Medical evacuation moves you, when medically necessary, from where you fall ill or are injured to the nearest hospital able to treat you. It can mean an ambulance, a helicopter or an air ambulance, and is usually arranged by the insurer’s assistance team.
How it reads in a policy
What to check
- The evacuation limit, which can be separate from the medical limit.
- Whether evacuation must be arranged by the insurer.
- Cover in remote places, at altitude, or at sea.
Read the policy wording before you buy: what’s covered, the limits, the excess and the exclusions.
Questions
What does medical evacuation mean in travel insurance?
Medical evacuation moves you, when medically necessary, from where you fall ill or are injured to the nearest hospital able to treat you. It can mean an ambulance, a helicopter or an air ambulance, and is usually arranged by the insurer’s assistance team.
Where do I find the medical evacuation in my policy?
In the policy wording, usually in its definitions and the section it belongs to; your own numbers are in the schedule of cover.
Related words
The three insurers
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Updated 2026-10-24.