By Kim Porter
Edited by Peggy BennettShould I Get Medical Evacuation Insurance?
By Kim PorterEdited by Peggy Bennett
Quick Answer
Medical evacuation insurance can be a good idea if you’re traveling to a remote location or planning extreme activities. This type of travel insurance pays for transportation to the nearest medical facility when you’re injured or sick and local care is insufficient.
Nothing derails a vacation like an illness or injury—especially if you're in a remote part of the world. In some cases, you may need to be evacuated to receive appropriate medical care. Depending on where in the world you're injured and the medical care you need, the cost of an evacuation could reach $250,000 or more. Medical evacuation insurance covers the transportation costs along with some other expenses that may arise. Here's what to know.
What Is Medical Evacuation Insurance?
Medical evacuation insurance is a type of travel insurance that pays for transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility when you're injured or sick and local care is insufficient.
This type of coverage can be purchased as either a stand-alone policy or an endorsement to comprehensive travel insurance.
Depending on the insurance provider and the specific policy, it may pay for other costs such as the medical care you receive at the facility and rebooked travel arrangements. Should you die on the trip, medical evacuation insurance may also pay to transfer your remains home.
What Does Medical Evacuation Insurance Cover?
Standard medical evacuation insurance may include the following types of coverage:
- Emergency transportation: Medical evacuation insurance pays for the costs of transporting you to a nearby medical facility that can provide you with the level of care you need.
- Travel expenses for a companion: This benefit pays for a friend or relative to join you and provide you with support while you receive care.
- Travel costs for dependents: If you're traveling with dependents when you're injured, this benefit pays for the costs of transporting them home.
- Transportation home: After a medical evacuation, you may need to alter your travel plans or book medical transportation home. Your coverage may pay for these costs.
- Medical services and supplies: Your medical evacuation insurance typically covers the costs of receiving medical care for the injury or illness.
- Accidental death and dismemberment: If a covered event results in your death or the loss of your limbs or eyesight, you or your beneficiaries will receive payment up to the covered amount.
- Repatriation of remains: If you die while on your trip, the policy covers the costs of transporting your remains home. It may also pay for associated expenses like embalming, cremation or a coffin.
How Much Is Medical Evacuation Insurance?
A travel insurance policy with medical evacuation coverage costs around 4% to 10% of the total cost of the trip, according to travel marketplace Squaremouth. So if you spend $10,000 on a cruise to Antarctica, for example, travel insurance for the trip may cost around $400 to $1,000. The specific cost you pay depends on details like your policy limits, the cost of your trip and the ages of the travelers.
Learn more: Average Cost of Travel Insurance
Should I Get Medical Evacuation Insurance?
Buying medical evacuation insurance could be a good idea in some cases. Some factors to consider:
- Your itinerary: Trips that involve remote destinations and dangerous activities increase the chances you'll need a medical evacuation. If you buy medical evacuation insurance, it usually kicks in when you're traveling farther than 100 miles from home.
- The length of your stay: Longer trips increase the risk of developing an illness, catching a disease or getting injured.
- Your personal health history: Having a preexisting condition, such as diabetes, heart disease or a recent surgery, may raise the risk of falling ill on your trip.
- Local medical infrastructure: If you're headed to a developing nation, remote area or rural location, the medical facilities may not be equipped to provide the care you need in an emergency.
How Much Medical Evacuation Insurance Do I Need?
The minimum recommended coverage limit for medical evacuation insurance is $100,000—but depending on where you are and the services you need, that amount might not go far. For example, the costs of a long-distance air ambulance coupled with a prolonged hospital stay or emergency surgeries could be $200,000 or more. If you want more coverage, some policies offer coverage limits between $250,000 and $2 million.
Learn more: Should You Get Travel Insurance?
