What is Travel Evacuation Insurance - 2025 Review

Travel Evacuation Insurance is part of every comprehensive travel insurance plan. It transports you out of a country if it unexpectedly becomes dangerous.

If you buy flight insurance from an airline, watch out. They rarely offer this protection.

We think that Travel Evacuation Insurance is essential for those who travel internationally.

Travel Evacuation Insurance is different from Medical Evacuation Insurance. Medical Evacuation transports you to a suitable hospital if you become sick or injured, and then returns you home.

Travel Evacuation Insurance – Worldwide Trip Protector Policy Language

Let’s look at the policy language embedded into one of our popular plans for travel evacuation insurance. In this case, the Travel Insured Worldwide Trip Protector.

Note that this policy calls it Non-medical Emergency Evacuation.

NON-MEDICAL EMERGENCY EVACUATION

We will pay for the Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation Benefits listed above if, while on Your Trip, a formal recommendation in the form of a Travel Advisory or Travel Warning from the US State Department, is issued for You to leave a country You are visiting on Your Trip due to: 

1. a Natural Disaster; 
2. civil, military or political unrest; or 
3. Your being expelled or declared a persona non grata by a country You are visiting on Your Trip.

If you require Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation, the Assistance Service will arrange and pay for Evacuation from a safe departure point to the nearest safe location. You must contact the Assistance Service as soon as possible after Your Host Country issues the official disaster declaration, as delays may make safe transportation impossible.

The method of transportation will be as deemed most appropriate to ensure your safety.

If Evacuation becomes impractical due to hostile or dangerous conditions, the Assistance Service will maintain contact with and advise You until Evacuation becomes viable or the natural disaster situation or the political or social upheaval has been resolved.

Benefit is subject to the terms and conditions of the plan and as determined by the Assistance Service’s security personnel, in accordance with local and US authorities.

Services rendered without the Assistance Service’s coordination and approvals are not covered.

No claims for reimbursement will be accepted.

If You are able to leave the Your host country by normal means, the Assistance Service will assist you in rebooking flights or other transportation.

Expenses for non-emergency transportation are your responsibility.

It’s important to stay in contact with the Travel Assistance service. Do not try to organize your own Evacuation. They take care of the arrangement and its costs; you will not receive reimbursement.

Travel Evacuation Insurance – AIG Travel Guard Policy Language

On the other hand, AIG Travel Guard approaches a Non-Medical Evacuation differently and calls their benefit Security Evacuation:

The Company will pay a benefit to reimburse the Insured up to the maximum limit shown in the Schedule or Declarations Page if, while on a Trip, the Insured requires a security evacuation due to any of the following Unforeseen occurrences:

• an Advisory is issued due to political or military events involving the Destination country. For this occurrence only, General Exclusion (b) does not apply; or
• a Natural Disaster results in such severe and widespread damage that the area of damage is officially declared a disaster area by the government of the Destination country, and the area is deemed to be Uninhabitable or dangerous; or
• the Insured experiences a Verified Physical Assault, or a Verified Threat Of Physical Assault from a third party.

The determination that an Insured requires a security evacuation, and all such arrangements, must be made by Travel Guard.

Security evacuation covered expenses:

The Company will reimburse the Insured for any of the following expenses, up to the maximum limit shown in the Schedule or Declarations Page:

• Transportation to the Nearest Place of Safety via the most efficient available method of conveyance. In all cases, where practical, economy fare will be utilized. If possible, the Insured’s Common Carrier tickets will be used; and
• food, lodging, and (if necessary) physical protection for the Insured during the Transport to the Nearest Place of Safety.

Security evacuation covered expenses are payable only once per trip.

Security evacuation covered expenses will also be available within 14 days of the initial security evacuation, to Transport the Insured to their choice of one of these locations:

• back to the original Destination if return is safe and permitted (as determined by Travel Guard); or
• to the Insured’s Return Destination

Travel Guard must make all arrangements and must authorize all expenses in advance of any benefits being payable.

Travel Guard is not responsible for the availability of Transportation services. Where a security evacuation becomes impractical because of hostile or dangerous conditions, Travel Guard will endeavor to maintain contact with the Insured until a security evacuation becomes viable.

Advisory means a formal travel warning given by the government of the Insured’s Home Country or Destination country that recommends that citizens leave the Destination country.

Advance Payment: The Company will pay covered expenses directly to the service provider if the Insured requires a security evacuation while on a Trip, and the provider requires payment prior to service. This amount will be deducted from the benefit limit shown in the Schedule or Declarations Page.

The Insured agrees to reimburse this payment to the Company if:

• the Insured does not complete the claims process as outlined in the Payment of Claims section; or
• it is determined that the Insured’s Security Evacuation claim is not covered.

The Company will provide advance payment when required and requested by the Insured. However:

• The Company reserves the right to deny a request for advance payment if the Company confirms that the Insured’s claim is not covered under the policy; and
• An advance payment made by the Company is not a guarantee of claim approval.

