24/7 Travel Insurance Assistance Services: What To Expect?

The 24/7 assistance number is an important safety net if you encounter issues while travelling, for both large problems and trip inconveniences. The phone number can generally be found in your travel insurance policy, or on the insurance company’s website or mobile app.

Consider this scenario: In the case of a natural disaster at your destination, everyone might be trying to leave the location at the same time, which can overburden transportation resources. A good travel assistance provider can be a huge asset to help get you home.

Or perhaps you’re faced with a more common travel hiccup: Lost or delayed baggage. If your travel insurance includes baggage coverage, you’ll need to report the delay to travel assistance to later get reimbursed for necessities to tie you over for a few days.

When you’re shopping around for a travel insurance policy, it’s important to look for a robust emergency assistance service that includes rebooking flights or hotels, missed connection coordination and vehicle return.

Ideally, you’ll have access to an assistance service that provides a fully staffed, in-house department, and full integration across teams. This way, you can rest assured with the knowledge that someone is taking a comprehensive view of your needs whenever you call in.

Not all 24/7 assistance offerings are the same between providers. But at a minimum, look for a travel insurance plan with 24-hour emergency medical services and assistance services.

If a medical emergency arises, especially in a foreign country with different health care systems, having to navigate medical facilities, care needs, language barriers and doctors can be a challenge. That’s why having a dedicated team with knowledge of the local language and customs, as well as its own medical expertise, is invaluable.

The 24/7 assistance service can also answer questions you may have about coverage and available options in the event of a medical emergency to ensure that the medical treatment you are receiving is considered necessary and appropriate by your insurer and is therefore eligible for reimbursement.

It’s important to note that most  insurance companies require you, or someone acting on your behalf, to contact the assistance service before receiving medical treatment. For example, if you receive medical treatment prior to contacting the Johnson MEDOC Claims Assistance Centre, you may be limited to reimbursement of 70% of eligible medical expenses. MEDOC Claims Assistance must also approve benefits and expenses in advance to be eligible for reimbursement.

A good 24/7 travel assistance provider will offer a wide range of help when you encounter a challenging situation while travelling, including:

• Referral to a physician, hospital or other health care provider
• Monitoring your medical emergency and ensuring appropriateness of treatment
• Relaying important messages to and from your family, business or physician
• Arranging for return transportation home when medically necessary
• Arranging direct billing of covered expenses
• Assistance with lost, stolen or delayed baggage
• Assistance in obtaining emergency cash
• Translation and interpreter services
• Help to replace lost or stolen airline tickets or travel documents
• Rebooking new travel arrangements
• Assistance with obtaining prescription drugs
• Directing you to a local lawyer for legal assistance

While it’s critical to have access to good emergency assistance once you’re already on your trip, many travel insurance providers offer pre-departure assistance, too.

For example, Blue Cross Travel Assistance can help provide you with information on:

• Travel advice and advisories from the Government of Canada
• Visas and other mandatory documentation
• Vaccinations
• Time zone differences
• Clinics or hospitals close to your accommodations
• Entry and exit requirements

Or, if you’re not dealing with an emergency (say you’re holed up in your hotel room with a migraine) but you’d still like some medical advice, CAA Travel Insurance offers a Virtual Emergency Medical Assistance and House Call Service, which provides 24/7 and unlimited number of virtual visits to medical professionals via virtual healthcare.

While travel insurance with a robust travel assistance program can’t prevent things from going wrong on your vacation, it can stop a bad situation from getting a whole lot worse.