What to do if You Fall Suddenly Ill
Follow these handy travel insurance tips if your trip is cut short by sudden illness.
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As featured in:
1. Seek medical attention
Get medical help from a doctor or hospital.
If it's an emergency situation, contact the local emergency services first, then contact our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance team as soon as you can, where you are admitted as an inpatient for at least one night.
Once you’re able to contact our 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance team, please be ready with the following:
- Your policy number
- A contact number for where you are now
- The nature of your problem
- Your location
Please be aware that depending on where you’re travelling to, there may be Reciprocal Health Care Agreements in place (the Emergency Medical Assistance team will let you know). The terms of your policy require that you use the public health system where possible, particularly when travelling in a country with reciprocal health agreements.
2. Get it in writing
All claims need supporting documentation and medical claims are no different. So, while it may be the last thing on your mind, get copies of documents that will support your claim before you leave the medical facility such as:
- Doctor or other medical practitioner’s report confirming your illness.
- Hospital Admission report, if you’re admitted to hospital.
- Ambulance and Medical evacuation reports if relevant.
In some cases, we may need to obtain your past medical history from your usual GP back in the UK but we’ll let you know if this is the case.
3. Keep your receipts
You’ll need to keep all your receipts, along with your itineraries and booking and cancellation confirmations for any affected travel arrangements for when you claim. If you don’t do this, we may reduce or reject your claim.
Cover for British nomads if COVID-19 derails your overseas trip
If you, a relative or someone in your travelling party falls ill due to Coronavirus you may be covered for a number of insured events under our Medical and Trip Disruption benefit sections.
Cover does vary between our Standard and Explorer plans. If you are diagnosed with Coronavirus while overseas your benefits include:
- 24/7 access to our Emergency Medical Assistance team, who can help you access local medical care.
- Medical costs including hospitalisation.
- Evacuation or repatriation back to the UK if deemed necessary by us and in consultation with your attending physician.
Benefit limits apply and vary between the plans.
Our COVID-19 cover benefits have been created to give British travellers options to travel knowing that they have overseas emergency medical insurance benefits on our Standard and Explorer plans.
Please note: COVID-19 cover depends on your Country of Residence.
To find out what cover applies to you, read our Coronavirus cover article, which has all of the details, including benefit limits, conditions and exclusions.
4. Need to know more?
This information may help when things go wrong and you want to make a claim. All travel insurance plans are different, and cover will vary, depending on what's happened, your country of residence, the plan you choose and any options or upgrades you buy. Your policy will always have the full details of what you’re covered for.
If you have any further questions about what's covered and not covered, just ask us.
How does my travel Insurance policy help me in an emergency?
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: £5,000
- Standard Plan: £3,000
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalised?
- Travel buddy in an accident?
- Sudden death of an immediate relative?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Abroad Medical Expenses
Take the pain out of medical costs while traveling abroad.
- Explorer Plan: £10 million
- Standard Plan: £5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Transport
Expenses included in Emergency Medical limits.
Evacuation and Repatriation
- Injured abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medical evacuation home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Cover your lost, stolen or damaged gear and tech.
- Explorer Plan: £3,000
- Standard Plan: £1,500
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Baggage & Personal Belongings
- Cancellation
- Trip Curtailment
- Personal Accident
- Loss of Passport or travel documents
- Personal Liability
- Legal Expenses (Personal Liability)
You are not eligible to buy a policy if you travel against medical advice, travel with the intention of receiving medical treatment, or have a terminal illness. World Nomads policies cannot cover claims due to Pre-Existing Medical Conditions (PEMC), regardless of whether the condition is serious or not. You can still purchase a World Nomads policy, but the PEMC exclusion cannot be removed, and you will be responsible for any related costs.
For information on travel insurance providers that offer cover on PEMC, visit Money Helper or call 0800 138 7777.
24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance
If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Wherever you are, we’re here 24/7 to help you in any emergency.
Are you in need of Emergency Medical Assistance right now?
For policies purchased on or after 27 June 2024
+44 (0) 144 444 2021 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
For policies purchased before 27 June 2024:
Phone: +44 (0) 203 093 1750 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
