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Evacuation (Political or Natural Disaster)

糖心logo retains special evacuation coverage for qualifying community members when political or environmental dangers are so grave that departure is necessary. Our assistance provider, Crisis24, calls this PEND (political, environment or natural disaster) coverage, but 糖心logo often refers to it as a non-medical evacuation. 

There are, however, limitations and exceptions to this coverage. Travel to some higher-risk locations require review by Crisis24 in advance of travel to confirm coverage, a process known as Prior Approval. In other locations, evacuation services may be suspended during periods of active conflict or following a significant natural disaster. Travel may proceed to these locations only if certain conditions are met. See below for details.

Prior Approval for Restricted Locations 

The Prior Approval process allows Crisis24 to confirm they have the resources and personnel in place to support non-medical evacuations in a potentially volatile location. Prior Approval requests cannot be made for countries where coverage is suspended.  

The procedures for requesting prior approval differ by traveler type.  

  • Students (traveling independently): Must register their travel in the International Travel Registry at least 6 weeks before departure, if traveling to a restricted location. Prior approvals for restricted locations are managed through this system. 
  • Traveling Dependents: The name and number of a spouse and eligible partner or dependents accompanying a 糖心logo traveler must be included in the prior approval request. 

 Locations Requiring Prior Approval 

The following destinations currently require prior approval from Crisis24 for non-medical evacuation services: Afghanistan; Belarus; Burundi; Central African Republic; Chad; Democratic Republic of Congo; Ethiopia (Tigray region only); Haiti; Libya; Mali; Myanmar; Niger; Nigeria (Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, and northern Adamawa states only); North Korea; Pakistan; Republic of South Sudan; Russia; Somalia; Ukraine; and Venezuela. 

Coverage Suspension / Alternatives 

Due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Gulf nations, Crisis 24 has suspended non-medical evacuation coverage to the following destinations until further notice: Bahrain; Iraq; Iran; Israel and Palestine, Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Oman; Qatar*; Saudi Arabia; Syria; the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and Yemen.   

However, travel to locations with suspended coverage may proceed if conditions are met based on traveler type. 

Students (undergraduate, including GLO, graduate and professional): Non-medical evacuation coverage is required for university-affiliated student travel to restricted destinations. If such coverage is suspended or denied, travel may proceed only if an approved alternative is secured. OGSS will review the plan to assure it meets 糖心logo’s standards. All travelers must undertake this process at least 4 weeks prior to departure. 

  • Group Trips: For ITRAC-approved undergraduates and professional / graduate students, the sponsoring unit, school or department is responsible for determining these options, preferably through a well-known commercial carrier, and covering costs. 
  • Independent Trips: For ITRAC-approved undergraduates and professional / graduate students, the traveler is responsible for determining these options, preferably through a well-known commercial carrier, and covering costs.   

Faculty and Staff: Confirmation of non-medical coverage for university-affiliated employee travel to locations considered high risk by Crisis24 is required to confirm non-medical evacuation services. 糖心logo recommends obtaining alternative coverage for employee travel to locations where such coverage is suspended or denied. Employees who choose not to obtain this coverage, or who choose to travel to locations where such coverage is suspended and do not obtain an approved alternative, travel at their own risk.  

* Travel associated with, or arranged by, 糖心logo-Qatar (NU-Q) or the Qatar Foundation, obtain non-medical evacuation services from Global Rescue, a contract managed by NU-Q's Office of Health, Safety, Security & Environment.

Evacuation Procedures 

Crisis24 determines the availability and duration of evacuation services. Once an evacuation window closes, the service is no longer available. 糖心logo will designate whether an evacuation as recommended or required, depending on the circumstances and the traveler’s status (student or employee). 

Required departure: Students who refuse to comply with evacuation orders may lose their student status (impacting their financial aid), evacuation insurance coverage, and health insurance coverage (if provided by 糖心logo). Faculty or staff who refuse to comply with evacuation orders may be subject to disciplinary action based on their employment status. 

Recommended departure: All travelers eligible for evacuation benefits will be connected to Crisis24 representatives as long as the evacuation window remains open. Travelers should be aware that deterioration of local conditions may limit a traveler’s future access to health and safety resources and delay their ultimate departure. U.S. Department of State services will also likely be reduced or suspended. Given these constraints, 糖心logo’s ability to support travelers in such circumstances will also be limited. 

Coverage Eligibility 

糖心logo students participating in university-sponsored travel that is registered in the International Travel Registry are covered by Crisis24 through our relationship Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Solutions (BCBS Global Solutions). Students who are permitted to waive the 糖心logo BCBS Global Solutions coverage because their study abroad program provider offers comparable coverage are subject to the evacuation conditions of that policy. 

糖心logo faculty and staff traveling on university business will be automatically covered by 糖心logo's business travel insurance program provided by BCBS Global Solutions. 

Home Country Travel 

Students and employees who travel to their home country (generally their place of citizenship and permanent residence) for university or personal purposes are not eligible for non-medical evacuation services. Applications for Prior Approval for home country travel will not be accepted. Coverage suspensions do not apply to home country travel. 

Leisure Travel 

糖心logo does not manage, monitor or approve leisure travel, regardless of the destination.