MEDEX Protects Global Travelers – New Security Solutions
Here’s a great update from MEDEX regarding evacuation coverage for both security and medical evacuation and thing to consider. Here’s a quick story regarding Abigail Jones. Not all travel insurance is created equal. It’s best to compare and be sure you have enough coverage for your particular concerns.
When Abigail Jones left to complete an internship at an orphanage in Honduras last summer, she did not anticipate getting caught in a political coup. But when the Honduran president was removed from office and soldiers took control of the town, barricading the orphanage for safety, Jones knew it was time to come home. Her mother contacted MEDEX Global Solutions, a leading international travel, medical and security assistance provider, for help.
MEDEX Global Solutions is dedicated to helping individuals like Jones. More than 20 million travelers and expatriates are protected by its programs, which are offered through businesses, schools, insurance companies, and affiliations. Jones was protected through her university’s program.
MEDEX Global Solutions’ security teams quickly assessed Jones’ situation. On-the-ground resources were reporting that public transportation was not safe and there was a strong military presence in the area. While the Tegucigalpa airport was operating, getting to the airport could pose a problem.
During political turmoil, situations like Jones’ are common. Most assistance companies will pay transportation costs to evacuate travelers from a designated departure point, such as an airport. In these situations, it is incumbent on the traveler to get to that departure point on his or her own if the assistance company does not have security capabilities of their own.
MEDEX Global Solutions has always helped our clients in getting to the departure point. But now, depending on the plan selected, we will bear the cost of that transportation.
“This is a significant difference from our competitors,” says Charlie LeBlanc, president of ASI Group, the security arm of MEDEX Global Solutions. “Often, as in the case of Abigail Jones, getting to the departure point is the most difficult and dangerous part of a security evacuation.”
MEDEX Global Solutions arranged for a reputable security-trained driver and an additional escort agent to pick up Jones from the orphanage. With her escorts, Jones safely made it to the airport. The driver and agent remained with Jones and then stayed at the airport until they were certain that her flight had taken off. Within a few hours, Jones was home safely in Alabama.
In addition to protecting travelers like Jones, MEDEX Global Solutions now uses its own security analysts to determine the best time to evacuate from a situation. “We found that we often want to get our travelers out even before the State Department announces an evacuation,” says LeBlanc. “Of course, we will always defer to a traveler’s home government, but frequently, we will evacuate prior to any government declaration.”
MEDEX Global Solutions clients may also now receive security email notifications, paid evacuations for natural disasters, and the ability to choose their preferred hospital during a medical evacuation. This integration of medical and security programs help protect MEDEX Global Solutions clients with any type of situation they may encounter abroad.
