
Get exclusive travel offers and guides
Straight to your inbox
Updated
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
Overseas medical expenses and evacuation costs can be exorbitantly expensive, and without travel insurance, can turn a dream holiday into a nightmare. Compare travel insurance for repatriation and medical evacuation covers you if you have to be transported for treatment or
Brand | Conditions | Apply |
---|---|---|
![]() | Covered under emergency medical assistance. If you're injured overseas, 1Cover will pay their emergency assistance provide First Assistance, to arrange medical transfer if you need to be transported to the nearest overseas hospital for emergency medical treatment or evacuation if you need to be bought back to Australia with appropriate medical supervision. | |
![]() | You're covered for emergency medical supervised evacuation and repatriation under the overseas emergency medical assistance section of the policy. | |
![]() | By choosing this travel insurance, you can access a network of 24 hour telephone assistance centres, and an international network of medical and emergency assistance providers who can help in many ways including to coordinate evacuation or repatriation where you are located to a suitable medical facility or back home to Australia, subject to assessment and approval. | |
![]() | You're covered under the overseas medical expenses, emergency repatriation and other expenses section of the policy for transportation costs for emergency repatriation to your country of residence. | |
![]() | You're covered for your medical transfer or evacuation if you must be transported to the nearest hospital for emergency medical treatment overseas, or be brought back to Australia with appropriate medical supervision. | |
![]() | Depending on your specific needs, MAPFRE ASSISTANCE (emergency assistance provider for InsureandGo) can coordinate evacuation or repatriation where you are located to a suitable medical facility or back home to Australia, subject to assessment and approval. | |
![]() | iTrek is backed by First Assistance who will arrange for the following assistance services if you injure yourself overseas or become sick while overseas:
| |
![]() | Skiinsurance.com.au is backed by First Assistance who will arrange for the following assistance services if you injure yourself overseas or become sick while overseas:
| |
![]() | Depending on your specific needs, MAPFRE ASSISTANCE (emergency assistance provider for Tick Travel Insurance) can coordinate evacuation or repatriation where you are located to a suitable medical facility or back home to Australia, subject to assessment and approval. | |
Travel Insurance Saver covers you under Section C of the policy for evacuation and repatriation costs. | ||
![]() | You are covered up to the amount shown in the schedule of cover for necessary and reasonable costs incurred as a result of your bodily injury, illness or death during your trip in respect of:
| |
![]() | Virgin Travel Insurance is backed by Allianz Global Assistance who will arrange for the following assistance services if you injure yourself overseas or become sick while overseas:
| |
![]() | You're covered under the Emergency Medical Evacuation benefits if Holiday Rescue decides that you need to return to Australia or move to another hospital for treatment. This covers;
| |
![]() | For emergency assistance anywhere in the world at any time, Allianz Global Assistance is only a telephone call away. The team will help with medical problems, locating nearest medical facilities, your evacuation home, locating nearest embassies and consulates, as well as keeping you in touch with your family and work in an emergency. | |
![]() | MAPFRE Assistance must be contacted immediately in the event of a serious injury, illness or hospitalisation, where repatriation has to be considered. | |
![]() | If you suffer a Disabling Injury, Sickness or Disease the insurer will pay the usual and customary cost of medical treatment, ambulance transportation and emergency dental treatment provided outside Australia by or on the advice of a qualified medical practitioner or dentist. | |
![]() | The expenses may include, but are not limited to, medical and hospital expenses, ambulance costs, evacuation, repatriation and other transport costs. | |
![]() | You are covered for the usual and customary cost of medical treatment, ambulance transportation, and emergency | Go to site |
![]() | If you are hospitalised, you, or a member of your travelling party, MUST contact Allianz Global Assistance as soon as possible. If you do not, then to the extent permitted by law, we will not pay for these expenses or for any evacuation or airfares that have not been approved or arranged by Allianz Global Assistance. | |
![]() | First Assistance will provide the following services if you injure or become sick overseas:
| |
![]() | If You suffer a Disabling Injury, Sickness or Disease We will pay the usual and customary cost of medical treatment, ambulance transportation and emergency dental treatment which is provided outside Australia by or on the advice of a qualified medical practitioner or dentist. This also includes the usual and customary cost of emergency repatriation or evacuation. In all cases the cost of evacuation or to bring You back to Australia will only be met if Your claim is approved by Us and it was arranged by and deemed necessary by Our emergency assistance network. | Go to site |
![]() | WorldCare is backed by Allianz Global Assistance who will arrange for the following assistance services if you injure yourself overseas or become sick while overseas:
|
Repatriation is the act of returning someone to their place of origin. In the context of travel insurance, it means returning someone to their home country after they have suffered an illness or injury overseas. Repatriation insurance typically covers:
Medical evacuation and repatriation cover could save your life one day. Without it, you could find yourself with a massive bill that you might spend years or even the rest of your life paying off.
