24 Hour Hotline provides the traveler with a broad range of services in the event of a travel or medical emergency including: medical referral and monitoring, legal assistance, emergency message center, emergency cash transfer, arrangement of medical evacuations or repatriations, emergency translations, and pre-trip assistance. Many companies offer additional services that differentiate them against their competitors. We have listed some of these services on the carriers page under the “why buy” heading.
24 Hour Assistance Service
- 24 hour assistance provided
What is 24 Hour Assistance Service?
What am I covered for?
ASSISTANCE SERVICES*
All Assistance Services listed below are not insurance benefits and are not provided by the Insurer. Travel Guard provides assistance through coordination, negotiation, and consultation using an extensive network of worldwide partners. Expenses for goods and services provided by third parties are the responsibility of the traveler.
Travel Medical Assistance
• Emergency medical transportation assistance
• Physician/hospital/dental/vision referrals
• Assistance with repatriation of mortal remains
• Return travel arrangements
• Emergency prescription replacement assistance
• Dispatch of doctor or specialist
• Medical evacuation quote
• In-patient and out-patient medical case management
• Qualified liaison for relaying medical information to family members
• Arrangements of visitor to bedside of hospitalized Insured
• Eyeglasses and corrective lens replacement assistance
• Medical payment arrangements
• Medical cost containment/expense recovery and overseas investigation
• Medical bill audits
• Coordinate shipment of medical records
• Assistance with medical equipment rental/replacement
Worldwide Travel Assistance
• Lost baggage search; stolen luggage replacement assistance
• Lost passport/travel documents assistance
• ATM locator
• Emergency cash transfer assistance
• Travel information including visa/passport requirements
• Emergency telephone interpretation assistance
• Urgent message relay to family, friends or business associates
• Up-to-the-minute travel delay reports
• Long-distance calling cards for worldwide telephoning
• Inoculation information
• Embassy or consulate referral
• Currency conversion or purchase assistance
• Up-to-the-minute information on local medical advisories, epidemics, required immunizations and available preventive measures
• Up-to-the-minute travel supplier strike information
• Legal referrals/bail bond assistance
• Worldwide public holiday information
LiveTravel® Emergency Assistance
• Flight rebooking
• Hotel rebooking
• Rental vehicle booking
• Emergency return travel arrangements
• Roadside assistance
• Rental vehicle return assistance
• Assistance with guaranteed hotel check-in
• Missed connections coordination
Concierge Services
• Restaurant referrals and reservations
• Ground transportation arrangements
• Event ticketing arrangements
• Tee times and course recommendations
• Floral services
Personal Security Assistance
• Security evacuation assistance
• Immediate 24-hour support services
• Security and safety advisories, global risk analysis, and consultation specialist
• Urgent message alert and relay
Identity Theft
• Assist identity theft victim with ordering and reviewing credit bureau records
• Assist identity theft victim with investigating financial accounts where identity theft is suspected
• Assist identity theft victim in communications with creditors to help make the creditors aware of the victim’s identity theft issues
• Assist identity theft victim in identifying proper law enforcement to pursue prosecution of criminals
• Assist identity theft victim in reviewing account activity
• Obtain additional resources for reviewing and resolution of victim’s issues
*Non-insurance services are provided by Travel Guard.
Definitions
(Capitalized terms within this Policy are defined herein)
“Actual Cash Value” means purchase price less depreciation.
“Baggage” means luggage, travel documents, and personal possessions, whether owned, borrowed, or rented, taken by the Insured on the Trip.
“Business Partner” means a person who: (1) is involved with the Insured or the Insured’s Traveling Companion in a legal partnership; and (2) is actively involved in the daily management of the business.
“Children” /“Child” means, with respect to Medical Expense and Emergency Evacuation benefits, unmarried children of the Insured, including natural children from the moment of birth, and step, foster or adopted children from the moment of placement in the Insured’s home, under age 25 and primarily dependent on the Insured for support and maintenance. However, the age limit does not apply to a child who: (1) otherwise meets the definition of Children; and (2) is incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental or physical incapacity.
“City” means an incorporated municipality having defined borders and does not include the high seas, uninhabited areas or airspace.
“Common Carrier” means an air, land, sea conveyance operated under a license for the transportation of passengers for hire and for which the Insured’s ticket was purchased through the Travel Supplier. “Company” means National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA.
“Complications of Pregnancy” means conditions whose diagnoses are distinct from pregnancy but are adversely affected by pregnancy or are caused by pregnancy. These conditions include acute nephritis, nephrosis, cardiac decompensation, missed abortion and similar medical and surgical conditions of comparable severity. Complications of Pregnancy also include non-elective cesarean section, ectopic pregnancy which is terminated and spontaneous termination of pregnancy, which occurs during a period of gestation in which a viable birth is not possible. Complications of Pregnancy do not include false labor, occasional spotting, Physician-prescribed rest during the period of pregnancy, morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum, preeclampsia and similar conditions associated with the management of a difficult pregnancy not constituting a nosologically distinct complication of pregnancy.
