Globalrescue.com Reviews 3

We had a policy with Global Rescue for two years before we needed to use it. My partner was hospitalized in Ireland. The hospital doctor wrote a detailed letter acknowledging we were from the United States, and my partner was having an extreme afib attack that needed immediate and long-term attention. In the letter, the doctor recommended we return home immediately for my partner to engage with a cardiolodist and continue care in the US. I naively thought, "No problem, we have Global Rescue. They'll get us home in a timely fashion."

Initially, things seemed promising. The Global Rescue representative was friendly and professional. I explained the situation, forwarded them the detailed letter from the doctor, and waited for them to call to tell me what flight they were putting us on. Despite a letter that said EVERYTHING necessary to justify getting my partner home, the Global Rescue representative insisted that before they could set up arrangements to get us home, they would need to speak to the doctor personally to make sure it was OK for my partner to fly.

Of course, a busy hospital doctor is not going to take nor return calls to reiterate what he already clearly stated in a letter. The fact that the doctor didn't return their phone call is the reason Global Rescue used to deny getting my partner, who was developing heart failure because his heart was racing at 160 beats per minute, to a US hospital. I repeat: the letter stated his current condition, and the Irish doctor said BECAUSE of that condition, he needed to get back to the US and be seen by a cardiologist who could implement a long-term strategy. Global Rescue said BECAUSE of that condition, they needed to talk to the doctor directly to make sure it wasn't too risky to take the flight. Nobody at Global Rescue seemed at all concerned with the risk of delaying my partner's medical treatment while we waited three days for them to try to reach the doctor.

We ended up paying for our own flight. My sister met us at the US airport and took us directly to the US hospital emergency room, where my partner was admitted immediately. As the Irish doctor predicted, it took several weeks and two cardiac procedures to fully resolve the problem, but it was resolved, and fortunately, my partner is now in good health. No thanks to Global Rescue. Like all insurance companies, they seem to have two jobs: collect premiums and find reasons to deny claims.

Date of experience: August 14, 2024

We have been subscribers to Global Rescue for several years. We have never had an issue....because we never needed to use their service!

We are a very active and travel savvy family of four that takes adventuresome vacations around the globe. My wife starting paying for a Global Rescue subscription when the vacations got more remote and further from organized civilization.

Unfortunately, my wife was injured during one of these adventures and needed to be transported out of the mountains by guides and snowmobiles. It was a very stressful situation but after 2 hours we managed to get her to a local clinic for temporary treatment and stabilizing the injury. At the clinic, I called Global Rescue to ask about how to get her home, what I needed to do to follow GR's protocols, and what was considered covered by the product we bought from GR. The Global Rescue representative was clear, concise, and gave me good instructions how to proceed...which receipts and paperwork to keep track of, special travel arrangements (flight home) and he was concerned about my wife's well-being.

Fast forward to getting back home and submitting the data and information requested by GR. I followed the instructions and called the rep who had handled our case. A week or two after submission, I received a call from my representative who said he had made mistakes during our conversations and that GR was not going to pay for any of my wife's extrication or special travel needs back to the USA. After this surprise, later that day, a "management" person reached out and explained that GR is not an insurance company and does not pay claims. Secondly, I would have needed to call them at the time of the injury and they would arrange the means, timing, and methods of extrication.

Interesting concept and business plan from GR. Advertise assistance and extrication for a price...but only if you have the communication links and time to wait for their services to get to you. I mentioned this to GR during the conversation with management. The response from GR was..."the guides and emergency personnel need to call us during the rescue process and we will negotiate with them"

I actually laughed at the manager. I wonder if they have a Nepalese translator there waiting for my satellite phone call?
I wonder if they know how chaotic things get under duress and stress of injured people in very remote areas.

Bottom line...they had no intention of paying anything, admitted their emergency rep. committed to extrication and transport to the clinic that they will not cover, and expects me to call them in the middle of an emergency to direct the process.

Global Rescue offered us a free year of membership for the unfortunate incident.

I declined.

Date of experience: March 06, 2024

Careful with this company. They tried to sell me travel medical insurance even though I wasn’t eligible. It’s good I read through their terms and conditions.

Date of experience: February 16, 2024