Article July 7, 2026

Step-by-Step Guide to Request Medical Assistance Using EG Assist

Health in Colombia

While you are obtaining your visa or after it’s been approved, you may need medical assistance for an emergency or a health problem that requires attention. This is where the health policy you purchased during your visa application process comes into effect, starting with your request through EG Assist.

However, to ensure that your medical assistance is covered, you need to obtain authorization from EG Assist first so that payments are made directly to providers. For this reason, we will outline the assistance request process below and answer some of the most common questions from beneficiaries.

What is the medical assistance coverage provided with EG Assist?

EG Assist is designed to protect you in case you need medical care during your stay. The assistance included in your policy is provided in 2 ways.

First, EG Assist can refer you to medical providers approved under our policy and cover the associated medical expenses. Second, we can reimburse medical expenses in life-threatening emergencies where urgent care was required.

The process is carried out by the EG Assist’s Assistance Service Center, the point of contact through which our team will receive your request and instruct you with the appropriate steps to obtain the required medical assistance that you need.

When can I request medical assistance using EG Assist?

EG Assist is not designed or contracted to provide assistance or reimbursement for:

Please remember that medical services are coordinated and authorized by the Assistance Services Center and its medical department, and are provided only for emergencies. Some of the medical services that you can request are:

What are the service channels to request medical assistance via EG Assist?

EG Assist service support channels are active 24/7 and offer several ways to request assistance depending on the situation. If you incur costs during the initial contact, such as collect call charges, keep the receipts and submit them to the EG Assist support team for reimbursement.

The available support channels are:

Important note about Geographic Validity

Keep in mind that, under the terms and conditions of EG Assist in section 4, medical assistance is covered worldwide for the duration of the policy, except in the beneficiary’s home country.

How to request emergency medical assistance with EG Assist through WhatsApp?

The EG Assist WhatsApp channel is intended for emergency assistance or as the first point of contact for our beneficiaries in situations where they need to report medical expenses within the first 48 hours (provided they are covered by authorized medical services). These are the steps you need to follow:

Step 1: Select your language

Open the WhatsApp app and contact the EG Assist number: +57 1 916 3199.

Once in the chat, please write that you need assistance. A menu will pop up asking you for your language. Select english.

Step 2: Select Emergency

The next menu will ask you to select between 3 options: if you need medical assistance or need to report a life-threatening emergency, please select ‘Emergency’.

Step 3: Please describe your Emergency

We will ask you to provide a brief description of the inquiry or emergency. Please also have at hand your assistance number, name of the medical center, medical history, or any additional information.

Step 4: Follow an agent's instructions

The EG Assist chat will transfer you to one of our agents, who may request some additional information. After that, they will provide new instructions and ask you for a number to contact you until the request is resolved.

Our team will coordinate medical appointments, transfers to new medical centers, and payments. All this, provided they have been authorized, or the medical emergency has been confirmed within 48 hours of the event.

What should I do if I need emergency hospital care before contacting EG Assist?

In a life-threatening emergency, seek medical attention immediately, even if the hospital is not part of the authorized EG Assist network. Contact the EG Assist Assistance Service Center within 48 hours of admission to report the emergency and coordinate further care.

For non-emergency situations, all medical assistance must be authorized in advance through the EG Assist Assistance Service Center. Our team will direct you to an approved medical provider and coordinate the required services.

When contacting EG Assist, be prepared to provide details about the emergency, the hospital or medical facility involved, and any relevant medical history. Our team will also coordinate transfers and direct payments when applicable.

If you paid for emergency treatment out of pocket, you may request reimbursement by contacting the Assistance Service Center and following these steps:

Date of request and city

Fill the field ‘Fecha’ with the date of the request and the field ‘Ciudad’ with the name of the city from where the request is made.

Do not fill the field ‘Número de Caso’. This information will be completed by EG Assist.

Select the reason for reimbursement

Select the reason you need the reimbursement, which in this scenario can be ‘medicamentos’ (medicine), Gastos médicos (medical expenses), or traslados (transfers to hospitals) by filling the box next to the appropriate option.

Personal information

Next, you will find the field of ‘información del viajero’:

‘Nombre completo del titular de la poliza’ must be filled with the complete name of the holder of the health policy. Next to it, please enter the ID document number used in the registration process (also select the appropriate box).

In the ‘Nombre completo del beneficiario’ field, fill in the information of the beneficiary and their ID number (the beneficiary of the health policy can also be its holder).

In the ‘Correo electrónico’ field, write your email address, and in the ‘Número de teléfono’ space, the contact number.

