Traveling Abroad for a Medical Procedure?
Standard travel insurance typically excludes complications from elective procedures. Avia helps international patients protect against the risk that matters most: a complication related to planned care abroad.
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Standard Travel Insurance Doesn't Cover This
When you travel abroad for an elective procedure, most standard travel insurance policies exclude complications arising from that procedure. This plan fills that gap.
Standard Travel Insurance
Excludes complications from elective or cosmetic procedures. You're on your own if something goes wrong during or after your surgery abroad.
Medical Travel Insurance
Purpose-built for medical tourists. Covers post-surgical complications, additional treatment costs, return travel, and companion expenses when something goes wrong.
24/7 Assistance
Real-time support is available during a medical event, including help locating appropriate facilities and coordinating next steps.
What's Included in Your Plan
Medical Complications Coverage
Additional medical or surgical treatment for covered complications arising after your elective procedure.
Benefit limits vary by plan
Emergency Medical Transportation
Emergency medical evacuation to the nearest appropriate facility, including repatriation arrangements.
Benefit limits vary by plan
Emergency Medical Coverage
Emergency medical for accidents and illness unrelated to your procedure during the covered trip.
Benefit limits vary by plan
Accidental Death & Dismemberment
Lump-sum benefit in the event of accidental death or dismemberment during your medical travel.
Benefit limits vary by plan
Travel Companion Coordination
Helps cover additional travel and accommodation costs for your companion when a covered complication occurs.
Benefit limits vary by plan
COVID-19 Coverage
Separate benefit limits for SARS-CoV-2 emergency medical and travel & accommodation expenses — not subject to your main coverage limit.
Benefit limits vary by plan
Trip Cancellation & Delay
Travel cancellation in exceptional circumstances and outbound travel delay coverage for delays of 12+ hours.
Benefit limits vary by plan
Loss of Baggage
Outbound baggage loss coverage, protecting your belongings en route to your procedure.
Benefit limits vary by plan
Repatriation of Mortal Remains
Coverage for the repatriation of mortal remains back to your home country in the event of death during travel.
Benefit limits vary by plan
* This is not a substitute for reading your policy certificate. Coverage, exclusions, and time limits vary by plan and state.
24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance
Worldwide emergency assistance available 365 days a year — wherever your procedure takes you.
24/7 Hotline
Immediate access to emergency coordinators anytime, anywhere.
Medical Evacuation
Arrangement of emergency transport to the nearest suitable facility.
Companion Coordination
Logistical support for your travel companion during a medical event.
Facility Referrals
Direction to the nearest qualified medical facility for treatment.
Coverage Built for Every Major Elective Procedure
Medical travel complication insurance covers patients traveling internationally for a wide range of elective procedures. Explore procedure-specific guides:
Worldwide Coverage for Medical Tourists
Explore destination-specific guides covering cost, quality, accreditation, and insurance considerations:
Medical Travel Insurance: The Essentials
What is medical travel insurance?
Medical travel insurance (also called medical tourism insurance or medical travel complication insurance) is a specialized policy built for patients traveling abroad for elective procedures. It covers complications from the covered procedure, emergency medical care, medical evacuation, and related costs — coverage that standard travel insurance explicitly excludes. See our in-depth comparison: medical travel insurance vs regular travel insurance.
Does it cover the cost of my procedure?
No. The plan covers complications, emergency care, and medical evacuation related to a covered procedure — not the cost of the procedure itself. What it covers is the unplanned financial exposure when something goes wrong. For the full list see what medical travel insurance covers.
How is it different from regular travel insurance?
Standard travel insurance covers trip disruption (cancellation, baggage, delay) and emergency medical care for unrelated illness or injury. It explicitly excludes complications from elective procedures — see our explainer on why travel insurance doesn't cover surgery abroad. Medical travel insurance is purpose-built to cover those procedure-related complications.
Does coverage continue after I return home?
Many plans include a post-procedure coverage window that continues after you return home, recognising that many complications — infections, implant issues, wound healing problems — present days or weeks after the procedure itself. Window length varies by plan; confirm in the policy certificate.
When do I need to purchase?
Coverage must be in force before your procedure. Once a complication has occurred, it is too late to apply. Enroll as soon as your surgery date is confirmed. See the medical tourism checklist.
Does US health insurance cover surgery abroad?
Usually partially at best, and often not at all. Most US private insurers deny coverage for care related to an elective procedure performed outside their network. See does health insurance cover surgery abroad? for detail.
How much does medical travel insurance cost?
Pricing is driven by procedure type, destination, age, trip length, and benefit level. For the factors that move price, see how much medical travel insurance costs. Request a quote for a precise number.
Learn Before You Travel
Ready to Protect Your Medical Journey?
Request a quote in under a minute and we’ll recommend a coverage tier based on your procedure and destination. Prefer to ask questions first? Ava can help.
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Who this applies to — patients worldwide
Medical tourism is a global phenomenon. Patients from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and across the European Union regularly travel internationally for elective and planned procedures — cosmetic surgery, dental work, fertility treatment, bariatric surgery, LASIK, orthopedic surgery and more.
Local and social health plans generally do not cover elective care performed abroad. US private health insurance, Canadian provincial health plans (OHIP, RAMQ, MSP, etc.), the UK’s NHS, Australia’s Medicare, New Zealand’s public system, Ireland’s HSE, and EU statutory schemes all either exclude elective international procedures outright or reimburse only a small fraction of emergency treatment. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC/GHIC) applies only to certain medically necessary public-system care in EEA countries — not to planned private surgery.
This is the gap that specialized medical travel protection insurance plans are built to fill, regardless of which country you call home. Request a personalized quote or chat with Ava to find a plan that fits your residency, destination, and procedure.