On the last day of a trip, a mission worker falls ill with an infectious disease. Due to government orders, she is not allowed to leave the country. The rest of the mission team has no choice but to board their flight back home. The mission worker is 150 miles from a facility that offers the care she needs. Alone, sick, and without transportation, the worker’s U.S. sponsor tries to help coordinate care but is having trouble negotiating from overseas.
Mission work carries untold risks for travelers. From an onsite injury to a vehicle accident, there are multiple ways a medical emergency can compromise a mission. Short-term mission workers may be unaware of the bodily dangers and financial risks they face in the field
Travel insurance is often overlooked because many mission leaders assume it’s unnecessary or expensive—which isn’t always the case. What’s the risk of going without? It’s about more than just lost luggage. Travel insurance offers emergency medical coverage to care for you when an injury or illness forces you to seek immediate treatment.
That added coverage is critical. “Most health insurance plans generally provide little to no coverage outside of the U.S. For some, their health insurance doesn’t even work out of state,” said Tyler Ward, missions and ministry manager with Brotherhood Works. Without coverage, finding skilled care, medications, and emergency transportation requires connections not always readily available.
“Travel insurance is protection for the things you can’t imagine happening—but do,” said Ward. For medical emergencies in the mission field, time, distance, and funds create barriers to care. Without travel insurance, overseas short-term mission workers risk getting entangled in potentially dangerous and costly scenarios that put you at the mercy of people looking to cash in on your misfortune.
“Say, you break your leg. A friend of a friend of a friend says that he can drive you the 300 miles to the nearest hospital,” said Ward “These types of arrangements are offered only if you have the cash. A lot of cash.” And that’s if locals assist you. The price tag for an ambulance run or a medical airlift skyrockets beyond a mission worker’s careful budget. “Medical and security evacuations aren’t cheap,” he said. “Without insurance, the worker may be on the hook to arrange and pay for emergency transportation, hospital stays, and medical care themselves.
When a situation goes sideways, the mission worker often is left with limited help and no good options. Mission travelers assume that the sending organization will cover them. The reality is that most organizations leave it up to the traveler to secure their own coverage—often mentioned as an afterthought in the planning phase, if at all.
“When that happens, word spreads that the organization doesn’t protect its travelers,” cautioned Ward. As a result, reputational damage hurts the organization and its mission, families, and financial resources.
Protect Traveling Mission Workers
Not all travel insurance is built the same. Many exclude coverage in high-risk regions. That puts Christian mission work, in particular, at a disadvantage. It’s in these very areas where need is greatest, and where many mission workers find their calling.
Here’s where Faith Ventures is different. Faith Ventures understands the why at the forefront of Christian mission work. “Christian mission work is the reason Faith Ventures exists,” emphasized Ward. Faith Ventures offers affordable travel insurance designed specifically for the mission traveler following a heart for service.
“You can prepare as much as you want to for a trip, but you never know when something is going to go wrong. And something almost always goes wrong,” said Ward. “That’s what travel insurance is there for, to provide that added protection to cover the unknowns.”
Mission Travel Protection
Organizations can emphasize traveler safety without taking on the cost. The Faith Ventures card* offers three plan options up to 180 days per trip for those traveling at least 100 miles from home, anywhere in the world. For as little as $30 per traveler, individuals get the assurance of global coverage for emergency illness, accident, or assistance, 24/7/365. A Faith Ventures card includes trip and travel protection, too, for delayed or lost baggage, delayed or canceled flights, and canceled trips. The basic plan includes:
Emergency evacuation and travel arrangements
24-hour medical assistance helpline
Illness medical expense
Accident medical expense
Security evacuation
Trip delay/missed connection coverage with local transportation
Baggage delay, theft, or loss
Accidental death and repatriation
Emergency cash transfer assistance
Lost or stolen passport assistance
Emergency message relay
Legal referrals and language services
Trip cancellation reimbursement for nonrefundable payments. You can add this option to your card up to 21 days prior to departure. Coverage applies if your trip is cancelled because your traveling companion is medically unable to travel.
Faith Ventures makes it simple to purchase, both for individuals and for group leaders. Travelers can purchase individual plans easily, just by answering a few questions. If the trip organizer chooses to buy Faith Ventures cards for a group, they can simply upload an existing spreadsheet and buy policies for everyone in a single transaction.
*See policy documents for precise coverage details.
Insurance and travel agency services offered under the Faith Ventures name are provided in collaboration between Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company and Fly For Good, Inc. (which also does business as AFC Travel).
Posted February 23, 2024
The information provided in this article is intended to be helpful, but it does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for the advice from a licensed attorney in your area. We strongly encourage you to regularly consult with a local attorney as part of your risk management program.
