What Is Air Ambulance Insurance?

Air Ambulance Insurance is a form of insurance coverage that handles emergency medical service situations. If a policy holder is in need of an aircraft transport, an air ambulance is called. It is similar to a vehicular ambulance. The air ambulance has evolved throughout time. Today, it is a staple in emergency evacuations. Because of this, preparing yourself for a possible incident is paramount. There are a multitude of reasons why one would have Air Ambulance Insurance.

History

• Medical transportation via aircraft began with a focus on military evacuations. As early as World War I, air ambulances were used by the military alongside our fighter planes. As the technology was perfected, the use of airplanes and thus air ambulances increased. By 1950, U.S. forces expanded the air ambulance to helicopters. The transition from plains to helicopters had become common place as helicopters were able to maneuver in situations in which airplanes could not. The helicopters were not simply dedicated to casualty removal, but for moving critical patients from the field of battle to safety, or simply from location to location.

  The move from military to civilian use came about due to civilians living in sparsely populated areas inaccessible by road. In cases of emergency, the only access was by air in order to conserve time and safety. In 1928, the first dedicated civilian air ambulance service was erected in the Australian Outback. The move of air ambulance use to the more developed world came about as the need for patients to immediately reach specialized doctors became an increasing option. Since their inception, air ambulance services have expanded throughout the globe.

Cost

• Most people cannot afford a medical evacuation. That being said, most people are unaware that some insurance companies cover air ambulance costs. Although the likelihood of an incident in which an air ambulance is needed may be slim, that is no reason not to be ready. In addition, there are more reasons than simply your own safety as to why you would need Air Ambulance Insurance. Insurance covers some or all costs under terms of the agreed contract. The cost covered are different for each insurance agency. Costs can range dependent on distance, type of aircraft and medical needs of the patient.

  Air Ambulance Services may include the following:
  Medical supervision
  State of the Art medical equipment
  Organ procurement and recipient transportation
  Family member accompaniment
  Flight coordinators to arrange every detail
  Flight nurse and flight medic

Insurance Benefits

• Savings
  Dependent on location and distance, an air ambulance flight may cost from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket, whereas your insurance coverage can either lower or negate that cost.

  Mental Freedom
  Sadly, whether it be you or your child traveling overseas or even simply several states away for hospitalization, you can be flown home or to a hospital and/or doctor of your choice. Now you can feel free and safe enough to make those decisions without worry looming.

  Family
  Your family may also be covered when traveling to visit the respective insurance holder in the hospital. This could be as close as two states away or as far as South America.

Warning

• Like any type of policy, you must check with your insurance company to validate whether they cover an air ambulance, and if they do, to what extent. If your insurance provider does not cover an air ambulance, you may purchase it separately. Otherwise, you will be forced to pay out of pocket, which in most cases would be needed at the time of service.

Significance

• If you are unable to reach your insurance company, air ambulance providers are able to contact your insurance company on your behalf in an attempt to receive authorization. Claim forms will need to be submitted to your insurance carrier so as to be authorized and thus pay the air ambulance.