FOREIGN TRAVEL ASSISTANCE SERVICES - TRAVEL GUARD
Foreign travel assistance services are available to The University of Toledo staff, faculty, student interns and trustees (referred to as “Covered Persons”) traveling outside the USA for the purpose of conducting University business or fulfilling course requirements. The assistance offered is not an insurance policy and provides no payment for medical or other claims. This is an assistance program to help you while on foreign business travel. For information regarding liability, accident and sickness insurance, click here to go to Foreign Travel Insurance.
The foreign travel assistance services are provided by Chartis Insurance through its Travel Guard – AIG WorldRisk Assistance Program. The Travel Guard Assistance Card, which provides important contact information, should be carried with you when you travel abroad. Click here to download the Travel Guard Assistance Card.
This is for informational purposes only and provides a summary of the types of applicable services:
1. TRAVEL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
a) Emergency Medical Evacuation Transportation Arrangements: In the event of a medical emergency, Travel Guard in-house medical staff will make a full evaluation. If a medical condition cannot be treated in a local facility, all necessary arrangements will be made to coordinate and arrange emergency medical transportation to the nearest, most appropriate medical facility. Once stabilized and/or treated, arrangements are made to bring the Covered Person home.
b) Physician/Dentist/Hospital/Vision Referral: Contact information for local physicians, dentists, optometrists and/or hospitals/clinics will be provided to the Covered Person upon their request. Appointment scheduling with translation assistance in addition to coordination with the Covered Person's primary medical insurance carrier is available.
c) Repatriation of Mortal Remains: In the event of death while traveling away from home, Travel Guard will make all necessary arrangements for the return of the Covered Person's mortal remains, including compliance with local government regulations.
d) Return Travel Arrangements: In the event of hospitalization of the Covered Person, arrangements will be made for unattended minors traveling with the Covered Person to be flown home.
e) Emergency Prescription Replacement: If medications are lost or stolen, arrangements will be made to assist in obtaining new prescriptions and when legally permitted, shipment of prescriptions medication will be coordinated if medications cannot be obtained locally.
f) Dispatch of Doctor or Specialist: If the Covered Person is injured or ill and unable to visit a doctor, Travel Guard will arrange for a medical phone consultation or a doctor visit when available.
g) Medical Evacuation Quote: Travel Guard will contact air ambulance providers to confirm availability, obtain quotes for the service requested and assist in coordinating arrangements.
h) In Patient and Out Patient Medical Case Management: Travel Guard medical staff will monitor the Covered Person's condition while such person is hospitalized away from home. Such monitoring will include telephone consultations with on-site physicians or the home physician, evaluation of medical data, and communication with the Covered Person's family. Travel Guard medical staff will determine if proposed treatment conforms to generally accepted medical standards and may recommend alternative treatment methods and/or alternative treatment locations.
i) Qualified Liaison to Relay Medical Information to Families: If the Covered Person is unable to communicate with their family, Travel Guard will facilitate communications.
j) Visitation Arrangements: If the Covered Person is hospitalized, travel arrangements can be made for relatives or visitors to travel to the bedside.
k) Eyeglasses and Corrective Lens Replacement Assistance: Travel Guard will locate a service provider to replace eyeglasses or corrective lenses that are lost, broken or stolen.
l) Direct Billing to Medical Providers: Travel Guard will coordinate with the medical provider to arrange direct billing when available.
m) Medical Cost Containment and Overseas Investigation: Travel Guard will work with the medical service providers to achieve discounts and will audit medical expenses and pursue investigations if necessary.
n) Medical Bill Assessments: Travel Guard will assess medical bills from the Covered Person upon request to ensure services provided are appropriate to the medical treatment needed and that charges are reasonable and customary.
o) Shipment of Medical Records: Travel Guard will provide assistance in shipping needed medical records to the Covered Personto the emergency facility.
p) Medical Equipment Rental or Replacement: Travel Guard will assist in locating a facility or provider to supply medical equipment to the Covered Person and will coordinate arrangements.
q) Insurance/Claims Coordination: In the event of a medical emergency, Travel Guard will coordinate claims as well as issues between the Covered Person's insurance carrier and the emergency medical service provider, including guarantee of hospital admission fees or medical expense payments based on insurance or other financial security available to the Covered Person.
