What Happens If You Have a Cancer Emergency Overseas?
You've done everything right: declared your cancer, completed the medical assessment, paid the additional premium, and are now travelling with full cover. But then something happens — you develop a fever, you have a suspected DVT, or you get news that your cancer has progressed while overseas.
What do you do? Who do you call? How does the process work?
Step 1: Your First Call — Emergency Assistance
Every travel insurance policy includes an emergency assistance phone number. This is the number printed on your Certificate of Insurance. It is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by medical and insurance professionals.
Make this call BEFORE doing anything else (except calling emergency services if it is life-threatening).
Do not: - Go to a hospital and hope for the best - Call your insurer's general customer service line - Pay bills out of pocket without contacting assistance first
The emergency assistance team can: - Direct you to the most appropriate medical facility in your location - Arrange direct billing to the insurer (so you don't pay out of pocket) - Communicate with the hospital in the local language if needed - Arrange medical evacuation if required - Liaise with your New Zealand oncology team - Keep your emergency contact at home informed
Save this number offline — in your phone's emergency contacts, written on a card in your wallet, and in your carry-on bag. You may not have data access in an emergency.
NZ provider emergency assistance numbers: - Cover-More: 0800 500 225 (NZ) / +64 9 374 0165 (overseas) - 1Cover: 0800 422 400 (NZ) / +61 2 8907 5666 (overseas) - SCTI: 0800 855 255 (NZ) / +64 9 300 1877 (overseas) - AA Travel: 0800 808 203 (NZ) / +64 9 374 0165 (overseas) - Allianz: 0800 800 048 (NZ) / +61 7 3305 7499 (overseas) - World Nomads: +64 9 374 1234 (overseas) - Zoom: 0800 490 760 (NZ)
Check your specific certificate for the correct numbers — these are indicative.
Step 2: Getting to the Right Hospital
The emergency assistance team will direct you to the most appropriate facility. For cancer patients, "most appropriate" means a hospital with oncology capability — not just any emergency department.
In major cities, there will typically be hospitals experienced with international patients and cancer care. In regional or remote areas, you may be stabilised at a local hospital and then transferred or evacuated.
What to tell the hospital: - Your cancer type, stage, and current treatment - Your most recent oncologist's contact details (in New Zealand) - All current medications (the list from your physician's letter) - Your travel insurance details and emergency assistance number - Your New Zealand emergency contact
Step 3: Direct Billing vs. Reimbursement
Direct billing (preferred): The emergency assistance team contacts the hospital directly and arranges for bills to be sent directly to the insurer. You do not pay out of pocket for covered treatments. This is the standard approach for hospitalisation and major treatments.
Reimbursement: If direct billing cannot be arranged (e.g. a GP visit, a pharmacy, or a minor consultation), you may need to pay upfront and claim later. Keep all receipts, invoices, and medical reports — you will need these for reimbursement.
For any significant medical treatment, always contact the emergency assistance line first and ask whether direct billing can be arranged. Do not assume you need to pay and claim later.
Step 4: Medical Evacuation
If the local medical facility cannot provide adequate care for your cancer complication, medical evacuation to an appropriate facility — or back to New Zealand — may be arranged. This is one of the most valuable elements of your travel insurance.
Medical evacuation options include: - Commercial air evacuation (in a stretcher or business class seat) with a medical escort - Air ambulance (a dedicated aircraft) for more serious cases - Road transfer to a better-equipped facility within the same country
The emergency assistance team makes these arrangements. You do not arrange them yourself. The cost can range from NZ$15,000 (short-haul commercial stretcher) to NZ$200,000+ (air ambulance from the USA or remote locations).
Step 5: Communication With Your NZ Team
The emergency assistance team can contact your New Zealand oncologist's office on your behalf to: - Provide your NZ oncology team with the overseas treating team's assessment - Obtain your NZ treatment history and share it with overseas doctors - Discuss whether evacuation to New Zealand is the most appropriate course of action - Arrange for the receiving New Zealand hospital to be prepared for your arrival
Your next-of-kin emergency contact in New Zealand should be clearly documented in your policy and on your person.
Save everything: - All medical reports, test results, and imaging from the overseas hospital - All invoices, receipts, and payment records - Names and contact details of all treating doctors - Dates of all treatments and hospital stays - A timeline of events (written contemporaneously if possible) - Photos of injuries if relevant (less common for cancer emergencies)
Good documentation speeds up claim processing and protects you if there is any dispute about what treatment was received.
If you were hospitalised overseas and are now back in New Zealand: 1. Contact your insurer to formally report the claim if not already done 2. Submit all documentation: medical reports, invoices, receipts, your Certificate of Insurance 3. Brief your NZ oncologist on the overseas assessment and any treatment received 4. Follow up with your insurer's claims team — most claims are processed within 10–20 working days for straightforward cases
Keep copies of everything you submit. Communicate through the insurer's formal claims process, not by phone alone.
