Medical evacuation...

[johnnyblues]

Hello everyone, has anyone had the mis- fortune of needing medical evacuation while on safari or for that fact anywhere else? I m asking because I am thinking of either signing up for a short term membership with either Global rescue or Med Jet. Anyone know which is the better service?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Better???

Depends on your needs.
If you are heading into CAR for 30 days buy GR "save your ass" coverage.

If you have great medical insurance (from home) and are hunting close to civilization, i.e. hospital
do you need an evac package?

They are similar. NOT the same.
Depends where you are hunting and what your personal story is. (Health wise, accident prone, etc.)

Biggest difference GR will come get you, if required. (Depends on the plan.)

MJ you have to get yourself to a hospital and require inpatient treatment, then they'll get you home.
Although they used to come get you in Southern Africa from an airport.

Check the details and match it to you.

Thus far, I have used MJ.
All I've ever needed was some ice compresses, aspirin and once a tick fever treatment by the local doc. (Knock on wood)

If I go anywhere I think might be a bit sticky, I'll be getting GR coverage.
That's for me though.

 

[JamesJ]

fortunately, I've never had to use it. i always get it though. Global rescue is who I use and recommend.

 

[Scott Slough]

I would also check with your outfitter. My outfitter carried a liability insurance policy that would cover helicopter evacuation and my personal health insurance would cover any medical related transportation costs AFTER hospitalization from any foreign country.

 

[johnnyblues]

Thanks for the advise everyone. Thank God I m in good health and generally not accident prone. My concern is that since I m going on a leopard hunt as you gentleman know could get ugly. But don't tell that to my wife. So I was trying to be proactive in case of an emergency. I realize Namibia is probably not as remote as CAR, and I doubt very much I would need evacuation from civil unrest. I know most folks here are Africa hunting veterans so I felt I should ask.

 

[TokkieM]

@johnnyblues I have a good friend that works at International SOS, you will be surprised how many people actually get flown out of Africa due to illness. Not all hunting related. Better to have and not need than to need and not have Only ever seen one client get hurt (not mine) as he fell face first into some rocks while hunting Blue Wildebeest. PH helped him get down the mountain and off course on their way down they bump into a corker of a Blue Wildebeest Bull, turns out the PH got him to shoot it before they rushed off to hospital. Client was in hospital 2 days and came back to finish his hunt, bruised and batterd but not broken. Unlike a SA hunter who got his testicals removed by a "Dead" Black Wildebeest

 

[johnnyblues]

Great advise. Think I m going to call GR and MJ and get to understand exactly what they offer