“Departure Date” means the date on which the Insured is originally scheduled to leave on his/her Trip. This date is specified in the travel documents.
“Destination” means any place where the Insured expects to travel to on his/her Trip as shown on the travel documents.
“Domestic Partner” means an opposite or a same-sex partner who is at least 18 years of age and has met all of the following requirements for at least 6 months: (a) resides with the Insured; and (b) shares financial assets and obligations with the Insured. The Company may require proof of the Domestic Partner relationship in the form of a signed and completed Affidavit of Domestic Partnership.
“Experimental or Investigative” means treatment, a device or prescription medication which is recommended by a Physician, but is not considered by the medical community as a whole to be safe and effective for the condition for which the treatment, device or prescription medication is being used. This includes any treatment, procedure, facility, equipment, drugs, drug usage, devices, or supplies not recognized as accepted medical practice, and any of those items requiring federal or other governmental agency approval not received at the time services are rendered.
“Family Member” means the Insured’s, or Traveling Companion’s spouse, Domestic Partner, Child, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, brother, sister, mother, father, grandparents, grandchild, step-child, step-brother, step-sister, step-parents, parents-in-law, brother-inl-aw, sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, legal guardian, caregiver, foster Child, ward, or legal ward, spouse, or Domestic Partner of any of the above.
“Hospital” means a facility that:
a) is operated according to law for the care and treatment of sick or Injured people;
b) has organized facilities for diagnosis and surgery on its premises or in facilities available to it on a prearranged basis;
c) has 24 hour nursing service by registered nurses (R.N.’s); and
d) is supervised by one or more Physicians available at all times.
A Hospital does not include:
a) a nursing, convalescent or geriatric unit of a Hospital when a patient is confined mainly to receive nursing care;
b) a facility that is, other than incidentally, a clinic, a rest home, nursing home, convalescent home, home health care, or home for the aged; nor does it include any ward, room, wing, or other section of the Hospital that is used for such purposes; or
c) any military or veterans Hospital or soldiers home or any Hospital contracted for or operated by any national government or government agency for the treatment of members or exmembers or the armed forces.
“Injury/Injured” means a bodily Injury caused by an accident occurring while the Insured’s coverage under this Policy is in force, and resulting directly and independently of all other causes of Loss covered by this Policy. The Injury must be verified by a Physician.
“Insured, You or Your” means a person:
a) for whom any required Enrollment Form has been completed;
b) for whom any required plan cost has been paid;
c) for whom a Trip is schedule; and
d) who is covered under this Policy.
“Loss” means Injury or damage sustained by the Insured as a consequence of one or more of the events against which the Company has undertaken to compensate the Insured.
“Medically Necessary” means that a treatment, service, or supply:
a) is essential for diagnosis, treatment, or care of the Injury or Sickness for which it is prescribed or performed;
b) meets generally accepted standards of medical practice;
c) is ordered by a Physician and performed under his or her care, supervision, or order; and
d) is not primarily for the convenience of the Insured, Physician, other providers, or any other person.
“Mental, Nervous or Psychological Disorder” means a mental or nervous health condition including, but not limited to: anxiety, depression, neurosis, phobia, psychosis; or any related physical manifestation.
“Necessary Personal Effects” means items such as clothing and toiletry items, which were included in the Insured’s Baggage and are required for the Insured’s Trip.
“Physician” means a licensed practitioner of the healing arts including accredited Christian Science Practitioners, medical, surgical, or dental, services acting within the scope of his/her license. The treating Physician may not be the Insured, a Traveling Companion, a Family Member, or a Business Partner.
“Reasonable and Customary Charges” means an expense which:
a) is charged for treatment, supplies, or medical services Medically Necessary to treat the Insured’s condition;
b) does not exceed the usual level of charges for similar treatment, supplies or medical services in the locality where the expense is incurred; and
c) does not include charges that would not have been made if no insurance existed. In no event will the Reasonable and Customary Charges exceed the actual amount charged.
“Return Date” means the date on which the Insured is scheduled to return to the point where the Trip started or to a different specified Return Destination. This date is specified in the travel documents.
“Return Destination” means the place to which the Insured expects to return from his/her Trip, as shown in Enrollment Form.
“Sickness” means an illness or disease diagnosed or treated by a Physician after the Insured’s effective date of coverage under this Policy.
“Transportation” means any land, sea or air conveyance required to transport the Insured during an Emergency Evacuation. Transportation includes, but is not limited to, air ambulances, land ambulances and private motor vehicles.
“Travel Supplier” means the tour operator, hotel, rental company cruise line, and/or airline that provides pre-paid travel arrangements for the Insured’s Trip.