For example, medical evacuations from the USA to Australia typically cost anywhere from $75,000 to $300,000, due in part to the distance involved. Even a medical evacuation from somewhere much closer to home, like Bali, can cost up to $60,000.
Why so expensive? The reason is usually because you can’t just be put on the next commercial flight home. You might need to travel by special air ambulance, have access to expensive medical equipment and be escorted by medical personnel; all of which can add up to a lot of money in a very short time.
And that’s why you should have adequate repatriation and medical evacuation cover (ideally up to $500,000), particularly if you are planning to travel somewhere remote where the nearest medical assistance is a long way away.
Repatriation cover is only for serious and life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Broken bones, while serious, don’t usually require medical evacuation, unless you are in a remote area with no medical facilities (such as skiing off-piste).
Emergency medical evacuation is for removing you to the nearest suitable medical facility if what’s available locally is limited or non-existent. It can be in an ambulance, a helicopter or medical aircraft, depending on the facilities available, and the degree of urgency associated with your injury or illness.
Repatriation to your country of origin is reserved for situations where you are suffering from a long-term illness or injury and have been deemed unfit to travel by a doctor, meaning you would be better off (physically and financially) recovering at home. Typical repatriation and medical evacuation cover includes:
There are some general exclusions that apply to repatriation cover (circumstances in which cover will not be provided). These include:
Cruising is a type of travel where repatriation cover is particularly important to have. Your cruise ship has only limited medical facilities onboard and the nearest hospital may be many hundreds of kilometres away. This means that if you have a heart attack or fall seriously ill, you will have to be airlifted to the nearest land hospital, and this can be an extremely costly service that isn’t covered by any kind of health insurance.
Having repatriation and medical evacuation cover will give you the peace of mind knowing that if something happens to you at sea, you’ll get the best attention in the fastest time and won’t be faced with a bill for tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars when you get back home.
Most travel insurance companies have their own overseas medical emergency assistance service or employ such a service to act on their behalf. These teams are available 24/7 should you have a medical emergency and can assist by arranging hospital admissions, medical evacuation and emergency medical treatment.
Their emergency service providers include medical experts who will assess your need for assistance and whether repatriation is required. They are authorised to act on behalf of the insurer, so they are often your first point of contact in a medical emergency. They are also experts in the countries they service and can provide local assistance with a range of matters, including lost documents and emergency prescriptions.
Because they are your insurer’s representatives in the field, it’s important to follow their instructions, as one of the exclusions most insurers include in their policies is no payment if you ignore the advice of your emergency assistance provider. You must also get authorisation from your insurer before making any arrangements yourself, otherwise your claim may be voided.
How you go about making a claim will depend on the type of incident you are claiming for. If it’s a medical emergency, you must first contact the insurer’s emergency medical assistance provider, who will help arrange appropriate assistance and authorise payment.
If you are seeking medical treatment for a minimal amount (say, less than $2,000), you might consider paying upfront and claiming it back from your insurer later. But if you require specialist medical treatment, hospitalisation, medical evacuation or repatriation, you must seek authorisation from the medical emergency assistance provider beforehand.
If you’re claiming for a relatively minor incident, such as lost luggage or a cancelled flight, you can claim online or by mail when you return to Australia. Each insurer has a different deadline, so read your product disclosure statement (PDS) to make sure your claim is lodged on time.
If you've experienced a medical emergency overseas you should:
Make sure the policy you choose covers you for emergency medical and repatriation. Compare the travel insurance brands in the finder.com.au panel and get covered today.
Compare policies for repatriation insurance
Ben Carlson / Shutterstock.com
Picture: Shutterstock
Find out about how to insure the luxury Mercedes-AMG G 63 4x4 SUV.
Find out how to get cheap health insurance for young people.
The BankSA Vertigo Platinum card offers a $300 cashback a low ongoing purchase rate and a range of complimentary insurance covers.
Travel insurance isn't just for overseas trips.
Coles Roadside Assistance – affordable cover with your car insurance. Is it right for you?
Our personal tips and tricks on how to map out your road trip and what to pack for one smooth ride.
Find life insurance for medical workers. Insurance that covers the unique risks faced by frontline medical professionals.
Find out how home insurers cover temporary accommodation.
Find out how travel insurance covers frequent flyer points if you need to cancel.
Australian home insurance providers are letting you reduce or defer your payments as a result of financial hardship due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Cost of evacuation back to Australia from China for patient travelling for medical treatment
Hi Anna,,
Thanks for you question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and does not have access o this sport of information. You should contact your insurer about medical evacuation.
All the best,
Richard