Emergency Medical Evacuation Service Insurance
Foreign helicopter insurance is not sufficient to cover emergency helicopter evacuation in Rwanda. We therefore include Rwandan Emergency Medical Evacuation Service (EMES) insurance in all our tours. We do not, however, include it in our individual activities, permits, experiences or stand-alone car hire and transfers.
In the event of a medical emergency in Rwanda, rapid transfer to hospital is only truly viable to holders of Rwandan EMES insurance. This insurance ensures that you will be transferred to hospital by the fastest possible method, including helicopter transfer when available. Your guide, or our support staff, will call a 24/7 emergency number and a trained paramedic will be on hand to support and take care of everything from organising the fastest way to get you to the hospital to ensure you get the right treatment after you arrive.
If you do not have the Rwandan EMES insurance and request a helicopter transfer to hospital, you will be expected to pay the helicopter charge of at least USD 3,000 per hour in advance and reclaim it from your insurance. When time is critical, this takes time to arrange. Furthermore, with regret, whilst we would do all we can to arrange a land or water ambulance for any of our clients who needed urgent medical care, Kingfisher Journeys will not try to help arrange helicopter transfers for anyone who does not have the Rwandan EMES insurance.
We therefore strongly recommend that all clients purchase EMES insurance when participating in any tourism activity in Rwanda outside of Kigali.
Note:
In the event of a medical emergency in Rwanda, rapid transfer to hospital is only truly viable to holders of Rwandan EMES insurance. This insurance ensures that you will be transferred to hospital by the fastest possible method, including helicopter transfer when available. Your guide, or our support staff, will call a 24/7 emergency number and a trained paramedic will be on hand to support and take care of everything from organising the fastest way to get you to the hospital to ensure you get the right treatment after you arrive.
If you do not have the Rwandan EMES insurance and request a helicopter transfer to hospital, you will be expected to pay the helicopter charge of at least USD 3,000 per hour in advance and reclaim it from your insurance. When time is critical, this takes time to arrange. Furthermore, with regret, whilst we would do all we can to arrange a land or water ambulance for any of our clients who needed urgent medical care, Kingfisher Journeys will not try to help arrange helicopter transfers for anyone who does not have the Rwandan EMES insurance.
We therefore strongly recommend that all clients purchase EMES insurance when participating in any tourism activity in Rwanda outside of Kigali.
Note:
- Helicopters do not fly in Rwanda at night or in bad weather.
- Even for clients with EMES insurance, the most suitable and fastest available method of travel to a medical facility may be by land or water ambulance.
- EMES insurance is valid for a fixed period of 14 days, extensions are only possible by purchasing an additional 14 days of cover.
- There is no special certificate or insurance policy issued. After purchase, you will be issued a Policy number and emergency contact details. These details can also be used to verify the cover.
