Before any trip, know two things: what’s happening where you’re going, and who you’ll call if it goes wrong. Start with the free sources, then decide whether you need a membership service on top.
Free: check these before every trip
- U.S. State Department travel advisories: risk level for every country, updated as things change.
- STEP: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program: register your trip so the nearest U.S. embassy can send you alerts and find you in an emergency.
- CDC Travelers’ Health: vaccines, outbreaks and health notices by destination.
- UK Foreign Office travel advice and Australia’s Smartraveller: a useful second opinion on any country.
Services that can help, or get you out
These are paid services. Some sell memberships to individuals; others mainly work through employers, insurers or schools.
- Global Rescue: medical and security evacuation, plus travel risk intelligence, sold as personal memberships. Good for remote, adventure and higher-risk travel.
- UnitedHealthcare Global: international health coverage and travel assistance. If your plan includes it, the UnitedHealthcare Global Intelligence Center gives you country reports, alerts and security briefings (sign-in required).
- International SOS: medical and security assistance, mostly provided through employers. Ask your company whether you’re covered.
- Medjet: if you’re hospitalized while traveling, flies you home to a hospital of your choice. A membership, not insurance.
- Crisis24: risk intelligence, alerts and security support, mainly for businesses and their travelers.
Before you buy anything
- Check what you already have. Your travel insurance, premium credit card or employer may already include an assistance line or evacuation cover.
- Know the difference. Travel medical insurance pays for treatment; evacuation services move you, either to the nearest good hospital or all the way home. They are not the same thing.
- Save the numbers twice. Put your assistance and evacuation phone numbers in your phone and on paper in your wallet, with your policy or member number.