Medical Evac insurance - I need solid opinions, Please

[RichD]

My first trip to Botswana coming up first week in June, just under a month away, and need good insight into best medical evac program. I see Global Rescue, Ripcord, and Medjet Assist all with mixed reviews. Denver through Atlanta to Johannesburg, overnight then to Maun and PH pickup down to Ghanzi. 70 year-old male, heart attack in 2014 and 2 types of cancer in the past 4 years. Given those facts, which would be best option? Total trip time about 11 days, door-to-door.

 

[wesheltonj]

Do you have an AMEX Platinum or Centurion Card? If so, Med Evac is include in the annual fee. I have used @Global Rescue in the past because I needed the Security portion. I have a couple of trips coming up and again purchased GR because of the Security, otherwise I would use my AMEX coverage.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Skip Medjet Assist. Tried it, no real consulting while away.

Global Rescue will come and get you and take you to your choice of hospital at home. Check the current offerings and see what fits.

Zero knowledge of ripcord.

Health Insurance is separate from them all.

 

[Captain Munro]

Good on you for beating all three of those things and keeping going! I am interested to hear recommendations as well, for future reference.

 

[R.M.C.]

I used ripcord but my travel agency ( Gracy) said they haven't been paying claims much since Covid. I never needed it so I have no idea if that's true.

 

[375er]

Used @Global Rescue with zero complaints, although did not really have to "use them". That is all I can comment on.

 

[BnC 04]

We have purchased Ripcord and Global Rescue policies. That being said we have never had to use their services so cant comment on quality of service but like the saying goes "you dont need it, till you need it" I will continue to buy a policy for our wayward travels.

 

[Mwag]

I have had both, did have a claim with Ripcord since COVID. They did pay claim but took nearly a year. Did not have any claim or needed service with Global Rescue

 

[Rare Breed]

My first trip to Botswana coming up first week in June, just under a month away, and need good insight into best medical evac program. I see Global Rescue, Ripcord, and Medjet Assist all with mixed reviews. Denver through Atlanta to Johannesburg, overnight then to Maun and PH pickup down to Ghanzi. 70 year-old male, heart attack in 2014 and 2 types of cancer in the past 4 years. Given those facts, which would be best option? Total trip time about 11 days, door-to-door.

I have used both Global Rescue and Ripcord. Do not be penny wise yet pound foolish…roughly a little over $100. The best money you can spend if something goes wrong versus you being on the hook for six figures if something goes wrong

 

[sierraone]

I have used @Global Rescue on every international trip in recent years. So far have never had to use them.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I compared Global Rescue and Ripcord for my trip to Uganda last October. I found the GR website confusing and Ripcord's quite straightforward. So I went with Ripcord, albeit GR may have been just fine. I got travel insurance with Ripcord.

Due to the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, we had to reschedule our flight to arrive in Atlanta as it was one of the four airports we were required to arrive in on coming back to the USA. We had to pay for our flight from Atlanta to Houston our original departure airport. I filed a claim in shortly after arriving back home. It took awhile, but eventually I did get reimbursed for this expense and came out slightly ahead. Had that extra flight cost more, I'd have been that much more ahead.

I would use them again, but again GR may have been just fine too. Medjet is a service I did not know about and did not evaluate them.

 

[Scott CWO]

I have only used Ripcord and bought the security and medical evacuation. I haven’t bought the trip interruption/cancellation insurance so I can’t rate that product.

Ripcord got me out of the CAR in 2016 after I was attacked in the bush by 9 terrorist/cult guys shooting AK-47s. Ripcord’s emergency operations center kept in contact with me via my InReach and my sat phone and also kept my wife informed. They sent a Beechcraft King Air 350 with armed retired French SF guys to the village airstrip to pick me up and they changed all my airline tickets and hotels and didn’t charge me a dime for anything. Had a retired French SF operator with me all through the evacuation until I got on the Air France flight back to Paris. Incredible service and the best $500 I ever spent. After my ordeal, Ripcord has provided me with a free policy every year.