2. TRAVEL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
a) Flight Re-bookings: Travel Guard will assist the Covered Personin re-booking flights in the event of a flight cancellation, delay or schedule change.
b) Hotel Re-bookings: Travel Guard will assist the Covered Personin re-booking current reservations in the event of a flight cancellation, delay or schedule change.
c) Rental Vehicle Bookings: Travel Guard will assist the Covered Personin booking car rentals.
d) Emergency Return Travel Arrangements: In the event of an emergency, Travel Guard will assist with making hotel, flight and car rental arrangements to return home.
e) Hotel Check In: In the event of a travel delay, Travel Guard can assist the Covered Person in calling their hotel to guarantee a late arrival check in. Travel Guard can also assist with a hotel guarantee based on a personal source of funds when the Covered Person has a credit card stolen or lost.
3. WORLDWIDE TRAVEL ASSISTANCE SERVICES
a) Lost/Stolen Luggage and Personal Effects: Travel Guard will assist with the return of lost luggage by coordinating efforts with the commercial carrier. In the event the Covered Person’s personal effects are lost or stolen while traveling, Travel Guard will assist in the search. Travel Guard will coordinate efforts to get the lost luggage to the current destination or home.
b) Lost/Stolen Travel Documents/Travel Tickets: If the Covered Person’s travel documents (passport, visas, tickets, etc.) are lost or stolen, Travel Guard will assist the Covered Personin their efforts to replace such documents.
c) ATM Locations: The Covered Person can receive assistance locating ATM locations worldwide that accept their credit card or other card requirements.
d) Emergency Cash Transfer Assistance: Travel Guard can assist the Covered Person to obtain cash advances in local and US currency for medical emergencies or other travel needs. Advances are based on a personal source of funds.
e) Travel Documentation Information: The Covered Person will be assisted with advice regarding passport/visa requirements, customs entry/exit restrictions and regulations, and can learn where to obtain necessary travel documents. Travel Guard will assist in expediting procurement of necessary documents.
f) Emergency Telephone Translation Assistance: In emergency situations, multilingual counselors are available for telephone translation services in all major languages. Referrals are available to interpreter services.
g) Emergency Message: Travel Guard will assist with contacting family or business contacts in the event of an emergency situation while the Covered Person is traveling.
h) Travel Delay Reports: Travel Guard will assist in providing up to date travel delay reports and information.
i) Worldwide Long Distance Calling Cards: Travel Guard will provide assistance on the purchase of long distance calling cards for worldwide telephoning.
j) Immunizations: Travel Guard will provide advice to the Covered Person regarding recommended immunizations for intended destinations or points of transit.
k) Embassy or Consulate Referral: Travel Guard will provide addresses and phone numbers of local embassies or consulates to the Covered Person while they are traveling.
l) Currency Conversion or Purchase: Travel Guard will provide foreign exchange rates and assist with the purchase of foreign currency.
m) Medical Advisory or Epidemic Updates: Travel Guard will provide up to date information regarding local medical advisories, epidemics and available preventive measures in the desired location.
n) Travel Supplier Strike Information: Travel Guard will provide up to date information regarding travel supplier strikes and potential impact on travel.
o) Legal Referrals and Bail Bond Assistance: Travel Guard will provide the Covered Person with legal referrals in their general area.
p) Public Holiday Information: Travel Guard will provide the Covered Person with local worldwide public holiday information for the desired location.
TRAVEL GUARD DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Travel Guard will attempt to refer Covered Persons to appropriate medical and other providers. However, such providers are independent providers, and neither Travel Guard nor the insurer are responsible for the suggestion of, or quality of services or advice rendered by, any such provider. Certain services may be provided by an independent third party vendor.
By requesting assistance services, a Covered Person agrees to assign to Travel Guard such Covered Person's rights to recover from any other responsible insurer any expense Travel Guard pays or advances if such expense is not covered by the terms and conditions of your TRAVEL ACCIDENT & SICKNESS COVERAGE PART.
In all cases, the medical and other providers suggested by Travel Guard are not representatives, employees or agents of Travel Guard nor the insurer, and the final selection of the medical and other providers is solely your and/or the choice of the Covered Person, provided that, if such contradicts the advice of the Travel Guard Medical Department, then such choice may void benefits that would otherwise be available under your TRAVEL ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS COVERAGE PART. Travel Guard and the insurer each shall have no responsibility for the selection of, or any of the medical or other services or advice rendered by, the medical or other provider, neither Travel Guard nor the insurer shall be liable for any negligent or other acts or omissions of any such provider. Covered Persons shall have no recourse against Travel Guard or the insurer with respect to any such entity's suggestion of or contract with a medical or other provider.
1-19-12