TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin SkyMed

Anyone use SkyMed Insurance?

We have been overpaying for insurance for Years and decided to try a simple
policy for expenses and SkyMed for medical evacuation.

Does anyone have any experience with them??

All kinds of testimonials on Jeff Burgers site if you want to read them. As you would suspect all are good.

We never actually had to use Sky Med but I was very impressed with them the only time we attempted to. After having to argue and almost beg for answers to my questions with Allianz after hurricane Irma, I made one phone call to Sky Med and had my full refund within four day of first calling them. I finally gave up with Allianz since in the end I was able to get the answers I needed and receive full refunds all around from American Airlines along with full restitution of all our air miles.

I've had an annual policy with them for several years. I deal with them directly, not through a middleman. Luckily we've never needed to use them, but as we spend 8 weeks in SXM every year, better safe than sorry. In addition to the Caribbean, they cover you within the continental United States and Mexico, but not elsewhere. I find their pricing good.

We have a policy with them for many years. Have two friends who were very happy to have the coverage from them when things went awry and someone needed to be evacuated.

We, also have had a policy from them for many years. We have never had to use them but are very glad that if something unfortunate happens the insurance is there. We feel their pricing is pretty fair, as we are here 4 or 5 months per year. We have the policy that covers you in the states, as well.

We have had SkyMed Iinsurance for years and have actually had to use it in 2013 when Don fell& broke his hip. The office in Phoenix is excellent - needless to say I was beyond upset & they handled it all once they realized the extent of the injury. The Lear jet came out of a program in Georgia, staffed by a nurse/paramedic, with 2 pilots. They were in contact with medical control during the flight to Providence. SkyMed also arranged for all ground transports. I had to do nothing but call them and the ball was rolling. The ONLY concern I might have is that they do not take your luggage - only a carry on. Plus if it was a significant injury I’m not sure how they handle that - we didn’t get off the island for 24 hours - which Don spent in the hospital. Fortunately we were with my brother, so he brought home our luggage. If he wasn’t there I probably would have gotten on TTOL & asked if anyone was willing to bring it up to New England when they returned. Happy to answer any questions and yes, we still have the insurance.

Seems like it might be the way to go.

The Travelguard policy has to the "hospital of choice" also, but
I know that this one seems to work smoothly.

Thanks ....

Skymed only covers accidents.....anything you have been treated for within (I think) 60 days, is not covered. I found this out several years ago when my back was very unreliable and I signed up for coverage of a forthcoming trip to St. Martin. They were very easy to deal with and allowed me to I canceled the policy without issues.

Not so. Friends were covered for straight medical evacuations, not accidents.

It may depend on the level of coverage and the particular plan.

Can we drop the words Insurance and Policies from this conversation?

I'm splitting hairs, but depending on where most of us live, SkyMed is a Membership, not an Insurance Policy. Insurance is regulated. Membership is not. The other medevac companies which I am familiar with are similar - membership, not insurance. I have no issues with SkyMed, the MedJet Assist which I use (same thing, Membership, not Insurance), or similar companies (I get quarterly mail solicitations from one). But, except in limited locations, they are not Insurance.

I have been buying medevac membership for years, and highly recommend it to everyone. Just know what you are buying.

I bought mine in 2001 and would never travel without it. I have the 5-year Ultimate membership (just renewed through 2024) which offers global protection and is price-guaranteed for up to 10 years. It's also guaranteed renewable regardless of advancing age or declining health. There's a big article about it in the current issue of Destination St. Maarten magazine, in most SXM hotels and given out on AA and UA flights to SXM.

Annual pricing is about $1.35/day ($499 for family coverage, cheap to have a medevac jet at the ready around the clock to take you home.)

That's not really true. They exclude pre-existing conditions for only the first 90 days after you get an annual membership, and after that they're covered in full. They "take you home" when you become critically ILL or INJURED -- it is not just accidents.

100% true. It is often mischaracterized as insurance but it is not insurance -- except where required by law (FL I think).