My friend and serious international hunter, Mark Peterson, was also rescued by Ripcord after a boating accident in Alaska and he now has a free membership as well. He invited me on his podcast last year to tell my story. You can find his podcast on Spotify.

I have heard that Global Rescue is also very good so I don’t think you can go wrong with either one.

 

[Shootist43]

I purchased Global Rescue Policies for both of my African hunts. Thankfully, I never had to use the coverage. BUT ... you never know!! I'd gladly use them again.

 

[buck wild]

Nothing to add about the two major players. I did get GR for a Zim trip that I never needed.
Check your health insurance (I know that assumes alot), but my Bluess Cross Blue Sheild health insurance also had an evac clause. It wasn't as good as GR or RC, but it was something. Again, I never needed it thankfully.

 

[JimP]

When I went over the first time several years ago I picked up a Global Rescue policy, last year I got one from Ripcord that would of flown my worthless body back home to a local hospital. The nice thing is that I didn't have to use either one.

That's the trouble with any insurance, you are betting that you are going to do major harm to your body and they insurance company is betting against it.

But I have never considered a insurance policy a waist of money considering the problems that you might incur if you don't have one. It gives one piece of mind.

 

[Safari Dave]

I've purchased Global Rescue twice (Africa and Brazil), but, thankfully, never had to use them.

I think I would use them again for "rescue" insurance, because they are very well established.



I would not recommend Global Rescue's "travel insurance" however. That insurance company tried as hard as they could to deny every claim I had in trying to hunt Mozambique in 2020. (Even though it was, literally, impossible to get there because of Covid). It took my mother's death during the "approved timeframe" for me to get a penny back.


Thumbs definitely DOWN on their travel insurance. CRAP!

 

[Nevada Mike]

I bought a policy last year from RipCord fr my hunt in TZ. Just medevac and security - they would not cover the trip cost (over $100K safari fees included, Their max was $50K, so I passed.)

I did not need it, but I feel that it was money well spent.

 

[Wheels]

I have only used Ripcord and bought the security and medical evacuation. I haven’t bought the trip interruption/cancellation insurance so I can’t rate that product.

Ripcord got me out of the CAR in 2016 after I was attacked in the bush by 9 terrorist/cult guys shooting AK-47s. Ripcord’s emergency operations center kept in contact with me via my InReach and my sat phone and also kept my wife informed. They sent a Beechcraft King Air 350 with armed retired French SF guys to the village airstrip to pick me up and they changed all my airline tickets and hotels and didn’t charge me a dime for anything. Had a retired French SF operator with me all through the evacuation until I got on the Air France flight back to Paris. Incredible service and the best $500 I ever spent. After my ordeal, Ripcord has provided me with a free policy every year.

My friend and serious international hunter, Mark Peterson, was also rescued by Ripcord after a boating accident in Alaska and he now has a free membership as well. He invited me on his podcast last year to tell my story. You can find his podcast on Spotify.

I have heard that Global Rescue is also very good so I don’t think you can go wrong with either one.

Scott,

Didn't you post a report about your CAR experience. If so, can you connect the thread here.

 

[RichD]

I want to thank all who responded to my inquiry. I spoke with several business acquaintances and friends who traveled abroad in the past 3-4 years. A couple of them used Global Rescue, but most used Medjet Assist and were pleased with their program, so Medjet is who I decided to go with. I just hope I don't have to find out if I made the "right" decision.

 

[Scott CWO]

Scott,

Didn't you post a report about your CAR experience. If so, can you connect the thread here.

Actually after the attack, I contacted Barbara Crown with The Hunting Report. I had known Bob Causey and Barbara Crown of The Hunting Report for years. I asked Barbara to keep my name anonymous but to warn hunters about CAR and told her my story. She published it anonymously for me. Then later, I saw on AH that someone had posted the story here. The story has been brought up on AH several times since but I didn’t post it.