Travel Insurance to get you home
When your illness or injury stops you in your tracks and you have to get home for treatment.
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For information relating to policies purchased prior to 17 June 2021, please check the Policy Wording provided with your purchase. You can contact us if you need this sent to you again. For policies purchased from 17 June 2021 please see below.
Serious accidents or illnesses can happen at any time during your trip, whether you’re trekking through the Eurasian Steppe or (not so) simply crossing the road in Vietnam. And if it’s bad enough to end your trip mid-way or if our medical teams recommend you return home for treatment, our repatriation cover can help get you home as fast as possible.
Medical evacuations are expensive depending on where you are, and the amount of medical support you might need. That's what our emergency medical, evacuation and repatriation insurance in all of our plans is designed to cover.
Keep in mind that you’ll first need to contact your private medical insurance (PMI) provider (if applicable) and follow their emergency medical procedures and their claims procedures. Cover available under this travel insurance policy is in excess of any cover provided by your PMI. Also, provide us with details of your PMI provider to help us co-ordinate your care. Where your PMI provider does not cover you, contact our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team before incurring medical costs. You must let us know how you are going and keep in contact with our EA team until you no longer require treatment or assistance.
Our 24/7 Emergency Assistance teams are trained to help in these situations, negotiating the complexities of hospitals, specialist transportation, airline approvals and medical escorts so you (and your family) can focus on your recovery.
How World Nomads travel insurance can get you home
Travel insurance is made to cover emergency treatment overseas and, if necessary, cover to rearrange your initial travel plans or for specialist medical transportation to get you home. If our medical teams believe it’s necessary to bring you home for treatment or ongoing care, there’s cover in all of our policies for:
- Air Ambulance
- Sea Level Aircraft
- Helicopter evacuation
- Ground Ambulance
- Flight changes, upgrades or just more space
- Flight upgrade + medical staff.
Please note that cover is up to the amount shown in your Policy Wording and is subject to our Emergency Assistance team or us, on the advice of a medical practitioner appointed by us in consultation with your medical practitioner overseas, first deciding that:
- Transportation is medically necessary; and
- The style and timing of the transportation are reasonable and appropriate; and
- You're medically fit to be evacuated; and
- You should be transferred to the United Kingdom.
World Nomads now offers benefits for medical issues related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) under the Emergency Medical & Dental Expenses Overseas section. If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while overseas and it’s not considered a ‘pre-existing medical condition’ under our policy your benefits include evacuation or repatriation if deemed medically necessary by us and in consultation with your attending physician.
You can check out our What’s covered for Coronavirus which has all of the details, including benefit limits and exclusions.
I need help now – what do I do?
The first step is to get medical help, and as soon as reasonably possible contact us (or get someone else to do so on your behalf). Our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team can make arrangements and get pre-authorisation for your repatriation home. Our doctors and nurses have seen some horrific accidents and illnesses and have helped thousands of travellers get home safely to fully recover.
What's not covered by World Nomads travel insurance
Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover everything. There are some cases where it's just not possible to provide cover:
- Flight upgrades, new flights or changes without our approval (or where it's not medically necessary).
- Refusal to return home for treatment.
- Changing your mind to not continue your trip, even if you're fit to travel.
- Medical expenses once you're back home (as that's when travel insurance ends).
- A joy flight to get down off the mountain after you've reached Base Camp.
This is not a full list of what's covered and what's not covered. There are limits and conditions that apply, so for more information check out our article on medical transport and repatriation
The policy isn’t designed to cover everything so take the time to read the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions in the Policy Wording for full details, so there are no surprises if you need to use it. If you’re not sure if something is covered get in touch.
How to get medical assistance.
It’s essential that you get in contact with our emergency assistance teams as soon as possible, so that our teams can support you from the time your fall sick of get injured until the time you get home.
So that our Emergency Assistance teams can assist you quickly, please be ready with the following:
- Your policy number
- A contact number for where you are now
- The nature of your problem
- Your location
Reconnect with the world with our travel insurance cover for some Coronavirus-related events
Itching to travel again?
Explore the world with our plans that provide cover for some Coronavirus-related (including COVID-19 related) events, including emergency overseas medical, evacuation, cancellation cover and more.
Find out what cover applies to your Country of Residence, and the key benefit limits depending on which plan you purchase. Happy and safe travels!
Overseas medical expenses and repatriation home
If a qualified medical practitioner diagnoses you with Coronavirus while you’re travelling, we may offer emergency medical benefits to help you get back on your feet, as well as emergency transport to the nearest or most appropriate medical facility or back home to the UK to recover.
Standard plan:
£5,000,000
Explorer plan:
£10,000,000
Repatriation of your remains
If the worst happens and you die from Coronavirus while overseas, we offer benefits to help your family with the costs of a funeral, or if available, bringing you back to your home country.
