Medical Evacuation & Repatriation Insurance

Medical emergency and repatriation insurance

Repatriation cover comes as standard on most travel insurance policies. In the event that you fall ill or are injured on holiday and you are unable to get the level of treatment you need, then repatriation cover supports you by covering costs should it be decided that the best course of action is to bring you or a travelling companion home to continue treatment.

The decision could be made because of the treatment required being available more readily in the UK or because the cost of treatment may well be cheaper in the UK. This could be particularly true if you fall ill whilst travelling in the United States.

What does repatriation mean?

At its simplest it means returning someone to their home country.

Repatriation insurance in the context of travel insurance means the return home of you or a travelling companion after an illness or injury to continue care and recovery in the UK. It can also apply in the event of death and the return of the body to the UK.

The form repatriation can take include being escorted back home on a repatriation flight or getting you home using an air ambulance.

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Does travel insurance include repatriation?

Yes. Repatriation cover normally comes as standard on travel insurance policies.

Our single trip travel insurance, annual multi-trip travel insurance and backpacker travel insurance policies all include repatriation as standard under the emergency medical assistance section. We provide cover up to £2,000,000 on our Bronze level cover, up to £5,000,000 with our Silver level cover and up to £10,000,000 on our Gold level cover.

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What does Repatriation Insurance cover?

Repatriation generally means getting you home, but our insurance policies go beyond just that to offer support for:

Organisation of getting you home:
We'll make sure that once it become clear that you need to return to the UK for treatment the organisation of travel is handled quickly and efficiently, leaving you to concentrate on your recovery.
Relative accommodation and travel costs:
We could help to cover the cost of having a close friend or relative stay with you during your treatment and repatriation to the UK providing support and comfort at the most difficult of times.

24/7 emergency assistance helpline:
We're here no matter where you are, when you need us or how many times. Our emergency assistance helpline is available in your policy documents and can be a first port of call for repatriation issues.
Repatriation due to death:
In the unfortunate event that an insured individual passes away while overseas we could assist with the repatriation of the body.

To understand exactly how Repatriation cover works, what's included and what exclusions apply, please carefully read your
policy information, and the terms and conditions of your cover.

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What doesn't it cover?

There are some things that could invalidate your claim under the repatriation insurance section of cover, meaning you’ll have to cover the cost of medical expenses and getting back home yourself. These include:

Pre-existing medical conditions that haven’t been declared and accepted by your insurer
Illness and injuries that happen while you’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Injuries caused by your or a travelling companion's violent conduct and reckless behaviour
Travelling to countries against UK government advice
High-risk sports and activities that aren’t covered by your travel insurance policy.

For more information regarding repatriation cover please see the policy documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who decides if I need to be repatriated?

In most cases, as with our policies, the insurer makes the decision on whether it would be best to repatriate you. This decision is based on conversations with our in house medical advisers and the doctor who is treating you at the time.

Once the decision is confirmed, usually repatriation will be via a regular airline or ambulance, but in serious cases where it is medically urgent we will use air ambulances – we’ll make sure this is the case by consulting with the doctor treating you and our medical advisers.

When heading home, you will need the doctor treating you to provide a fit to fly certificate to ensure that you are able to board the repatriation flight back to the UK.

Should you need any help, our assistance co-ordinators can help answer your questions at any time of the day or night.

Does the EHIC/GHIC card cover repatriation?

Whilst we would recommend that you have a valid GHIC card when you travel, it is not a replacement for travel insurance.

The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) only covers state-run emergency medical treatment in the EU. It does not cover the cost of repatriation to bring you back to the UK. So if you fell ill and need to return home in order to find or continue treatment then you will need a travel insurance policy in order to provide cover for this.

Do I need repatriation insurance?

Certainly it is something that you hope not to need, but to cover for that eventuality repatriation insurance is usually included as standard on most travel insurance policies.

With our single trip, annual multi-trip and backpacker policies you can be covered for up to £10,000,000 which should be more than enough to bring you home should you require repatriation to the UK.

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HealthHero 24/7 GP telephone and video consultations

Our travel insurance policies provide you access to HealthHero – a 24/7 GP telephone and video consultation service* – which connects you with a UK GP to provide the reassurance and professional medical advice you need while you’re travelling abroad.

*For video consultations, time restrictions apply and UK Bank Holidays are excluded.

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