Medical repatriation is the process of arranging your return to the UK following a serious illness, injury or medical emergency while travelling abroad.
Your CoverForYou travel insurance includes emergency medical transportation and repatriation cover, subject to your policy's terms, conditions and benefit limits.
Depending on your medical circumstances, repatriation may involve a standard flight, specialist medical transport or an air ambulance, with medical assistance where necessary.
Important: Medical repatriation must be arranged or approved by our Emergency Medical Assistance Service. You should not make independent arrangements to return home for medical reasons without contacting the team first.
If you're admitted to hospital as an in-patient following an illness, injury or accident, you or someone acting on your behalf must contact our Emergency Medical Assistance Service as soon as possible.
The team can:
Review your medical circumstances and liaise with the hospital treating you.
Assess whether further treatment abroad is necessary or whether you can safely return to the UK.
Arrange medical transportation or repatriation where appropriate.
Coordinate medical assistance during your journey, if required.
If you're unable to contact the team yourself, a travelling companion, family member or hospital representative can contact them on your behalf.
Find out how to contact our Emergency Medical Assistance Service
Our Emergency Medical Assistance team determines when medical repatriation is appropriate, in consultation with your treating doctor abroad.
Depending on your circumstances, we may arrange to:
Transfer you to another suitable hospital.
Return you to the UK for further treatment or recovery.
Provide necessary medical assistance during your journey home.
Yes. If our medical team determines that you're medically fit to travel, we may arrange for you to return to the UK to continue your treatment or recovery.
Your policy is designed to cover unexpected medical emergencies, rather than provide private medical treatment abroad when you can safely return home.
If treatment can reasonably and safely be postponed until you return to the UK, your policy will not pay for that private treatment abroad.
Important: You should not assume you can remain overseas for treatment once our medical team has confirmed that repatriation is medically appropriate.
If our Emergency Medical Assistance team determines that you're medically fit to return to the UK and you refuse the proposed repatriation, your cover for that medical condition will stop from the date of your refusal.
This means we will not pay further claims arising from that condition under the following policy sections:
Section 1 – Cancelling or Cutting Short a Trip
Section 2 – Medical Emergency and Repatriation Expenses
Section 6 – Personal Accident
Section 8 – Cruise Cover
From the date you refuse an approved repatriation arrangement, you will be responsible for further expenses relating to that condition, including:
Additional medical treatment abroad.
Further hospital or medical expenses.
Additional accommodation required because of the condition.
Any subsequent medical repatriation arrangements.
Important: This restriction applies to the medical condition for which repatriation was recommended.
Yes. Other unrelated, non-medical benefits of your policy will continue to apply for the remainder of your scheduled trip, subject to the normal terms and conditions.
For example, your baggage cover will not automatically end solely because you've refused medical repatriation.
However, you will no longer be covered for further claims arising from the medical condition for which repatriation was declined under the sections listed above.
The method of transportation depends on your medical circumstances and what our Emergency Medical Assistance team considers necessary.
This may include:
A scheduled commercial flight, where you're medically fit to travel.
Medical assistance during your flight, where necessary.
Specialist medical transportation or an air ambulance, where your condition requires it.
Qualified medical attendants accompanying you during your journey.
Our Emergency Medical Assistance team will determine the appropriate arrangements in consultation with your treating medical professionals.
Repatriation arrangements are based on the same class of travel used for your original outward journey, subject to medical necessity and the policy conditions.
For example, if you originally travelled in economy class, your return transportation will normally be arranged on that basis.
Where specialist medical arrangements are necessary, these will be assessed and coordinated by our Emergency Medical Assistance team.
If you need to return to the UK early because of an approved medical repatriation, the treatment of your existing travel arrangements depends on whether you already have a return ticket.
If we arrange and pay for your medical repatriation, your policy will not separately reimburse the cost of your unused original travel tickets.
You should check with your airline or travel provider whether any refund or credit is available for the unused journey.
If you travelled without a return ticket and we arrange your medical repatriation, the standard cost of an economy-class return flight will be deducted from your claim settlement.
This is because you would ordinarily have been responsible for paying for your return journey to the UK.
Any remaining eligible repatriation costs will be assessed under your policy's medical emergency and repatriation benefits.
No. You should not independently book medical repatriation or alternative return travel without first contacting our Emergency Medical Assistance Service.
If you're hospitalised or believe you need to return home for medical reasons:
Contact our Emergency Medical Assistance Service as soon as possible.
Explain your medical circumstances and provide details of the hospital or treating doctor.
Follow the team's instructions regarding treatment, hospital transfers or return travel.
Do not arrange your own medical transportation without obtaining the necessary approval.
This allows our team to assess your medical needs and coordinate appropriate arrangements under your policy.
For serious illness, injury, hospital admission or emergency medical repatriation, contact our 24-hour Emergency Medical Assistance Service.
The team can assist with medical emergencies abroad and coordinate any necessary repatriation arrangements.
Emergency Medical Assistance and Claims Information
If you're experiencing a life-threatening emergency, seek immediate local emergency medical assistance before contacting your insurer.
Please note: Medical repatriation is subject to your policy's terms, conditions, exclusions, medical necessity requirements, benefit limits and any applicable excess. Repatriation arrangements must be approved by our Emergency Medical Assistance Service.
