06 Aug What is repatriation cover and how does it work?

Here at Coverontrip travel insurance we’re on a mission to make travel insurance comprehendible and easy to understand. We want all our customers to understand the cover they have and to take full advantage of all the great benefits that come with our policies.  

So with this in mind, we’re using this Sherpa Diary post to explain what repatriation cover is and how this works, when you need to use it. Repatriation is part of the emergency medical expenses/assistance section of cover, for an overview of this section of cover; here is an explanation of how we handle emergency medical assistance cases at Coverontrip. 

What is repatriation cover?  

Repatriation cover is there to cover the costs and the technical/medical arrangements of returning you to the UK, following emergency medical assistance when abroad. Generally, but not always, this is a flight back to the UK, once you’ve recovered enough following an injury or illness and have been declared ‘fit to fly’.  

There are a number of instances where we would cover the costs and handle the arrangements of repatriation for you; here are some of the most common scenarios: 

• Where you missed your original booked return flight to the UK, due to your medical assistance treatment lasting beyond this date and not being ‘fit to fly’ in time for this 
• Where you have a long recovery period following medical assistance treatment abroad, where it’s more suitable for you to recover in the UK, but your original booked return flight to the UK isn’t for a while   
• Where the severity of your medical condition means the most appropriate course of action is to return you to the UK as soon as possible, where you can receive adequate treatment   
• If you die whilst abroad, we would return your body to the UK (this, thankfully, is very rare) 

How does repatriation cover work? 

How repatriation works depends largely on which of the above categories it falls into. 

If it’s simply to get you home after you’ve recovered from an accident or illness abroad, after missing your original booked return flight, and you’ve been declared ‘fit to fly’, then our Medical Assistance team will book you on the next available commercial flight to your destination airport. 

If you have mobility issues, such as a broken leg, then our Medical Assistance team will make appropriate arrangements to cater for this, such as booking a first class seat where there is sufficient space.  Or if you require a medical escort as part of your ‘fit to fly’ approval, then we will arrange for a doctor or nurse to accompany you on the flight. 

In instances where you have a serious medical condition and a decision has been made to repatriate you to the UK, our Medical Assistance team may charter an air ambulance with medical crew, to safely transport you back to the UK. Arranging this type of repatriation is a complex procedure, involving the treating hospital, you and your family, the air ambulance provider and the receiving hospital in the UK. Our Medical Assistance team manage this every step of the way, liaising with you and your family to ensure you’re fully informed throughout.     

And finally, repatriation not only covers the costs and arrangements of bringing you back to the UK, it also covers a family member that has stayed with you whilst you’ve been receiving and/or recovering from medical assistance abroad. 

Also, it’s important to remember that repatriation isn’t covered under the EHIC card, which is just one reason why the EHIC is no replacement for travel insurance, you can read more here about the differences between travel insurance and the EHIC. 

So if you want to benefit from the emergency medical assistance and repatriation cover offered on all Coverontrip travel insurance policies, plus a host of other benefits including baggage and money, emergency dental and cancellation cover, get a quote today.