Travel Insurance

Medical Insurance for Russian Olympics 2014

Medical Insurance for Russian Olympics 2014

Insurance for International Visitors to Sochi Olympics Russia

The 22nd Winter Olympic Games and the 11th Paralympic Games are taking place in Sochi, Russia from the 7th of February, 2014, but the world stage is focused on recent terrorist attacks – including suicide bombings – and the continued threats of attacks during the games.

Russian officials are claiming they will have the tightest security in history at the Olympic games, some of which are to be held less than an hour away from North Caucasus where a pair of suicide bombers very recently left 34 people dead and dozens wounded. Russia’s North Caucasus is plagued with violence nearly every day.

Many countries, including the U.S. have issued travel alerts to their citizens planning to attend the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. In particular, the U.S. Department of State Travel Warning for the Olympic Winter Games reminds its citizens to:

  • Check their health insurance plan to ensure they have coverage for medical treatment in a foreign country.
  • Check their travel insurance plan to ensure they have coverage for medical evacuation should they be seriously injured.
  • Check their travel insurance plan to ensure they have repatriation coverage to return their body if they are killed while traveling.

The U.S. travel alert reminds those attending the Olympics that these are large-scale events with many thousands of people held in a city with an infrastructure that is untested for handling the high volume of visitors expected for the Olympics. Should a large-scale attack occur, the local medical facilities could soon be overwhelmed and a medical evacuation could mean the difference for those with travel insurance plans.

In addition, the Russian Federation requires a valid travel insurance policy when applying for a visa and/or when entering Russia and visitors without will be denied entrance. It’s important for travelers heading to Russia to make sure they are covered and to have proper documentation, when entering the country and with your visa application. Their health insurance must be valid in Russia and it must cover the entire duration of their stay in the country.

US citizens attending Russian Olympics can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) which enables the Embassy to get in touch with important safety and security announcements as well as helping your friends and family back home get in touch in an emergency.

Medical Insurance for Russian Olympics

If you are planning to attend the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Russia, the following travel medical coverage is recommended:

  • Medical treatment for accidents, injuries, and illnesses, including emergency ambulance services, hospital and surgery, and physical therapy
  • Emergency medical evacuation for situations where the local medical facilities are overwhelmed or your injuries are beyond their training to treat properly
  • Repatriation of Remains for the worst possible scenario.
  • Travel assistance services to help you navigate an emergency situation and make arrangements such as alternative travel and/or to keep your family updated as to your condition
  • Baggage coverage in case your luggage and personal effects are destroyed or delayed due to slowdowns in travel

Some of the travel medical insurance policies like Liaison International Insurance, Atlas International Insurance, Patriot International Insurance can provide the recommended coverage.

To see how much the policy would cost and to compare different polices visit: Quote and Compare International Travel Medical Insurance. Depending on your citizenship, state of residence, age and other factors; the eligibility for these or other plans may vary. Please discuss with our qualified licensed International Health Insurance experts to get answers for your queries.