A sportsman had to pay more than a hundred thousand dollars to be transported back home for treatment, all because he did not have medical repatriation insurance. He got into an accident while traveling in Africa and the accident brought severe injuries to his back.
Whether the accident could or could not have been prevented, his substantial medical expenses could have been avoided if he had medical repatriation insurance to back him up financially. He would not have had to spend a lot of money to be taken home to his country for further treatment.
Having no insurance while traveling to other countries is a normal thing for tourists today. Tourists figure that there is a very small probability of an accident happening while they are on vacation, so there is no need to get insurance.
However, accidents are unpredictable and they can happen at a time when one least expects it. In cases of accidents happening to a foreign vacationer, repatriation and medical treatment can get very expensive. Without a medical repatriation insurance to cover at least a majority (if not all) of the expenses incurred in the event of a medical emergency, a foreigner could be facing thousands of dollars in personal expenses.