Travel Insurance 

All team trip and team house participants are required to obtain comprehensive travel insurance that includes:

• Trip Cancellation: 100% of trip cost
• Trip Interruption: 150% of trip cost
• Emergency Medical Coverage
• Lost/Stolen Travel Document Assistance/Replacement 
• Medical Evacuation & Repatriation: Minimum USD $100,000
• Post Evacuation Transportation Coverage/Assistance

For team trips involving remote outdoor activities such as climbing, trekking, backpacking, etc. all participants are required to obtain:

• Rescue Insurance: Minimum USD $100,000

Proof of valid insurance must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to departure. Failure to provide proof of insurance by this deadline will result in cancellation of participation without a refund.

Participants are solely responsible for all expenses, fees, and additional costs related to trip delays, cancellations, medical emergencies, evacuations, or any disruptions caused by (but not limited to) third-party vendors, airlines, transportation providers, accommodation providers, natural disasters, civil disturbances, strikes, personal medical issues, lost or stolen documents, or government-imposed travel restrictions. If an individual is delayed for any reason, it is their responsibility to arrange transportation and reconnect with the group at their own expense.

UNDERSTANDING TRAVEL INSURANCE COVERAGE #

The following definitions provide general guidance on key travel insurance components and programs. It is each participant’s responsibility to read, understand, and verify the specific terms of their individual policy, as coverage details and exclusions vary by provider. Some providers offer insurance, which reimburses covered expenses after an event, while others offer services, which provide direct assistance but may only cover costs for incidents they coordinate.

Example: Rescue Insurance from the American Alpine Club (AAC) provides reimbursement if a rescue is deemed covered, even if AAC did not initiate the rescue. In contrast, a Rescue Services Provider like Global Rescue only covers rescue costs they directly coordinate, as they are not an insurance plan. Understanding these differences is critical when selecting a policy to ensure comprehensive coverage.

OVERVIEW OF TRAVEL INSURANCE COVERAGE #

1. TRIP CANCELLATION, DELAYS, AND INTERRUPTIONS #

What It Covers #

• Reimburses pre-paid, nonrefundable trip costs if you must cancel or cut short your trip due to a covered event (e.g., illness, injury, certain weather events).
• May cover additional expenses caused by travel delays (e.g., accommodation, rebooking fees).

Key Considerations #

• Covered Reasons: Check your policy’s list of valid reasons for cancellation or interruption.
• Coverage Amounts: Verify daily limits for delays.
• Optional Upgrades: “Cancel for any reason” may be available at an additional cost.

2. MEDICAL COVERAGE #

What It Covers #

• Emergency medical expenses if you become ill or injured while traveling (e.g., physician visits, hospital stays, medications, tests).

Key Considerations #

• Policy Limits: Confirm how much the insurer will pay (e.g., $50,000 vs. $500,000).
• Pre-Existing Conditions: Are they covered, or is there a look-back period?
• Deductibles/Copays: Understand out-of-pocket costs you might incur.
• Primary vs. Secondary: Does the plan kick in before or after your other medical insurance providers.
• Cash Advance Options: Some hospitals require payment in cash and may not accept credit cards; some may require pre-payment 

3. MEDICAL EVACUATION (MEDEVAC) #

Definition #

• Transport from the point of illness or injury to a medically appropriate hospital or care facility, often the nearest with suitable care.

Key Considerations #

• Coordination: Who arranges and coordinates the evacuation—your insurer’s 24/7 assistance, a membership service hotline, or local authorities? 
• Rescue vs. MEDEVAC: Must you already be “rescued” (e.g., carried out of a remote site) to a place where “usual and reasonable” medical transport is available before evac coverage begins, or does coverage start on-site (rescue)?
• MEDEVAC vs. Medical Transport: Confirm that the coverage includes MEDEVAC as some providers list MEDEVAC but may describe Medical Transport in the policy.  
• Policy Limits: Medevac can be expensive; ensure coverage is adequate.

4. MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION (NEAREST SUITABLE CARE) #

Definition #

• Transport from a treating facility where you are under the care of a medical provider to another hospital or facility better suited to your needs, often the nearest with adequate care. Some providers call this Emergency Medical Evacuation or Medical Evacuation (check to see if their policy requires physician care and recommendation to initiate the evacuation). 

Key Considerations #

• No Field Rescue: Generally does not handle backcountry extractions or MEDEVAC; you must already be in a medical facility.
• Medical Necessity: Insurers often require proof the local facility is “inadequate” and that transfer is “medically necessary.”
• Pre-Approval: You may need to call the provider’s hotline and obtain authorization.
• No “Hospital of Choice” Guarantee: Transport is typically to an “appropriate” facility, which may not be your preferred hospital.

5. MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION (HOSPITAL OF CHOICE) #

Definition #

• Services (e.g., some MedJet or Global Rescue plans) that arrange transport to your chosen hospital, usually in your home country, after you’ve been admitted to a local facility.

Key Considerations #

• Not a Rescue Service: Typically no backcountry/field extraction or MEDEVAC; you must already be hospitalized.
• Distance & Stability: Check whether you must be a certain distance from home (e.g., 150+ miles) and if you must be medically stable to fly.
• Membership vs. Insurance: Such services are often memberships rather than traditional insurance and thus require pre-approval and will handle the coordination. 

6. RESCUE COVERAGE (FIELD RESCUE & SEARCH OPERATIONS) #

Field Rescue #

• Definition: Extracts you from a known remote location (mountains, forest, etc.) if you cannot self-evacuate.
• Typically covered by specialized plans (e.g., Garmin SAR or Global Rescue). Standard travel insurance rarely field rescue.

Search & Rescue (SAR) #

• Definition: Locating a traveler whose exact location is unknown, then rescuing/extracting them.
• Typically covered by specialized plans (e.g., Garmin SAR). Standard travel insurance rarely covers large-scale search costs.

Key Considerations #

• Search vs. Rescue: Ensure you know whether your policy differentiates between finding you (search) and removing you once found (rescue).
• High-Risk Activities: If you climb, trek, or engage in remote adventures, consider layering coverage (e.g., standard travel insurance + specialized rescue membership).
• Pre-Approval & Coordination: Some providers (e.g., Global Rescue) require you to contact them first and share your GPS coordinates or approximate location.
• Medical Necessity: Some providers only cover medically necessary evacuation services while others may include non-medical evacuations for example getting lost on a day hike. 
• Medical Transport: Ensure that the coverage includes coverage to a medically adequate facility for the level of care needed. 

7. REPATRIATION #

Definition #

• Returning mortal remains home in the event of death.

Key Considerations #

• Services Included: Does the policy cover embalming or local cremation, any required coffin, and potential temporary storage costs?
• Timelines & Logistics: Check for how and when your provider must be notified and any documentation needed.

8. TRAVEL ASSISTANCE POST-EVACUATION OR TREATMENT #

Definition #

• Covers or arranges post-evac transportation if your original ticket/homebound plans become invalid due to a medical evacuation or extended treatment. Some providers call this Medical Repatriation. 

Examples #

• American Express Premium Global Assist:
  • If a Card Member (or Covered Family Member) is transported to another facility and the original return ticket is invalid, Amex can arrange and pay for a one-way, economy trip back to the evacuee’s principal U.S. residence once the evacuee is fit to fly.
• Faye Travel Insurance:
  • If Faye has evacuated you to a medical facility, they’ll reimburse airfare (minus unused ticket refunds) to your Return Destination or Primary Residence within 180 days of the original return date. The airfare cost is based on medical necessity or the same class as your original ticket.

Key Considerations #

• Documentation: Insurers typically require proof you were evacuated and are now medically cleared to travel.
• Class of Service: Some plans only reimburse economy fare; others match your original flight class.
• Time Limits: Confirm how long you have to use or claim this benefit (e.g., within 180 days).

9. POLITICAL, SECURITY, AND NATURAL DISASTER EVACUATION #

Political/Security Evacuation #

• Definition: Covers transportation if you must leave a country due to civil unrest, terrorism, or other security threats.

