Global Rescue FAQs
One of our founding principles at Half Past First Cast is to try to learn everything we can about topics that matter to our readers and our fellow travelers, but we realize that we cannot be experts at everything – so we’re happy to turn to experts in their field as appropriate. Time and again, we’ve received questions from fellow anglers about whether they need to buy “travel insurance” and we realized that we couldn’t give adequate answers, so after much research we’ve partnered with Global Rescue. They are the experts in this area, relied upon by all of the serious angling travelers and best outfitters we know. They were kind enough to answer some of our most common questions:
What is the difference between travel insurance and Global Rescue protection?
Most traditional trip insurance providers won’t rescue you from the point of injury or illness, including for COVID-19. You have to get yourself to the hospital first before their services kick in. That’s right. If something terrible happens on a trip – like a head injury or a heart attack or even COVID – and you need a helicopter rescue or medevac, with travel insurance you’re likely out of luck. And it can cost you tens of thousands of dollars, or more. But with a Global Rescue membership, we get you out of harm’s way and take you to a medical facility that can give you the care you need. And if you’re hospitalized, only Global Rescue allows you to decide if you want to be evacuated home. And unlike travel insurance, there are no deductibles, no co-pays, and no claim forms. Ever.
Why would I choose one over the other?
Both trip insurance and Global Rescue protection are the perfect combination of services to ensure you are protecting your trip costs ahead of time and traveling prepared for an emergency. Trip insurance is for lost luggage, delayed flights and trip interruption or cancellation. Global Rescue protection is for your protection. The pandemic raised awareness of the limitations of traditional trip insurance and the value of stand-alone medical assistance and evacuation safety nets. Traveler protection for emergency medical services and evacuation has shifted from ‘optional’ to ‘obligatory’. Travelers learned that emergency rescue and evacuation services are often essential, whether it’s due to COVID-19, a natural disaster, civil unrest or simply needing emergency help when you’re traveling.
Why do I need any protection at all for my fishing trip?
Global Rescue protection is designed for the unexpected. If you get sick or injured while traveling, Global Rescue members will be evacuated from the point of illness or injury to the nearest appropriate hospital, clinic or medical provider. Whatever the emergency, wherever you are, we are there to help. With Global Rescue, you get the peace of mind that the finest medical, security evacuation, field rescue, intelligence and telehealth personnel always have your back.
What are some situations that you’ve seen arise on fishing trips – both expected and unexpected?
A Global Rescue member received an emergency pacemaker during a deep-sea fishing trip in Costa Rica. Global Rescue deployed a paramedic to provide a medical escort from hospital bedside to the member’s home country hospital of choice.
Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventure’s Founder Jim Klug suffered a serious eye injury in Bolivia and needed field rescue and medical evacuation to an emergency hospital.
When a symptomatic member tested positive for COVID-19 during a fishing trip to the Bahamas, a medical evacuation to a higher level of care was needed.
What types of situations are typically protected – and most often needed?
Minor injuries or illnesses like twisted ankles, upset stomachs, dehydration, snake bites and similar events are typical situations when members call Global Rescue to get real-time access to doctors, paramedics and nurses who will help sort out the dos and don’ts based on their unique situation and symptoms.
Major injuries or illnesses like head trauma, heat exhaustion, heart attacks, COVID, broken legs, severe lacerations and comparable emergencies are examples of truly terrible events when a Global Rescue on-staff emergency medical expert will assess the situation and arrange for a field rescue and medical evacuation, if necessary.
Traveler advice and support for things like flash flood warnings, major weather events, lost prescriptions and missing passports are circumstances where a Global Rescue member is one call away from help from experts who will keep you safe and prepared, whether that means changing your destination to dodge dangerous weather, identifying where you can refill your prescription, or getting help to recover a missing passport.
What are some circumstances that I might expect to be protected that aren’t?
Field rescue is available regardless of your distance from home except in war zones or when you’re traveling in the Arctic above the 80th parallel North or on/near the Antarctic continent below the 60th parallel.
Members who become ill on cruise ships must disembark at an accessible medical facility or port.
For more information, please see Global Rescue’s Member Services Agreement
How much can I customize the protection – trip cancellation vs. illness vs. medevac, etc.?
Global Rescue travel memberships are available for long- and short-term durations with an option to include Total Care telehealth services. Options are available for individuals, families and students. Security protection may be added to a Travel membership.
How, if at all, did COVID change the nature of protection services?
We don’t treat COVID-19 differently from other infectious diseases with respect to how we operate. Our same services still apply. Global Rescue provides transport and evacuation services to individuals with COVID-19 and has done so continuously since the beginning of the pandemic. This includes field rescue and medical evacuation of COVID-19-infected members requiring hospitalization, review of care from our in-house staff of physicians, locating testing facilities and advisory services regarding quarantine and fluctuating border closures.
What is the typical cost (expressed in whole dollars or a % of the trip) for a la carte services or a complete plan/policy?
Global Rescue memberships start as low as $139. Membership fees are based on membership term and type, travel duration and add-ons.
Travel Insurance policies depend on several factors such as insured trip cost, trip length, and age of the traveler.
Why should I trust Global Rescue?
Global Rescue has more than one million members, including NASA, U.S. Ski & Snowboard and National Geographic.
Global Rescue earns numerous accolades and awards from the largest and most influential travel publications and industry organizations worldwide including, Inc. Magazine, Outside Magazine and Travel Weekly.
If I make a covered claim, how long does it take to be reimbursed?
Global Rescue protection is a membership – and not insurance – so there is no charge for member services. There are no deductibles, no co-pays, and no claim forms. Ever.
If my claim is denied, is there an appeal process?
For Global Rescue member benefits to apply, Global Rescue must provide emergency rescue or transportation response services. Global Rescue will not pay for a self-arranged rescue, and if emergency or rescue services are arranged by anyone other than Global Rescue it is considered the same as a self-arranged rescue. Global Rescue is a service provider, not an insurance company, and we are legally not allowed to reimburse members for the costs of rescue or any transportation services. For full terms, see the Member Services Agreement at GlobalRescue.com
When shopping for travel insurance or a protection plan, what are the right questions to ask? What answers should make you run?
When it comes to a truly comprehensive travel protection membership, Global Rescue checks all the boxes where many of our competitors do not.
The essential questions to ask when vetting a provider include: What is field rescue, and do I need it? Will the provider transport you to your home hospital of choice or just the closest? Does the provider exclude protection if you take part in certain activities? How far away do you have to be for services to be activated? The full list of essential questions is here.
If I have further questions about my particular scenario, how do I get them answered?
Global Rescue membership provides services for medical advisory, traveler assistance, destination reports, event alerts, emergency field rescue from the point of illness or injury and medical evacuation transport home and (for applicable memberships) virtual healthcare access and security services. As a member, we want you to contact us whether it’s a major emergency or something minor. Contact Global Rescue at +1 (617) 459-4200 or ops@globalrescue.com or operations@globalrescue.com
Global Rescue members may also use the My Global Rescue Mobile App to access Global Rescue services directly from their smartphone. Browse destination reports and alerts, activate emergency assistance, real-time virtual health visits and keep track of the people you care about with GPS tracking and messaging. Download the My Global Rescue App for Apple devices here and Android devices here.
If you’d like to get the ball rolling on a possible membership plan purchase, click here. We may get a commission but you’ll never pay more than you would through any other means of purchase from Global Rescue.
