Emergency Evac coverage

Is $25,000 adequate to be airlifted for a caribbean cruise?

Probably not.. depends on where in Caribbean, where they airlift to.... We always get $100,000.

Is $25,000 adequate to be airlifted for a caribbean cruise?

In the Caribbean almost all helicopter evacuations from ships are handled by the US Coast Guard at no cost to the ill or injured person. Go to youtube and pull up some of the many videos of this kind of operation and you probably won't find many not done by the Coast Guard.

But even if the helicopter part of the rescue is free there can still be a money problem after you're off the ship. Maybe you're first taken to a hospital in Grand Cayman where it's decided that you need to be flown back to the States for specialized care on an air ambulance with doctor and nurse in attendance. The Coast Guard won't help with that and you will blow through $25K in no time. I'd want $100K as a minimum, $250K to feel comfortable.

An air ambulance from the Carribean to any place in the continental US will be under $100,000 but probably more than $25,000 (unless from someplace close like Jamaica to Florida).

We recently arranged an air ambulance for a patient from NY to India and it was just under $300,000.

My personal,private insurance (BCBS of ILL) will medically evacuate out of the country to the "closest" hospital. I think that is how most of my previous travel insurance policies read also. So, if I was airlifted to a Grand Caymen hospital (this would be covered under either policy/depending on primary vs secondary) & then if it were recommended to air lift back to the states, who pays for that? (Would this be an example of needing something like MEDVAC) as an additional coverage?

My personal,private insurance (BCBS of ILL) will medically evacuate out of the country to the "closest" hospital. I think that is how most of my previous travel insurance policies read also. So, if I was airlifted to a Grand Caymen hospital (this would be covered under either policy/depending on primary vs secondary) & then if it were recommended to air lift back to the states, who pays for that? (Would this be an example of needing something like MEDVAC) as an additional coverage?

If you medically require evac back to the states to receive appropriate treatment, then the local hospital is no longer an "adequate medical facility" (which is, or similar to, the language most policies use) and you would probably be covered.

Now, if the hospital you are at IS adequate, but you want to go home to finish recovering after you've been stabilized, "nearest adequate facility" coverage won't cover that. You'll need an evac policy that covers evac to the hospital of your choice for that. And there are plenty such policies available on an annual basis for not much money. (And it's available as an optional upgrade on some one-time policies.)

As a side-note, you probably wouldn't be airlifted TO Grand Cayman. I don't think the Bahamas (or any Caribbean destination except for PR) has the appropriate marine rescue aircraft. The ship would drop you off at the port instead.

My personal,private insurance (BCBS of ILL) will medically evacuate out of the country to the "closest" hospital. I think that is how most of my previous travel insurance policies read also. So, if I was airlifted to a Grand Caymen hospital (this would be covered under either policy/depending on primary vs secondary) & then if it were recommended to air lift back to the states, who pays for that? (Would this be an example of needing something like MEDVAC) as an additional coverage?

Every major insurer that I know of will get you home. Some call it a "repatriation", some call it a "non-emergency evacuation" but if you read the policy you'll find the coverage in there. For example, here's one:

"2. Non-Emergency Medical Evacuation: If the local attending Legally Qualified Physician and the Program Medical Advisor determine that it is Medically Necessary for You to return to Your place of permanent residence because of an unforeseen Sickness or Injury which is acute or life-threatening, the Transportation Expense incurred will be paid for Your return to Your permanent residence or to a Hospital or medical facility closest to Your permanent place of residence capable of providing that treatment"

Here's from Travelex:

"MEDICAL EVACUATION & REPATRIATION BENEFITS

We will pay this benefit, up to the amount on the Schedule for the following Covered Expenses incurred by you, subject to the following: 1) Covered Expenses will only be payable at the Usual and Customary level of payment; 2) benefi ts will be payable only for Covered Expenses resulting from a Sickness that first manifests itself or an Injury that occurs while on a Covered Trip.

Covered Expenses:

expenses incurred by you for Physician-ordered emergency medical evacuation, including medically appropriate transportation and necessary medical care en route, to the nearest suitable Hospital, when you are critically ill or injured and no suitable local care is available, subject to the Program Medical Advisors prior approval;

expenses incurred for non-emergency medical evacuation, including medically appropriate transportation and medical care en route, to a Hospital or to your place of residence, when deemed medically necessary by the attending Physician, subject to the Program Medical Advisors prior approval;"

Here's from TruTravel:

"EMERGENCY EVACUATION

The Company will pay benefits for Covered Expenses incurred, up to the maximum shown on the Confirmation of Coverage, if an Accidental Injury or Sickness commencing during the course of the Covered Trip results in Your necessary Emergency Evacuation. An Emergency Evacuation must be ordered by a Physician who certifies that the severity of Your Accidental Injury or Sickness warrants Your Emergency Evacuation.

Emergency Evacuation means:

(a) Your medical condition warrants immediate transportation from the place where You are injured or sick to the nearest Hospital where appropriate medical treatment can be obtained;

(b) after being treated at a local Hospital, Your medical condition warrants transportation to the United States where You reside, to obtain further medical treatment or to recover; "

The coverage is going to be in there, you just have to kind of poke around sometimes.

Thank you so much for the replies. I appreciate it!