Repatriation insurance is a type of travel insurance that will pay specifically for travel costs to back to one’s country of origin in case of illness, injury or even death while traveling, studying or living abroad. Repatriation policies are often combined with evacuation insurance, which pays for the cost of returning to a country of origin if a traveler needs to be evacuated because of being physically endangered due to political insurrection or natural disasters. While many casual travelers buy such coverage for the duration of a vacation abroad before the trip, policies are also available for exchange students, people working in foreign countries and their families, and for military personnel.
Consider purchasing insurance before the trip to France. Conducting business in one’s native language can be far easier than conducting business in a foreign language. Likewise, making payment arrangements from one’s personal bank account at home can be far easier than making arrangements once abroad. In France, become familiar with the vocabulary necessary to purchase insurance while there. While many business professionals in France speak English, language specific to the industry may lead to misunderstanding.
Find an agency. “Assurance,” pronounced (ahss-sur-ohns) is the word for “insurance.” Searching French yellow pages under this section will yield a list of local agencies. Narrow the search by finding those agents who specialize in “assurance de voyage et repatriation,” which is translated as “travel and repatriation insurance.” Seeing either “voyage” or “repatriation" is a strong indication the agency has a policy to accommodate a traveler’s needs.
Visit the agency in person. Find a way to visit the agency by using a map and public transportation or writing down the address for a cab driver if your French is rusty or non-existent. Phone conversations where one party is speaking in his non-native language are awkward at best and incomprehensible at worst. Face-to-face communication, with non-verbal cues and body language, will help facilitate the transaction if the language barrier is an obstacle.
Be prepared to pay in Euros. Remember that even if funds are withdrawn from a U.S.-based account or on a U.S.-issued credit card, the transaction will be conducted in Euros, the currency of Europe. If you wish to pay with local currency be prepared to withdraw cash, to exchange dollar-denominated traveler’s checks or to carry Euro-denominated traveler’s checks.