Standard plan:
£5,000
Explorer plan:
£5,000
Coronavirus Travel Costs section (cancellation and curtailment pre and on-trip)
Had to cancel your trip because you, a travel companion or a close relative in the UK have been diagnosed with Coronavirus? Our cover may help with your cancellation costs.
Standard plan:
Not available
Explorer plan:
£1,250*
Coronavirus Travel Costs section (travel and accommodation costs on-trip)
If during your travels you’re unable to stay at your pre-booked accommodation, because it’s closed for cleaning due to a confirmed case of Coronavirus we may pay for reasonable additional travel and accommodation nearby. Did someone clip your wings? If you’re unable to board your plane, train or other scheduled transport because you’re suspected of having Coronavirus, we may offer cover for unexpected additional accommodation, meals and transport costs as needed.
Standard plan:
Not available
Explorer plan:
£1,250*
Coronavirus Travel Costs section (on-trip quarantine related cost)
Stuck in your hotel room due to Coronavirus? If you or your travel companion must go into compulsory quarantine due to a diagnosis of, or a confirmed close contact with, a case of Coronavirus, we may be able to help with cover for reasonable additional travel, meals and accommodation, including in-room entertainment.
Standard plan:
Not available
Explorer plan:
£1,250*
Coronavirus Travel Costs section (Essential Workers)
Are you or a member of your travelling party an essential healthcare worker? If you’re permanently employed as a healthcare or residential care worker or a law enforcement officer, and your pre-arranged leave is cancelled because of Coronavirus then our cover can help.
Standard plan:
Not available
Explorer plan:
£1,250*
Coronavirus Travel Costs (pet and childcare costs on-trip)
If while travelling you’re diagnosed with Coronavirus and unable to take care of your dependent children and/or pets, our travel insurance policies may help with cover for reasonable additional childcare and pet care costs. Pet care services covered include kennel and cattery boarding fees or pet sitting services, in the UK.
Standard plan:
Not available
Explorer plan:
£1,250*
Abdominal pain in Myanmar
On my second day in Burma, I woke up in the middle of the night with intense abdominal distress. I was rushed to the Asia Royal Hospital and immediately taken for evaluation and an ultrasound. I had a large mass in my abdomen and evacuated to Bangkok that evening to see a specialist. I was admitted to Bumrungrad International Hospital, where I stayed for eight days for a battery of tests, including several ultrasounds, a CT scan, and two aspirations of what turned out to be a renal cyst. After a conditional discharge, where I was restricted to rest, I was deemed stable enough to be evacuated. Two days later I was on a flight back to the U.S., where I am now continuing treatment.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: £5,000
- Standard Plan: £3,000
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalized?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Insurance
Take the pain out of medical costs.
- Explorer Plan: £10 million
- Standard Plan: £5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Transport
We'll get you to hospital pronto.
- Explorer Plan: £10 million
- Standard Plan: £5 million
Evacuation and Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medivac home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Cover your lost, stolen or damaged gear and tech.
- Explorer Plan: £2,000
- Standard Plan: £1,000
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Baggage & Personal Belongings
- Cancellation
- Trip Curtailment
- Personal Accident
- Loss of Passport or travel documents
- Personal Liability
- Legal Expenses
You can still purchase a World Nomads policy if you have a Pre-Existing Medical Condition (PEMC) – whether it is serious or not – but we won’t cover any claim/s made by any traveller under the policy as a result of this condition (this includes if you’re on separate or joint policies). This exclusion can’t be removed from the policy.
The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has a travel insurance directory on its Money Advice Service website, or you can contact the service on 0800 138 7777. This service provides details on what may be considered a PEMC, and travel insurance providers that may cover serious PEMCs, which may assist travellers wanting cover for these conditions.
24/7 emergency assistance
If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?
For policies purchased on or after 1 September 2021:
+44 (0) 2030931750 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
For policies purchased before 1 September 2021:
Phone: +353 21 237 8005 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
Phone: +61 2 8263 0470 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
Wherever you are, whatever has happened, our multi-lingual assistance teams are here to help you and your family.
Emergency Assistance, World Nomads
Travel insurance. Simple & flexible.
Travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families. Nobody wants to think about all the things that could go wrong on their trip, but these things can and do happen. So be prepared and get your travel insurance today.
FAQ
Here are our most frequently asked questions. You can also find the answers to other questions in our Helpdesk or you can ask the customer service team.
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Can my mum come and get me?
Yes, in some situations we can send your mum over to pick you up if you need mobility support. If you’re on any kind of administrative medication, then we might send you a nurse or doctor.
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Can I choose the sex of my nurse or doctor?
You can ask and we'll see what we can do.
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What if I'm on really heavy drugs as pain killers while I'm coming home? Will I be allowed to transit in all countries?
There are some countries which will not allow you to enter (even transit) with certain drugs and in these cases we will either reroute you or discuss with your treating doctor on alternate pain killers.
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What happens I’m on life support?
That’s a really bad way to end your holiday, and we hope you never end on life support. But if you do, we will look at the best possible solution to either get you home, or get your family over there to say goodbye.