Natural Disaster Evacuation #

• Definition: Covers moving you to safety (or back home) if a hurricane, wildfire, earthquake, or similar event makes your area unsafe.

Key Considerations #

• Time Frames: Often must be initiated within days of the triggering event or government advisory.
• Immediate Notification: Coverage usually requires contacting your provider right away when a threat arises.
• Destination: Typically to the nearest safe location or back home, depending on the plan.
• Triggering Events: Confirm what events trigger the evacuation as some require a national or local authority declaration.  
• Coordination: Confirm points of contact for coordination as both memberships and insurance often require coordination of evacuation through their providers. 

PUTTING IT TOGETHER FOR COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE  #

In a remote emergency, you might first need:

·       A search and rescue team (Rescue Coverage) to locate and extract you from the point of injury. 

·       The SAR may transfer you to a MEDEVAC team for transport to a local clinic (Medical Evacuation Coverage). 

·       If the local clinic can’t provide the necessary treatment, a separate medical evacuation may be required to transfer you to a fully equipped hospital—possibly in another region or country (Medical Transport Coverage and International Medical Insurance). 

·       Once stable, you may choose to move to a hospital back home for continued care (Medical Transport to Hospital of Choice). 

·       Or if you’re released from care, you might need coverage for re-joining your itinerary (Trip Interruption Coverage) or traveling home (Medical Repatriation Coverage). 

Each step in this chain—rescue, medical transport, hospital-of-choice flights, and returning to your trip—may fall under different policies or memberships, depending on the activity involved, the insurer’s definitions, and any specialized adventure or evacuation memberships you hold. It’s often wise to layer coverage to ensure you’re protected for every stage of an emergency even if this means duplications in some regards. 

FINAL NOTES #

• This guide provides general definitions and considerations. Every insurance policy or membership plan uses different language and has unique exclusions or requirements.
  
• We strongly encourage you to compare multiple providers—ask detailed questions about how each scenario (medical emergency, search/rescue, repatriation, etc.) would be handled and obtain answers in writing.
  
• Having comprehensive coverage for cancellations, delays, interruptions, and emergencies—from the point of incident all the way home—can provide peace of mind and financial protection.
  
• Understand that for the most complete coverage you may have overlap between policies and memberships in certain areas of coverage. 

PREFERRED INSURANCE PROVIDERS #

Dave Mudek, Yeti Adventures, and Fora Travel are not insurance providers and do not underwrite insurance policies. Our role is to provide information on available travel insurance options. We strongly recommend that you carefully review policy details before purchasing to ensure the coverage meets your specific needs.

Faye Travel Insurance (Preferred Partner) #

Comprehensive travel coverage (trip cancellation/interruption, emergency medical, evacuation & repatriation), political/security evacuation, natural disaster evacuation, and additional add-ons.

• Faye Travel Insurance

MedJet (Preferred Partner) #

Medical Evacuation & Repatriation, bedside-to-bedside medical flights, political & security evacuation, and natural disaster evacuation.

• Link

Global Rescue #

Field rescue, medical evacuation & repatriation, travel insurance add-ons, political/security evacuation, and natural disaster evacuation. Also coordinates SOS response for ZOLEO devices.

• Global Rescue

American Alpine Club (AAC) #

Membership includes climbing/outdoor/backcountry accident coverage, rescue insurance, medical coverage for certain activities.

• https://americanalpineclub.org/rescue/#map

American Express Platinum Card #

May offer travel insurance benefits (including medical coverage, evacuation & repatriation) depending on your home country.

• American Express Platinum Card

Garmin Search and Rescue (SAR) Insurance #

Specifically covers search operations if initiated through an inReach device (Amazon Link).

• https://explore.garmin.com/en-US/inreach/

Disclaimer: The above content is for informational purposes only. We do not underwrite insurance, and we cannot guarantee coverage from any specific provider. Always consult official policy documents and speak with the insurer or membership service to confirm coverage details. Some of these links may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.