Background of the assistance

In this space, describe in detail the relevant information to understand the reason for reimbursement. Some key information is a description of the incident and why you were unable to contact EG Assist before using unauthorized providers. You also need to include the event dates, the treatment received, and the symptoms.

Reimbursement information

First, you will see a small module with some information you will need to fill in:

‘País de viaje’ is the country where the emergency and medical treatment happened.
‘Fecha de asistencia’: Date when the emergency care occurred.
‘Valor solicitado’: the amount of money you require to be reimbursed.
Tipo de moneda: the currency in which you need the money to be transferred.

Authorization of payment

Next to the field ‘Autorizo sea consignado el dinero de este reembolso en la Cuenta,’ you are going to find 2 boxes to indicate the type of account in which you want the reimbursement to be páid: ‘ahorros’ (savings account) or ‘corriente ’ (checking account).

Below and next to the ‘Numero’ field, you need to write your account number and then select between the 2 options: Scotia Bank or other (if it’s the second, please indicate the name of the bank). Lastly, please indicate the name to which the reimbursement will be made.

Sign of the beneficiary

In this box, the policyholder must authorize the processing of their personal data in compliance with Law 1581 of 2012. If another person is authorized, they must also sign this field.

Support documentation

The next module of the form will indicate which documentation you need to include to validate your claim. In the columns above, you will find the reason for your refund request, and in the rows on the right, the requested document. The boxes that have a box indicate that this document will be requested using this form to validate and review the request.

Once the form is completed, please send it to the email address refunds@egassit.com: you need to include the complete clinical history, the receipts related to the reimbursement, and the form. You also need to include all the additional documentation required

After the email has been sent, please contact EG Assist at the WhatsApp number +57 1 9163199 to confirm that the form and the documentation have been sent.

Once the documents are received, EG Assist may request additional information within five (5) consecutive days. Claims are then reviewed within fifteen (15) business days. The reimbursement department processes this request Monday to Friday, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. If approved, reimbursement will be issued along with a confirmation letter. If denied, a denial letter will be provided

What information must I provide to request medical assistance with EG Assist?

When the beneficiary or a third party contacts the service channels to request medical assistance, they must present certain information so that the request is accepted and the medical care is reimbursed. Before contacting EG Assist, please have the following information prepared:

Full name of the beneficiary: It must exactly match the name on the passport.
Passport number: Provide the same number used for registration in the EG Assist health policy.
Assistance number: The number that appears on the first page of the provided voucher.
Exact location: Please provide the city, address, or medical center where the beneficiary is located at the time of the service request.
Contact number: The beneficiary’s number. If you need assistance from another person, please provide their contact number.
Description of the medical issue: Relevant information can include: medical history, medication orders, surgeries, and treatments

As you can see, it’s vital that you or any emergency contact have this information on hand to request medical assistance through EG Assist. Your assistance number, for example, might not be as readily available as other general information. You can locate this number on the first page of your voucher. You can identify it by looking for a serial that starts with ‘EG Assist’ and is followed by numbers. For example: ‘EG Assist-1234.’

Can someone else request medical assistance for me if I am unable to do so?

Yes. If there is an emergency or the EG Assist policy beneficiary cannot contact our service center directly, a third party can do so on their behalf. The person who communicates can be a companion, friend, or family member.

Any third party requesting emergency services through EG Assist must do so under the same protocol as the policyholder: they must communicate before any medical assistance is provided or within the first 48 hours of the medical emergency.

To sum up: how you need to request medical assistance from EG Assist

If you need to use the EG Assist emergency assistance service, it is important to understand the process and requirements so you can receive care more quickly and ensure all payments are made under your health policy. The most important aspects you need to remember are:

Prior authorization is key: To guarantee coverage and direct payment to providers, you must contact EG Assist before seeking any medical care.
The 48-hour rule: For life-threatening emergencies, you may visit the nearest hospital. You or a third party (a friend/family member) must report it within 48 hours to ensure reimbursement.
Contact Channels: You can reach the assistance center at any time through WhatsApp, landline, or email.
Information You’ll Need: Before contacting the service center, have some details ready, like full name & passport number, assistance number, exact location, and reason for request.

EG Assist is the best option for expats looking to acquire a health policy to apply for a visa, not only because it adheres to the law in Colombia and the requirements stipulated by the government, but also because it’s clear and transparent about the process to request medical assistance, while other policy providers might hide behind terms and conditions and small print in a contract. If you are interested in acquiring EG Assist, fill out the form below and start your protection today!