of your questions. If I were traveling to Cambodia or some third world country, I might, but not to Europe. I don't quite understand the article's point about how you would get evacuated if you were in a Himalayan valley with no way out or in the middle of invasion, etc. HOw was this insurance supposed to help you in that case?

Sounds really stupid. OK, if I were a reporter working in Angola, I might consider it. But even in that case, who would come and save me?

HUH????????

I pay about two dollars per month for a medical evacuation rider on my health insurance. Most people are not covered should they have to be transported back home with an attending medical team.

It would have come in handy for a coworker whose head was bashed in in her hotel room, while her roomate was being assaulted. This was not Europe, tho, it was Belize. Her parents had to raise $20,000 to airlift her back to the U.S. Adding insult to true injury, no investigation is being made into the attacks by authorities in Belize. So - it is an add-on cost that you consider against where you are traveling, and what kind of care you might receive in that area should a med emergency arise. Insurance is always about peace of mind, and playing the chances. Do you have alternate resources to cover a situation, such as I mention?

Hi, Alice. The article suggested that prior to travelling, make a phone call to your insurance company and ask two questions.<BR>(1) Am I covered outside the country or outside my HMO netowrk?<BR>(2) Does that include transport?<BR>I plan to call my insurer tomorrow and ask those questions. <BR>Fortunately we have had no serious medical problems or accidents during our trip.

Most forms of travel insurance are cheap for the benefits (be sure to read all exclusions and limitations in the POLICY, not the slick brochure). If it would give you peace of mind and the premium is reasonable, why not? But, I'm wondering how insurance helps you out of an avalanche in the Himalayas or riots or an invasion???

Hi, Donna. I don't know about the avalanche or riot. That was part of the article. I did call my insurance, however. I am employed by a state health benefit program. I was told that when out of the country, I have to pay all costs and then submit for their reimbursement (or not). And as to evacuation, again my cost up front and then submit for their reimbursement decision. We are healthy and in shape. Yet I wonder what would happen if we were in a car wreck say in Turkey and needed an air-ambulance. I wonder if my credit card limit would cover such an expense. And, if my insurer would reimburse it. So, I think that we will look into insurance for such events during our next "out of the country" trip. I guess I am aging as I never would have considered these things 10 years ago. It might be interesting if some of you called your insurer and asked about coverage outside the USA and air transport. From the above post by Alice, it can be a staggering amount.

My son went to Nepal two years ago, he got the insurance that he would need if he were to be very sick or something was broken or worse and would need to be helicoptered to India.Seems that their hospitals are better..he did end up getting altitude sickness and then on top of that, sick from the water, but as luck would have it, the doctor at the Khatmandu hospital was from NJ!! So he survived his trip to Nepal and Bangkok:) But not having the insurance, would have made him and us very nervous that something would happen,the helicopters cost thousands to get you out of there.

This is not about evacuation insurance but about travel insurance, if that is of interest to you. We have a young friend who lives in England..she came to visit us in NY.The day she was to leave for home, she woke up sick, very sick.After taking her to my doctor, we found that she had appendicitis and it had to come out! She had the surgery,stayed in the hospital for 3 days, stayed at my house for another week, flew home on Virgin, and her travel insurance paid every dime. So, I never travel without it nor do my kids.

My opinion would be that a travel insurance which cover medical expenses and repatriation (*without* having to advance the funds)is a good idea, young or old. Who knows what could happen and (at least here), they're quite cheap, while medical costs can be enormous if you have to pay them out of your pocket.<BR><BR>As for the the avalanche in Himalaya or the revolution, except if your assurance company has its own avalanche dogs and private army, I strongly doubt they could be of any help in such a situation.

Anyone knows about annual travel insurance? <BR>We will be taking four trips next year

I have it with Travelers Emergency Network (TEN), they have a website. I pay $159 to cover myself/family for a year.<BR><BR>It covers us anytime we are more than 50 or 60 miles away from home.<BR><BR>Thank goodness we have never needed it but we travel a lot and it's great peace of mind.<BR><BR>Sandy

My professors (travel/tourism) always advocated getting travel insurance that included evacuation, and repatriation.. <BR><BR>you don't have too be in the midle of Colombia or a third world county.. <BR><BR>if you so happen too get ill durring a hike in the alps the insurance covers the cost of the helicopter ride too the nearest hospital.. If you die in Paris from eating too much chees the insurance pays for you blue body too be repatriated in your native country..<BR><BR>the whole notion that a politcal upheavel cant happen in Eurpoe is obviously rediculous.. you probably would of wished you had that insurance if you were in Yugoslovia a while back.. <BR><BR>

I know Europ Assistance (HQ in France) is very efficient worldwide. They have a subsidiary in the US called www.worldwideassistance.com with online quotes.<BR>The yearly fee is minimal compared all other travel expenses. And for regular travellers better than paying on a trip by trip basis.