Brokerfish Help • Glossary
What are companion expenses in international health insurance?
Companion expenses are the travel and related costs for someone who accompanies an insured person during a serious medical situation, most often during evacuation, repatriation, or extended inpatient treatment. Depending on the policy, this can include airfare, local transport, and sometimes hotel costs for a family member or other approved companion.
Key takeaway
Plain-English definition
This benefit helps with the extra cost of having another person travel with you or join you when a medical emergency is serious enough that you should not travel or recover alone.
What may be covered
- Economy airfare for one companion
- Reasonable hotel or accommodation costs
- Local transport linked to the approved medical event
- Travel during emergency evacuation or medical repatriation
- In some plans, transport for a parent accompanying a child
What is often not covered
- Extra family members beyond the allowed number
- Upgraded flights or non-essential travel arrangements
- Travel booked without insurer approval where approval was possible
- Costs unrelated to the insured medical event
- Routine visits or convenience-based travel
What to check in the wording
- Is the benefit only for evacuation and repatriation cases?
- Does it cover one companion only?
- Are accommodation and meals included, or only transport?
- Does the insurer have to arrange the travel directly?
- Is there an age rule for children travelling with a parent or guardian?
Why it matters
In a serious cross-border claim, medical treatment is only one part of the problem. Being alone in a foreign hospital or travelling after a medical emergency can be difficult, especially for children, older travellers, and expatriates far from close family. A strong companion-expenses benefit can make a real difference.
Helpful internal links
Need help comparing evacuation and travel-related benefits?
We can help compare companion travel, child return, compassionate visit, repatriation, and evacuation wording so you know where the practical differences really are.