Why You Need Medivac Insurance When Living Abroad

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Why You Need Medivac Insurance When Living Abroad

Introduction:

If you are living or traveling abroad, getting Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage is of paramount importance. The situation may arise where you might need to get evacuated to perhaps seek better medical facilities—or even to save your life. Therefore, WeExpats decided to write an article on why you need medivac insurance when living abroad.

There are numerous examples of why you need medivac insurance abroad. The news seems to be filled with stories of individuals who require medical evacuation coverage, but their insurance plan doesn’t cover medivac. Gone are the days when stories like these are a rare occurrence. Now expat forums and Facebook groups are littered with stories of people trapped in critical condition as their family members desperately try to get them home.

For example, this past week, a British expat from Somerset named Paul Elleray has grabbed the media by storm—even to the point of having been reported by the BBC. Paul has lived the last four years on a Mediterranean island in the Republic of Cyprus located south of Turkey. On May 16th, he suffered a subdural hematoma and was rushed to a hospital in the coastal city of Paphos. He is only 62 years old.

A grandfather of three and a veteran, Paul is unable to speak or communicate in any manner, and he has lost the use of his right side. The medics in Cyprus say that there is nothing more that they can do for his particular situation. Paul needs to see a specialist for his particular circumstances. His daughter Jodie Elleray is desperately trying to get Paul back to the British Isles.

In a statement, Jodie Elleray said, “We want to get dad home where he belongs for proper treatment. . . We feel heartbroken. It’s surreal. . . You never expect something like this to happen. We’re devastated.” Of her father, she said, “[He is} a really big character [and is] funny, kind, and generous to a fault.”

The Foreign Commonwealth Office said that they “are assisting the family of a British man who has been hospitalised in Cyrpus, and are in contract with the local hospital.” However, they seem unable to help financially. The British Embassy is also unable to help financially.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched in hopes of raising the money for their flight home. Though the campaign has grown, it has not even raised 20% of the funds that they are requesting.

Why You Need Medivac Insurance When Living Abroad:

The problem with Paul Elleray is that his insurance doesn’t cover repatriation. In addition, his EHIC has expired because he has been living abroad in Cyprus since 2015. Every day, people are trapped abroad, unable to get home for specialized care in emergencies and life-threatening scenarios.

WeExpats can help you in this regard. We broker a medical evacuation policy that will get you back to your home city in time to save your life if you have been hurt in an accident or if you are seriously ill. This policy will provide a full medical escort if you need to leave your home to a city of your choice.

In addition, if you have a very serious condition that necessitates immediate attention in your home city, then our insurance coverage will cover an air ambulance so that you can be treated at your main hospital with your home doctors who are familiar with your condition.

Also, if you have a condition that is covered in your home country by your PPO, HMO, Provincial or Medicare plan, then you might want to consider another reason for why you need medivac insurance when living abroad. This policy can help you get back to your home country where your specialized treatments are covered by your main policy.

Don’t end up like Paul Elleray, stuck in a tough situation with no clear way to get out. Be sure to have a plan in place to get yourself home in case of an emergency. If you are concerned about yourself or your loved ones when living abroad, consider filling out an insurance quote by clicking here.

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