Though it is unpleasant to think about, it is important that anyone traveling or living abroad give consideration to what they would do in a severe health emergency. You may already have an international health insurance policy in place to cover doctor’s visits, prescriptions, and hospitalization. But what would you do in a life-threatening or even fatal situation? In these instances, evacuation insurance is an extremely valuable asset.
There are two kinds of evacuation insurance plans. The first one covers the cost of transporting you to the nearest medical facility. This way, if you’ve been involved in some sort of medical emergency, such as being injured in an earthquake, you can get immediate transportation to the best hospital near you for quick care. This type of plan also covers accidental death and dismemberment as well as repatriation of your remains in the event that you perish.
The second type of plan is quite similar, however it provides for transportation to a medical facility in your home country. This can be quite useful in instances where you prefer care in your home country or you need your family to be able to be near you during your treatment. It also includes accidental death and dismemberment coverage as well as repatriation benefits.
The cost of medical evacuation from the scene of a disaster can be extremely expensive. It can cost much more than an ambulance ride, by comparison. And repatriation costs are also quite high. You certainly do not want to leave your family with no way to pay for that. They will have enough to worry about simply going through the grieving process for you. This type of insurance offers you and your family peace of mind that if tragedy strikes, some financial support will be in place.
