CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – Imagine suffering a medical emergency abroad and being on the hook for potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to get home.

That is the reality in two recent cases where women from the Carolinas have required medical air transport to return to the U.S.

Just weeks ago, one Charlotte woman was stuck in Turks and Caicos after a car accident. It was going to cost $25,000 for her to get medical transportation back to the United States. Her family had to fundraise to get her home.

Travelers can protect themselves from the potentially daunting costs by purchasing travel insurance.

There are plenty of travel insurance options out there, covering everything from travel and baggage delays to emergency transportation.

For example, the company Allianz offers a plan called “OneTrip Emergency Medical,” which includes up to $50,000 in emergency medical/dental coverage and up to $250,000 in emergency transportation.

One traveler heading to Italy for a week on a $5,000 trip will pay about $46 for a plan like that.

Jason Tyson with the North Carolina Department of Insurance shared some advice for those considering travel insurance.

“Talk to their agent to make sure that the coverage they’re looking for is available or that it can be added, to make sure that the coverage applies to the area in which you’re traveling to,” he said. “Sometimes there are exceptions based on where you’re going…once you receive it, verify that the coverage you expect to be included is included.”

The North Carolina Department of Insurance has an online guide to walk travelers through the different types of insurance. The guide and more can be accessed here.

Also Read: Charlotte woman home from Turks and Caicos after being hospitalized from severe car crash

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