Ever dream of venturing to far-flung places, such as the Andes or Thailand? Do you hesitate because of safety concerns? Global Rescue reduces the risks associated with traveling abroad by providing advisory and emergency services to travelers anywhere in the world.
Scott Hume, Director of Security Services at Global Rescue, spoke with RewardExpert about the importance of risk management and how their company protects members and saves lives.
Global alternative to traveler’s insurance
Global Rescue was founded in 2004 through a partnership between John Hopkins Medicine, and Dan Richards, a former Wall Street banker. Surprisingly, the idea came from Richards’ financial research, not an exotic adventure.
Richards had been investigating travel companies, in search of his next investment, when he discovered a lucrative gap in the market. Countless travel companies were offering insurance, but none provided direct services to clients in their time of need.
With Global Rescue, travelers skip the insurance agent and engage directly with a full spectrum of risk management services, including pre-trip advising, risk-monitoring, and crisis response. Should the unthinkable happen, the company can deploy first responders, saving critical time.
“We do it,” Hume explains. “When members call us, they’re not talking to an intermediary. It gets done.”
Global Rescue maintains emergency centers in several locations worldwide and can deploy services at a moments notice, 24-hours a day. The centers are staffed with emergency paramedics, physicians, and former military personnel as well as travel intelligence.
The company counts students and adventure seekers among their individual customers. Current enterprise clients include the United States Ski Team and National Geographic.
Members can sign up for a full year or as little as seven days. Before traveling, they receive advice on their destination, including information on vaccinations and physical safety, from Global Rescue’s intelligence services. The company also helps members with chronic conditions establish a treatment plan for the duration of their travel.
If a member becomes sick or injured, a team of physicians diagnoses the issue via video call, creates a medical action plan, and monitors treatment remotely. The company will even deploy a paramedic to stay at the member’s bedside. Should the member require medical evacuation, the paramedic accompanies them on the trip home and to their hospital of choice.
Global Rescue provides security and evacuation during civil and environmental emergencies. The company rescued members from the Arab Spring uprising, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Of course, much of the time, member needs are far less dramatic.
“We’ll help a member with a lost passport.” Hume says. “If a member gets their stuff stolen we’ll help them navigate the legal channels and provide them with funds to get home. If they missed their flight, we can arrange a new one.”
Protection saves money
Global Rescue protects flights booked with frequent flyer miles by covering rebooking fees. The biggest savings, however, come from avoiding dangerous and costly scenarios. A standard medical evacuation can costs between $25,000 and $250,000, but a comprehensive evacuation plan from Global Rescue starts at $119.
The company’s medical services model has been so effective, they’re expanding it. TotalCare, a new program by Global Rescue, offers year-round remote access to the company’s top-of-the-line medical services, staffed by clinicians in over 18 specialties. Members can access care from anywhere, even from home.
This level of protection — and the peace of mind that comes with it–helps members get the most of their frequent flyer miles by making it safer to travel to any destination.