How to activate IATI 24h assistance step by step

1. Before the trip: prepare

The 24h assistance works much better if you do this before leaving home:

• Download IATI's app and log in (works offline to check phones and policy).
• Save a copy of the policy on your phone (downloaded PDF) and in the cloud (Gmail, Drive).
• Note the 24h assistance phones in your phone's notes and on a paper inside your passport. There is usually one phone for calls from Spain and another with international prefix for calls from abroad.
• Communicate to a trusted person the policy number and insurance data, in case you cannot manage the assistance.
• Verify your credit card works in the destination country (notify the bank of travel dates).

2. Data you need at hand to call

• Full policy number.
• ID or passport of the insured.
• Exact location: city, address where you are, hospital if already in one.
• Name and local contact phone (in case they need to call you back).
• Chronological description of the facts: what happened, when, current symptoms.

3. Step by step: what to do

Step 1 — Contact 24h assistance

Call the assistance phone with international prefix. If you are in a hospital and cannot call, ask the staff to call on your behalf — assistance accepts calls from the medical centre.

Step 2 — Identify yourself and explain the situation

Provide the policy number and your identification data. Explain the facts in a clear and chronological way. Assistance will decide whether it is a medical emergency, a schedulable case or a non-medical management (luggage, delays, etc.).

Step 3 — Request the case file number

This is the most critical step and the one most often forgotten. Without a case file number, each subsequent call will force you to start from scratch. Note it on the phone and on paper.

Step 4 — Wait for authorisation before spending

Except for immediate life-threatening emergencies, do not incur expenses without express authorisation. In many cases, IATI coordinates directly with the hospital and you will not have to advance money. If you have to advance, request written authorisation (email or app message) of the authorised amount.

Step 5 — Keep all documentation

Invoices, medical reports, prescriptions, receipts, correspondence with IATI. Photograph everything from the start and upload to the cloud. In case of reimbursement, every document counts.

4. What NOT to do

• Do not go to an expensive private hospital without consulting if you have a public or IATI-affiliated hospital closer. May affect reimbursement.
• Do not sign any consent in a language you do not understand without reviewing it (request translation or interpretation).
• Do not pay large amounts in cash if you can pay by card: an invoice with name and payment trace is worth much more.
• Do not accept "verbal arrangements" from the hospital or informal discounts that do not appear on the invoice.
• Do not leave the hospital without the definitive medical report and without official discharge. Always request stamped copy.
• Do not discard receipts or tickets, not even small ones (pharmacy, hospital transport, etc.).
• Do not change flight on your own without IATI's authorisation if you expect the insurer to bear the cost of a medical flight.

5. Alternative channels if the phone does not work

In areas with bad coverage or when the phone gives problems, IATI usually offers these alternatives (verify which apply to your policy):

• IATI app with integrated assistance chat.
• Assistance WhatsApp (if your product includes it).
• Claims email — slower but leaves written trace.
• Web form of the customer area.

Document each attempt (chat screenshot, timestamp, response or lack thereof). If you have to act on your own because there is no response, these screenshots are your proof of having tried to contact.

6. After assistance: follow-up

1. Request written closure of the case once assistance or reimbursement has been received.
2. Verify the amount paid against the invoices you provided. Claim if there are differences.
3. Keep the resolution of the case for at least 5 years.
4. If you are not satisfied with the resolution, you have the claim routes explained in the IATI complaints guide.

Frequently asked questions

Notice: this guide is informational. The exact phones, processes and available channels can vary depending on the product contracted and may be updated. Check your policy and IATI's official website for updated operational data.