My partner was hurt on a scooter in Bali and the insurer is asking about a licence. Why?

Many policies only cover motorbike accidents if the rider held the right licence and wore a helmet. Send us the policy wording and we can help you understand where you stand. If the claim is declined, we can still quote privately.

The patient is on Lombok or the Gili Islands. How do they get to Bali?

Usually by fast boat, a short flight from Lombok, or a dedicated aircraft for serious cases. We plan that first leg with the local clinic as part of the same transfer.

Can we fly home on a normal flight with a nurse?

Often, yes, if the patient is stable and the airline's medical team approves them. It costs much less than an air ambulance, and we will tell you honestly whether it is safe.

How long does it take to arrange?

It depends mostly on the hospital account and the medical report. Once those are ready, we aim to have a confirmed plan within [X] hours.

Bali, Lombok, Jakarta and the rest of Indonesia

Medical Repatriation from Indonesia to Australia

Most of the Indonesian calls we take are from Bali, and most of those start the same way: a scooter, a wet road and a broken bone. Bali is the single most common place Australians end up in hospital overseas, simply because so many of us go there.

Call 24/7: 1800 796 769

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From overseas: +61 3 8820 6840

Send patient details

A few details is enough. A coordinator calls you back to go through the rest.

Where is the patient now? *

Where do they need to go? *

Patient's condition, in plain words *

Level of care *

How urgent? *

Your name and phone *

Email (for your confirmation)

Medical reports (optional)Attach discharge summary or doctor's report (PDF or photo, up to 10 MB each)

Prefer WhatsApp? Message +61 3 8820 6840

Your privacy. Medical information you send is handled confidentially by our medevac coordination team and is only used to plan the patient's transfer. Reports are stored privately and never published. Privacy policy

What situations do Australians face in Indonesia?

The good news is that Bali's private hospitals are used to Australian patients and Australian insurers, and Darwin is only about two and a half hours away. The harder cases are on the islands around Bali, such as Lombok, the Gili Islands and Nusa Penida, where care is basic and the first job is getting the patient to Denpasar.

Scooter and motorbike accidents

Broken arms, legs and collarbones, head injuries and deep grazes. Insurers often ask whether the rider held a motorcycle licence and wore a helmet, and some decline claims when they didn't.

Methanol poisoning

Drinks made with contaminated spirits can cause methanol poisoning, which needs urgent treatment and sometimes intensive care. Tell the hospital straight away if it is suspected.

Animal bites and rabies risk

Bali has rabies. Dog and monkey bites need prompt vaccination and sometimes immunoglobulin, which can be hard to get locally and can be a reason to come home sooner.

Dengue, gastro and island injuries

Dengue fever and severe dehydration, plus boating, surfing and diving injuries on Lombok, the Gilis and Nusa Penida, where patients need to cross to Bali first.

How do hospitals in Indonesia handle discharge for a transfer?

Private hospitals in Bali, such as BIMC, Siloam and Kasih Ibu, usually have an international desk that deals with insurers. Before they release a foreign patient, they normally want the account settled, either paid by the family or covered by a guarantee of payment from the insurer. That paperwork, not the flight, is often what decides the departure day.

Our doctor speaks with the treating doctor to agree that the patient is fit to fly and on what terms: oxygen, pain relief, a stretcher or a seat. The hospital then prepares a discharge summary in English and copies of the scans. Public hospitals, including Prof. Ngoerah in Denpasar, may write some notes in Indonesian, and we arrange translation where needed.

Commercial stretcher or dedicated jet: which is right?

Seated with a medical escort

The most common option from Bali. A nurse or doctor flies with the patient on a direct scheduled flight, often in a business class seat for leg room. Flights to Perth take about three and a half hours, and to the east coast about six.

Commercial airline stretcher

Some airlines can fit a stretcher on flights from Denpasar, but places are limited and need several days' notice and the airline's own medical approval. It suits patients who must lie flat but are otherwise stable.

Dedicated air ambulance jet

For patients who are unstable, ventilated or can't wait. A mid-size jet reaches Darwin or Perth nonstop; the east coast needs a long-range jet or a stop in Darwin.

We often price two options side by side, so you can see the real difference in cost before deciding.

How stretcher repatriation compares in cost

What documents are needed?

We need the patient's passport, an English medical report from the treating doctor, and the travel insurance policy and claim numbers if there is a policy. If the passport was lost in an accident, the Australian Consulate-General in Bali can issue an emergency travel document.

If the patient has stayed past their visa while in hospital, Indonesian immigration may need to clear the overstay before departure. For road accidents, ask the hospital or your accommodation about a police report early, as insurers often want one with the claim.

Which routes do we fly from Indonesia?

All routes we fly

Flight times, aircraft and fuel stops for each Australian city:

Last reviewed 9 November 2026. Read alongside official travel advice: Travel advice: Indonesia (Smartraveller, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade); Travel insurance (Smartraveller, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade); IATA Medical Manual (International Air Transport Association).

International medical repatriation guide