Emergency Medical Evacuation

Emergency medical evacuation insurance covers the cost of transporting you to the nearest adequate medical facility when local facilities cannot provide necessary care. All arrangements MUST be coordinated through your card's benefit administrator before services are rendered—self-arranged evacuations typically receive zero reimbursement.

What's Covered

• •Air ambulance or medical evacuation flight
• •Ground ambulance to evacuation point
• •Medical care and supervision during transport
• •Economy airfare for companion if hospitalized 8+ days
• •Return transportation for minor children
• •Repatriation of remains

What's NOT Covered

• •Ground medical treatment costs at destination
• •Evacuations arranged without benefit administrator approval
• •Travel to destinations with State Department warnings
• •Pre-existing conditions (active within 60 days before trip)
• •Travel specifically to receive medical treatment
• •Adventure sports injuries (skydiving, mountaineering)
• •Non-medical evacuations (natural disasters, political unrest)
• •Trips under 5 days or over 60 days (most cards)

• •Failed to get pre-authorization from benefit administrator (most common!)
• •Evacuation deemed not medically necessary by reviewing physician
• •Pre-existing condition exclusion applied (active within 60 days)
• •Trip not paid with covered card (Amex Platinum is an exception)
• •Travel to country under State Department travel advisory
• •Trip duration requirements not met (5-60 days typical)
• •Adventure sports injury excluded
• •Within 100 miles of home address

• •Call benefit administrator hotline IMMEDIATELY when emergency begins
• •Provide location, medical situation, and cardholder details
• •Administrator arranges all logistics—do NOT arrange transport yourself

Save the benefit hotline number in your phone before every trip. Self-arranged evacuations almost never receive reimbursement—the administrator must pre-approve and coordinate.

• •Credit card statement showing trip purchase
• •Original travel itinerary or booking confirmation
• •Medical records from treating facility
• •Physician's statement confirming medical necessity
• •Benefit administrator pre-authorization documentation
• •Evacuation provider receipts (if seeking reimbursement)
• •Communication records with benefit hotline
• •For repatriation: death certificate