How to Get Medical Evacuation Insurance
If you decide to get medical evacuation insurance, you can either use your credit card if it offers this benefit or buy a travel insurance policy. Here are the steps you'll take to get coverage:
- Review your credit card benefits. Some travel credit cards come with medical evacuation insurance with varying coverage limits. The insurance is usually free, though you may need to pay an annual fee for the card and follow guidelines to activate coverage.
- Compare policies. Get quotes for travel insurance policies with medical evacuation coverage, and check coverage types, coverage limits, deductibles and pricing.
- Check type of coverage. Secondary coverage kicks in after your primary health insurance plan covers any costs, if applicable, while primary coverage is available right away.
- Review your itinerary. You'll want to know whether your planned activities are covered or fall under the exclusions section of the travel insurance policy.
- Choose your plan. Whether you go with your credit card's benefits or a comprehensive travel insurance plan, make your choice and activate coverage.
Learn more: Can I Buy Travel Insurance After Booking?
Best travel cards of 2026
Compare cards from our partners that earn valuable points or miles and unlock travel perks on flights and hotel stays.
Offers from our partners
American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card
Intro APR:0% for 15 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:
2x (Miles per dollar)
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for each $1 spent at grocery stores, including grocery delivery services. Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. Save 25% on inflight food and beverage purchases when you use your card on American Airlines flights
Annual Fee:$0
Citi Strata Premier® Card
Intro bonus:
60,000 Points
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 27.49% (Variable)
Rewards:
1x - 10x (Points per dollar)
Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual Fee:$95
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:
2x (Miles per dollar)
Earn 2 AAdvantage® miles for every $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants, and on eligible American Airlines purchases. Earn 1 Loyalty Point for every 1 eligible AAdvantage® mile earned from purchases.
Annual Fee:$99, waived for first 12 months
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Intro bonus:
As High As 90K Miles + $300 Statement Credit
You may be eligible for as high as 90,000 Bonus Miles and a $300 Statement Credit after you spend $4,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply to find out your offer. Terms Apply. Offer ends 11/04/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:
1x - 3x (Miles per dollar)
Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets. Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee:$350
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card
Intro bonus:
125,000 Bonus Points + a $150 Statement Credit
Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points plus a $150 statement credit after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 09/30/2026.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:
2x - 6x (Points per dollar)
Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points). Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee:$250
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Intro bonus:
200,000 Points
Best Points Offer Yet! Earn 200,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 01/13/2027.
Ongoing APR:19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:
3x - 14x (Points per dollar)
Earn 14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points when you make eligible purchases on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio. Card Members can earn 7X Points on purchases of Flights booked directly with airlines or flights booked through American Express Travel, Car rentals purchased directly from select car rental companies, and purchases at U.S. Restaurants. Card Members can earn 3X Points on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee:$550
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Intro bonus:
25,000 Points
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
Intro APR:0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Ongoing APR:17.49% - 27.49% Variable
Rewards:
1.5x - 3x (Points per dollar)
3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through BofA Travel and 1.5 points per $1 spent on everyday purchases
Annual Fee:$0
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
Intro bonus:
60,000 Points
Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Ongoing APR:19.49% - 27.49% Variable
Rewards:
1.5x - 2x (Points per dollar)
2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases, 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Annual Fee:$95
See all our best travel credit cards for 2026.
The Bottom Line
Medical evacuation insurance can provide financial protection if you experience a serious illness or injury while traveling, especially in remote areas with limited medical resources. While not every trip calls for this type of coverage, it may be worth the extra cost if your itinerary involves remote areas, risky activities or destinations with weaker health care systems. Before you go, review your existing benefits, compare policies and choose the right level of coverage for your needs—so you can travel with greater peace of mind.
What’s on your credit report?
Stay up to date with your latest credit information—and get your FICO® Score for free.
Get your free reportNo credit card required
About the author
Kim Porter
Kim Porter began her career as a writer and an editor focusing on personal finance in 2010 and has since been published everywhere from Yahoo! Finance to U.S. News & World Report, Credit Karma, USA Today, Fortune and more.
Read more from Kim