Travel Insurance for Medical Repatriation
When home is the best place for healthcare and healing
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As featured in:
For information relating to policies purchased prior to 27 June 2024, please check the Policy Wording provided with your purchase. You can contact us if you need this sent to you again. For policies purchased from 27 June 2024, please see below.
Serious accidents or illnesses can happen at any time during your trip, whether you’re trekking through the Eurasian Steppe or (not so) simply crossing the road in Vietnam. And if it’s bad enough to end your trip mid-way or if our medical teams recommend you return to Ireland for treatment, our repatriation cover can help get you home safely.
The cost of medical evacuations can vary, depending on a number of circumstances, including the remoteness of the location from which the evacuation might occur, as well as the type of medical care required for injuries or illnesses incurred. That's what our emergency medical, evacuation and repatriation insurance in all of our plans is designed to cover.
Keep in mind that you’ll first need to contact your private medical insurance (PMI) provider (if applicable) and follow their emergency medical procedures and their claims procedures. Cover available under this travel insurance policy is in excess of any cover provided by your PMI. Also, provide us with details of your PMI provider to help us co-ordinate your care. Where your PMI provider does not cover you, contact our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance team before incurring medical costs. You must let us know how you are going and keep in contact with our assistance team until you no longer require treatment or assistance.
I need help now – what do I do?
The first step when you have been admitted as an inpatient for at least one night is to contact us is to get medical help, and as soon as is reasonably possible contact us (or get someone else to do so on your behalf). Our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance team can make arrangements and get pre-authorisation for your repatriation home if it's required. Our doctors and nurses have seen some horrific accidents and illnesses and have helped thousands of travellers get home safely to fully recover.
Our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance teams are trained to help in these situations, negotiating the complexities of hospitals, specialist transportation, airline approvals and medical escorts so you (and your family) can focus on your recovery.
World Nomads offers benefits for medical issues related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) under the Emergency Medical Expenses & Medical Repatriation section; please note that benefit limits vary between our Standard and Explorer Plans.
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while overseas and it’s not considered a ‘pre-existing medical condition’ under our policy, your benefits include evacuation or repatriation if deemed necessary by us and in consultation with your attending physician.
Our article What’s covered for Coronavirus explains the benefits available if you get COVID-19 and need urgent assistance.
How World Nomads travel insurance can get you home
Travel insurance is made to cover emergency treatment overseas and, if necessary, cover to rearrange your initial travel plans or for specialist medical transportation to get you back to Ireland. If our medical teams believe it’s necessary to bring you home for treatment or ongoing care, there’s cover in all of our policies for:
- Air Ambulance
- Sea Level Aircraft
- Ground Ambulance
- Flight changes, upgrades or just more space
- Flight upgrade + medical staff
Please note that cover is up to the amount shown in your Policy Wording and is subject to our Emergency Medical Assistance team or us, on the advice of a medical practitioner appointed by us in consultation with your medical practitioner overseas, first deciding that:
- Transportation is medically necessary; and
- The style and timing of the transportation are reasonable and appropriate; and
- You're medically fit to be evacuated; and
- You should be transferred to Ireland.
What's not covered
There are some cases where it's just not possible to provide cover:
- Flight upgrades, new flights or changes without our approval (or where it's not medically necessary).
- Refusal to return home for treatment.
- Changing your mind to not continue your trip, even if you're fit to travel.
- Medical expenses once you're back in your home country.
- A joy flight to get down off the mountain after you've reached Base Camp.
The policy isn’t designed to cover everything so take the time to read the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions in the Policy Wording for full details, so there are no surprises if you need to use it. If you’re not sure if something is covered get in touch.
How to get medical assistance.
It’s essential that you get in contact with our Emergency Medical 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
Been working hard for your trip?
We'll work hard to protect it.
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalized?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Expenses
Feeling fit and healthy? What if you get sick or injured?
Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Transportation
Know where the nearest suitable medical facility is?
Don’t stress, we’ll get you there quickly.
Evacuation and Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medivac home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Love photography, filming or sport?
Cover your bags, tech or gear.
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Overseas Medical & Dental Expenses
- Emergency Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
- Trip Disruption
- 24-Hour Medical Assistance Services
- Baggage
- And more (depending on your country of residence)
24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance
Whether you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation, our teams 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 Medical Assistance right now?
For policies purchased on or after 27 June 2024:
Phone: +353 4 69 017 022
For policies purchased before 27 June 2024:
+353 (0) 90 640 6460
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Helpdesk or you can ask the customer service team.
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Can my mum come and get me?
Yes, in some situations we can send your mum or a close family member over to pick you up if you need mobility support. If you’re on any kind of administrative medication, then we might send you a nurse or doctor.
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Can I choose the sex of my nurse or doctor?
You can ask and we'll see what we can do.
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What if I'm on really heavy drugs as pain killers while I'm coming home? Will I be allowed to transit in all countries?
There are some countries which will not allow you to enter (even transit) with certain medications and in these cases we will either reroute you or discuss with your treating doctor on alternate pain killers.
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What happens I’m on life support?
That’s a really bad way to end your holiday, and we hope you never end on life support. But if you do, we will look at the best possible solution to either get you home, or get your family over there to say goodbye.
Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.