Stabbed in Ecuador: NBC's Today Show Recommends Air Medical Evacuation

A story from NBC's Today Show this morning is a frightening illustration of why you need medical evacuation coverage if you travel: bizarre things can happen. The story is about an Oregon couple who sold their belongings to live for a year in Central America and Ecuador. But just two months in, a group of men attacked the couple for no apparent reason and stabbed the man 18 times.

At an Ecuadorian hospital, infection set in. To get back to a US hospital for further treatment, the man needed a special medevac plane. Without medical evacuation coverage, the cost was astronomical: $55,000. That's money that has to be paid up front, in cash, before the patient boards the plane.

An NBC security consultant recommended buying coverage before you leave for a trip. It's advice that could save your life.