“Traveling Companion” means a person or persons with whom the Insured has coordinated travel arrangements and intends to travel with during the Trip. A group or tour leader is not considered a Traveling Companion, unless the Insured is sharing room accommodations with the group or tour leader.
“Trip” means: a) a period of round-Trip travel away from home to a Destination outside the Insured’s City of residence. b) the purpose of the Trip is business or pleasure and is not to obtain health care or treatment of any kind; c) the Trip has defined Departure and Return dates specified when the Insured applies; d) the Trip does not exceed 180 days; and e) travel is primarily by Common Carrier and only incidentally by private conveyance.
Exclusions
This Policy does not cover any loss caused by or resulting from:
a) intentionally self-inflicted Injury, suicide, or attempted suicide of the Insured, Family Member, Traveling Companion or Business Partner while sane or insane;
b) pregnancy, childbirth, or elective abortion, other than Complications of Pregnancy;
c) participation in professional athletic events, motor sport, or motor racing, including training or practice for the same (does not apply if Adventure Sports Coverage is purchased);
d) mountaineering where ropes or guides are normally used. The ascent or descent of a mountain requiring the use of specialized equipment, including but not limited to pick-axes, anchors, bolts, crampons, carabineers, and lead or top-rope anchoring equipment (does not apply if Adventure Sports Coverage is purchased);
e) war or act of war, whether declared or not, civil disorder, riot, or insurrection;
f) operating or learning to operate any aircraft, as student, pilot, or crew (does not apply if Adventure Sports Coverage is purchased);
g) air travel on any air-supported device, other than a regularly scheduled airline or air charter company (does not apply if Adventure Sports Coverage is purchased);
h) loss or damage caused by detention, confiscation, or destruction by customs;
i) any felonies committed by the Insured;
j) Mental, Nervous or Psychological Disorder or rest cures;
k) if the Insured’s tickets do not contain specific travel dates (open tickets);
l) use of drugs, narcotics, or alcohol, unless administered upon the advice of a Physician;
m) any failure of a provider of travel related services (including any Travel Supplier) to provide the bargained-for travel services or to refund money due the Insured; (n) Experimental or Investigative treatment or procedures;
o) any loss that occurs at a time when this coverage is not in effect;
p) traveling for the purpose of securing medical treatment;
q) care or treatment which is not Medically Necessary, except for related reconstructive surgery resulting from trauma, infection, or disease; and
r) PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION: The Company will not pay for any loss or expense incurred as the result of an Injury, Sickness or other condition excluding any condition from which death ensues) of an Insured, a Traveling Companion, Business Partner or Family Member which, within the 180 day period immediately preceding and including the Insured’s coverage effective date: a) first manifested itself, worsened or became acute or had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; b) for which care or treatment was given or recommended by a Physician; c) required taking prescription drugs or medicines, unless the condition for which the drugs or medicines are taken remains controlled without any change in the required prescription drugs or medicines.
The following exclusions apply to Baggage, Personal Effects and Travel Documents and Baggage Delay:
Benefits will not be provided for any loss or damage to or resulting (in whole or in part) from:
a) animals, rodents, insects or vermin;
b) bicycles (except when checked with a Common Carrier);
c) motor vehicles, aircraft, boats, boat motors, ATV’s and other conveyances;
d) artificial prosthetic devices, false teeth, any type of eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, or hearing aids;
e) tickets, keys, notes, securities, accounts, bills, currency, deeds, food stamps or other evidences of debt, credit cards;
f) money, stamps, stocks and bonds, postal or money orders;
g) property shipped as freight, or shipped prior to the Departure Date;
h) contraband, illegal transportation or trade; (i) items seized by any government, government official or customs official;
j) defective materials or craftsmanship; (k) inherent vice or damage;
l) seizure or destruction under quarantine or custom regulation;
m) transporting contraband or illegal trade; (n) mysterious disappearance;
o) normal wear and tear;
p) deterioration.
The following exclusions apply to the Medical Expense Benefit:
Unless otherwise provided by this plan benefits will not be provided for any loss resulting (in whole or in part) from:
a) routine physical examinations;
b) mental health care;
c) replacement of hearing aids, eye glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses;
d) routine dental care;
e) any service provided by the Insured, a Family Member, or Traveling Companion or Traveling Companion of Family Member;
f) alcoholism and drug addiction.
The following exclusion applies to Accidental Death and Dismemberment:
a) the Company will not pay for loss caused by or resulting from Sickness or disease of any kind.
EXCESS INSURANCE LIMITATION (Not applicable to medical benefits) The insurance provided by this Policy for all coverages shall be in excess of all other valid and collectible insurance or indemnity. If at the time of the occurrence of any Loss payable under this Policy there is other valid and collectible insurance or indemnity in place, the Company shall be liable only for the excess of the amount of Loss, over the amount of such other insurance or indemnity, and applicable deductible.