Travel Insurance for Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
When home is the best place for healthcare and healing.
- As featured in:
As featured in:
- What are the benefits of emergency evacuation and repatriation insurance?
- What is the difference between emergency evacuation and repatriation
- What does World Nomads insurance cover for emergency evacuation and repatriation?
- What's not covered by emergency evacuation insurance?
Whether you’re trekking to see Machu Picchu, surfing in Maui, scuba diving off the coast of Thailand, or skiing in Europe, accidents or sickness can happen at any time during your trip. If you’re far from appropriate medical facilities, emergency evacuation and repatriation insurance can help get you the care you need.
What are the benefits of emergency evacuation and repatriation insurance?
Unexpected medical emergencies can happen at any time, whether you’re near or far from home. Appendicitis, a broken leg, animal bites and even a bout of severe food poisoning have all sent travellers to the hospital. But what happens if the nearest hospital or appropriate medical facility is dozens or even hundreds of kilometres away?
Medical transport – particularly Medivac flights – can cost tens of thousands of dollars. What could be a lifesaver could also deplete your savings. Emergency evacuation and repatriation coverage may cover, up to the policy limits, the cost to get you to the closest appropriate medical facility or to your home province for further treatment.
What is the difference between emergency evacuation and repatriation?
An emergency evacuation involves transporting patients to a hospital or other medical facility in order to be treated.
Repatriation is a type of evacuation that returns travellers back home, typically after their condition has stabilized and when your treating physician recommends you return to your home province because of your medical condition.
And in a worst-case scenario, if a traveller dies on vacation, World Nomads travel insurance also covers repatriation of remains. It’s not an easy thing to think about, but it does happen from time to time.
What does World Nomads insurance cover for emergency evacuation and repatriation?
Under your World Nomads plan, emergency evacuation is covered if it’s recommended by the attending physician and pre-approved by our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team. This benefit could include transportation costs and any related medical services or supplies. If you’re going to be at the hospital for three days or more, it may also include the transportation of a family member or companion to your bedside or the return of a dependent child back to your home.
Emergency evacuation and repatriation typically takes place through a commercial flight. We may cover:
- One-way economy airfare to return you to your home province in Canada.
- Fares for additional seats should you need to accommodate a stretcher.
- Flight upgrade to business class when a stretcher isn’t necessary.
- Where medically necessary, medical air evacuation to a hospital in your home province.
- Round-trip airfare for a medical escort when a requirement by the airline or when medically necessary.
The key thing to remember is that you must contact us before seeking emergency medical treatment, emergency evacuation or repatriation.
Medical repatriation travel insurance is available for international travel or domestic trips outside your home province. You must be covered under your Government Health Insurance Plan (GHIP) for the full duration of your policy to be eligible for maximum emergency medical benefits. If you do not have GHIP coverage while on your trip, emergency medical benefits will be limited to $40,000 CAD for the duration of your trip.
What's not covered by emergency evacuation insurance?
Our travel insurance plans do not cover everything. For example, our plans do not provide coverage for any of the following:
- Any incidents related to drug and alcohol abuse.
- Unnecessary upgrades or other non-cost-effective options.
- Participation as an athlete in professional sports or participating in activities you have not listed when you purchased your plan.
- Travelling for the purpose of securing medical treatment.
- Pre-existing medical conditions, as outlined in your policy wording.
- Continuing medical care back in Canada.
This is only a summary of coverage and does not include the full terms and conditions of the policy. It is important you read and understand your policy as it contains benefits, conditions, exclusions and pre-existing condition exclusions. If you do not understand your coverage, or if you have questions, just ask us.
How to get medical assistance.
It’s essential that you get in contact with our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team as soon as possible. Our team can support you from the time you get sick or injured until the time you get home.
To expedite your call, please be ready with the following:
- Your policy number
- A contact number where you can be reached
- The nature of your problem
- Your location
Abdominal pain in Myanmar
On my second day in Burma, I woke up in the middle of the night with intense abdominal distress. I was rushed to the Asia Royal Hospital and immediately taken for evaluation and an ultrasound. I had a large mass in my abdomen and evacuated to Bangkok that evening to see a specialist. I was admitted to Bumrungrad International Hospital, where I stayed for eight days for a battery of tests, including several ultrasounds, a CT scan, and two aspirations of what turned out to be a renal cyst. After a conditional discharge, where I was restricted to rest, I was deemed stable enough to be evacuated. Two days later I was on a flight back to the U.S., where I am now continuing treatment.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your hard earned vacation from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: $5,000
- Standard Plan: $2,500
Trip Protection
- Are you, your family sick, injured or deceased?
- Strike at your departure or arrival point?
- Official travel advisory warning not to travel?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Insurance
Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.
- Explorer Plan: $10 million
- Standard Plan: $5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
- Need prescription meds?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
We’ll get you to hospital or home quickly.
- Explorer Plan: $500,000
- Standard Plan: $500,000
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- You or a family member deceased?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Covers the theft, damage or delay of your bags, tech and sports gear.
- Explorer Plan: $3,000
- Standard Plan: $1,000
Protect your gear
- Passport or gear stolen?
- Tech trashed?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Emergency Dental for Injury or Sickness
- Bedside Companion Travel and Subsistence
- Emergency Professional Services
- Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation
- Return of Travel Companion/Dependent Children
- Return to Your Trip Destination
- Return of Remains
- Travel Accident
- Flight Accident
- Trip Cancellation
- Trip Interruption
- Trip Delay
- Baggage and Personal Effects Theft or Damage
- Baggage and Sporting Equipment Delay
- Travel Documents Theft or Damage
- Sporting Equipment Theft or Loss by a Common Carrier
- Covered Adventure Sports listed in Policy
Assistance Services Included
- LiveTravelTM Emergency Assistance
- Worldwide Travel Assistance
- Adventure Travel Hotline
- 24/7 Security
- Travel Medical Assistance
- Bag Trak
24/7 emergency assistance
Whether you need medical or dental assistance or advice, emergency evacuation or travel assistance, our team are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?
Telephone +1 866 878 0192 (toll-free from Canada and the Continental U.S.) or +1 416 646 3723 (collect from anywhere else in the world)
Contact the team
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions around medical repatriation. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Help Centre or you can ask the customer service team.
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Can my mother come and get me?
In some situations, yes. If you are travelling alone and are admitted to the hospital for three days or more, we cover the cost for economy class airfare and subsistence allowance for someone to be with you.
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Can I choose the gender of my nurse or doctor?
In an emergency medical situation, the medical provider will determine who will provide your treatment. If you have a particular request or concern, speak to the medical team; they may be able to address your issue.
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What if I’m heavily medicated due to my emergency medical condition? Will I be allowed to trans-it in all countries to get home?
Our medical department and assistance teams can assist in coordinating your transportation home if your treating physician recommends that you return home after your emergency medical treatment.
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What happens I’m on life support?
Our plans offer coverage for medical evacuation and repatriation coverage as well as coverage for a bedside companion. In consultation with your treating physician, our medical department and assistance teams will look at the best possible solution based on your emergency medical condition to either return you home or get your family to you.
Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.