The difference here is that Travel Guard also provides Evacuation if the victim was assaulted or there was a verified threat of assault. Travel Guard’s coverage also includes compensation for meals, accommodations, and, if necessary, private security.

It also covers instances when you’re already on the trip, and social or political upheaval breaks out. Consequently, if the US State Department issues a travel advisory warning US citizens to leave that country or not enter it, you may qualify for Security evacuation.

Keep in mind, the policy would only cover the cost of evacuating you. It does not necessarily trigger a covered Trip Interruption and reimburse you for the unused portion of your trip.

Travel Evacuation Insurance – Coverage Limits

The Worldwide Trip Protector plan provides a generous $150,000 limit for Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation.

Other policies at Aardy that offer Non-Medical Evacuation:

• AIG Deluxe - $100,000
• RoamRight - $100,000
• Seven Corners RoundTrip Choice - $20,000
• Travel Insured Worldwide Trip Protector Plus - $150,000

They all restrict coverage in sanctioned countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Chechnya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iran, Israel West Bank, Israel Gaza Strip, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.

Be very careful if you buy a trip insurance policy through an airline. They often call the benefit Emergency Evacuation, but it only applies to Medical Evacuation, not a security-related evacuation.

Travel Evacuation Insurance – Worldwide Trip Protector Exclusions

This Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation Benefit is not available if a formal recommendation in the form of a Travel Advisory or Travel Warning from the US State Department is issued for a country preceding Your arrival into that country on Your Trip, or if a country is an Excluded Country preceding Your arrival into that country on Your Trip.

So, if the country is already in chaos before your arrival, even if it’s not official yet, please don’t fly into it and expect insurance to cover you. It won’t. Travel Evacuation Insurance is only for unforeseen events.

Worldwide Trip Protector has a few more exclusions.

We do not cover:

1. loss or expense for a Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation Covered reason which took place in an Excluded Country;
2. loss or expense recoverable under any other insurance or through an employer;
3. loss or expense arising from or attributable to:
   1. fraudulent or criminal acts committed or attempted by You;
   1. alleged violation of the laws of the country You are visiting, unless We determine such allegations to be fraudulent, or
   1. failure to maintain required documents or visas;
4. loss or expense arising from or attributable to:
   1. debt, insolvency, business or commercial failure;
   1. the repossession of any property; or
   1. Your non-compliance with a contract, license or permit;
5. loss or expense arising from or due to liability assumed by You under any contract.

Travel Evacuation Insurance – Travel Guard Exclusions

AIG Travel Guard also has a set of exclusions:

In addition to the General Exclusions, the following exclusions apply to the Security Evacuation Benefit. No benefits will be paid for any loss for, caused by, or resulting from:

• any charges, fees or expenses that are payable under any other provision of this plan; or
• any charges, fees or expenses arising from an occurrence that takes place in an Excluded Country; or
• repatriation of remains expenses; or
• medical services; or
• the Insured’s failure to maintain and possess any required travel documents and visas, or failure to have such documents duly authorized; or
• common, endemic, epidemic or global pandemic diseases as defined by the World Health Organization; or
• military or political issues, if the security evacuation request is made more than 14 days after the Advisory was issued; or
• any loss that occurs on a Trip with a Destination less than 100 miles from the Insured’s Primary Residence or to another residence of the Insured or Traveling Companion, or on a Trip that is not at least overnight in length.

Travel Evacuation Insurance – Conclusion

Travel Evacuation Insurance exists to get you out of a country that has suddenly, and unexpectedly, become dangerous. The danger may threaten you via natural disaster, political or social upheaval, or persona non-grata.

Our best advice is this: don’t travel to a dangerous country. Don’t break the law. Maintain your visa and passport. Don’t sign contracts you don’t understand. In other words, use prudent judgment.

If you need to use the Evacuation benefit, contact the insurance carrier’s Travel Assistance service. You can reach them 24/7 through their worldwide service call center. They will arrange to get you out and pay the bills. If you make your own arrangements, you are unlikely to receive a penny from the insurer.

As always, at AARDY, we recommend that a traveler consider travel insurance. You can review an anonymous quote in seconds, and compare dozens of the top travel plans from many of the largest US travel insurers. We help you save you time and money finding the right travel plan for your needs.

What many people do not know is that they won’t find the same trip insurance plans available at a better price. That’s because of anti-discriminatory law in the US.

Travel Insurance Comparison – Will I Pay More Buying Travel Insurance from a Comparison Website?

In short, trip insurance quotes from AARDY reflect the same price you would see from the insurance carrier direct.

We are not allowed to compete on price for ‘filed’ insurance products. No one is. You are sure to get the best value from us.

Have questions? Our friendly licensed agents are only a chat, email, or phone call away.

Safe Travels.