Emergency medical evacuation, or medivac, services cover the cost of transporting a traveler from their location to life-saving care at their location of choice. For those imagining a rescue off the mountain, and thinking I’m not an adventure traveler, a car accident, heart attack, or serious illness out-of-town are typical situations where a client may want to recover in their home, with familiar physicians and surroundings.
Medivac services are provided via membership in an organization. The organization provides these specific services. Most organizations offer memberships that last for as little as a few days, or a long as a year. Family memberships are often available as well.
Generally, medivac services provide medical evacuation, including transport, and care required during transport, from the traveler’s location to their facility of choice. Services can include repatriation services, which provide transport for the client from their initial assessment and/ or care facility, to the facility of their choice. And services typically come with a toll-free number (national and international) that accesses a staff who will help evaluate the situation, and manage arrangements.
This is different than coverage that offers transport to the closest appropriate facility, or hospital of choice. Closest facility transport typically means the closest appropriate hospital, which still may be hundreds, or thousands, of miles from home.
Costs vary, depending on the travel location, length of trip, age, recent health issues, and similar factors. Memberships for short trips might be as low as $120/person. Longer trips, or trips to remote areas, will be more, with a higher cost for true adventure travel.
The average cost of a medical evacuation is about $45,000, with high risk evacuations, for example, from a mountain top in a remote area, much higher. (Hint: if your client’s dream is to hike in Alaska, trout-fish in Mongolia, or follow the Silk Road, he/she should most certainly consider coverage.)
Many clients consider traveling to be a key part of their retirement plan. This helpful tip might make any unfortunate illness or accident not only much easier to manage, but much less costly.
Pacific Life, its distributors, and respective representatives do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. Any taxpayer should seek advice based on the taxpayer's particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor or attorney.
Pacific Life is a product provider. It is not a fiduciary and therefore does not give advice or make recommendations regarding insurance or investment products.
Pacific Life refers to Pacific Life Insurance Company and its affiliates, including Pacific Life & Annuity Company. Insurance products are issued by Pacific Life Insurance Company in all states except New York and in New York by Pacific Life & Annuity Company. Product availability and features may vary by state. Each insurance company is solely responsible for the financial obligations accruing under the products it issues.
Variable insurance products are distributed by Pacific Select Distributors, LLC (member FINRA & SIPC), a subsidiary of Pacific Life Insurance Company (Newport Beach, CA) and an affiliate of Pacific Life & Annuity Company. Variable and fixed annuity products are available through licensed third parties.
No bank guarantee • Not a deposit • Not FDIC/NCUA insured • May lose value • Not insured by any federal government agency
For financial professional use only. Not for use with the public.