1. Open the conditions and find the sentence that says what happens if you do not call first. Compare the consequence, not the phone number. 2. Ask where the deductible, the limit and the age cap are written. If the answer is "the voucher", read a sample voucher before paying. 3. Look for a published payment deadline for claims, and whether it comes with any remedy if missed. 4. Check the currency you will be charged in and what a refund returns to you.

Pulsar or Continental Assist: what actually changes when you need a doctor abroad?

Pulsar editorial team · Checked on 2026-10-01 against the conditions Continental Assist publishes.

Continental Assist sells travel assistance plans across Latin America, with offices in Aventura, Mexico City and Bogotá [2]. The real rules sit in a general conditions PDF. This page reads that PDF, dated January 2025, next to Pulsar's terms, so you can see what changes at the moment you need care.

Who is behind Continental Assist, and who do you deal with when something happens?

Their conditions name CONTINENTAL ASSIST, LLC as an international travel assistance organization providing medical, legal and personal assistance services [1]. You contact the Continental Assistance Center, by phone, email or WhatsApp [1][2].

With Pulsar, the plan is sold by Asteroid LLC in Aventura, Florida. Assistance and claims are run by MDabroad (US & UK Medical Abroad, LLC), which has worked in international medical assistance since 2000. Medical benefits are insured by the insurer named in the voucher email [4][7].

How big are the medical limits, and how are plans tiered?

The general conditions do not set one medical limit. They say limits are "indicated specifically for each contracted assistance plan/voucher" [1]. They list plan types: short stay, long stay, annual multi-trip, student, family, cruise and tour [1]. For multiple claims from one event, the cap for all those affected is USD 3,000,000 [1].

On the day we read it, a Continental Assist page selling travel health cover for Colombian visas showed medical limits of USD 18,000 (Global), 35,000 (Total), 60,000 (Maximus) and 100,000 (Supreme) [3]. That is one product page, not the whole range.

Pulsar sells four plans: Basic USD 30,000 (EUR 30,000 on Europe trips), Standard USD 50,000, Superior USD 100,000 and Prime USD 150,000, per person [7]. Because Continental's limits sit in the voucher, this page compares rules, not plan against plan.

What about pre-existing conditions?

Their definition reads: "Any illness, disease, or injury that has been previously diagnosed or treated, or is purely symptomatic" (Section 1, definitions) [1]. Plans that include chronic or pre-existing cover pay for acute episodes that cannot wait until you are home, and the conditions state that definitive treatment and diagnostic work-up are not part of it [1]. The site lists an optional upgrade for emergencies from previously diagnosed conditions [2].

Pulsar does not cover pre-existing conditions, except an acute heart attack or stroke, covered whatever your history. An optional upgrade (USD 15,000 or 20,000) covers acute episodes of listed chronic conditions [7].

What are the age and trip-length rules?

Their Section 6 says the age limit is the age the holder must be when the voucher is issued [1]. Their published conditions do not state one maximum purchase age for medical benefits; it depends on the plan. For trip length, annual multi-trip plans are valid 365 days, with a maximum of 30, 60 or 90 days abroad per trip depending on the plan [1].

Pulsar: maximum age 85 at purchase, with the medical limit at 75 percent from age 65. Maximum trip 180 days [7].

Is there a deductible?

The conditions define a deductible as the sum the policyholder must assume for medical assistance, as stated in the plan or voucher, paid before or at the time of service [1]. Whether your plan has one is therefore in the voucher. Pulsar's plans sold on the site have no deductible [7].

How do you get care, and is telemedicine included?

You must contact the Assistance Center before acting. The text says that failing to do so "will automatically result in the loss of any right to claim" [1]. You must also notify them within 72 hours of the event and obtain authorization before committing to any expense (Section 4) [1]. If life is threatened you may go to the nearest medical center and notify within 72 hours; for non-emergency use of an emergency room, they may pay the participating center USD 300 or reimburse a maximum of USD 300 [1].

Their conditions list a virtual or telephone doctor (item 8) and pre- and post-trip teleconsultation (item 18) [1].

At Pulsar, people answer 24/7 by phone (+1 786 257 0040) and WhatsApp (+1 786 414 1901) in Spanish, English or Portuguese. Call first, and in network the clinic bills Pulsar directly. Telemedicine is unlimited on every plan, with no charge per consultation and nothing counted against the medical limit [7].

How long do reimbursements take?

Their "Refund processes" section sets the timeline. When the Assistance Center has authorized you to pay a provider yourself, you have 30 calendar days from the event to send the documents. Continental then has 5 days to ask for anything missing, 5 business days to approve or deny, and pays within 30 business days of receiving your bank details in writing [1].

For Pulsar, check the issued plan terms for reimbursement timelines.

In what currency are you charged?

Their conditions say benefits and limits appear in the voucher in US dollars or euros, as applicable, and that reimbursements are paid in local currency at the official rate on the payment date [1].

Pulsar charges in your own currency (COP, MXN, PEN, CLP and others) at the prior day's market rate plus 1 percent, rounded up. Refunds are the same amount in the same currency [7].

Can you cancel and get money back?

For standard plans, the conditions say unused days are non-refundable (Section 3) and an expired plan cannot be reactivated. Cruise and tour plans cannot be cancelled or refunded for any reason [1]. Their published conditions do not state a refund rule for cancelling a standard plan before it starts [1].

Pulsar: full refund within 10 days of purchase if the trip has not started and nothing was used. After that, 80 percent back or a free date change until 3 business days before cover starts [7].

What happens if your flight is delayed?

If a flight is delayed more than six consecutive hours, Continental Assist reimburses hotel, meals and communication up to the plan limit (item 28) [1]. Their site also mentions access to VIP lounges through Xentral Pass for delays over 60 minutes, which the conditions say is enabled for certain plans (item 29) [1][2].

Pulsar reimburses reasonable expenses for delays over 12 consecutive hours (clause 38) [4]. Flight delay, with Blink Parametric: register your flight 24 hours ahead and get a lounge pass if it is delayed, live now. An automatic USD 50 payment for a delay of 2 hours or more is coming November 2026. Eligible flights per the terms on your voucher.

What do they say about sports?

The base plan covers recreational sports, listed one by one in the conditions (for example hiking, snorkeling, cycling and team sports). Skiing, boxing, mountaineering and similar activities sit in a separate high-risk upgrade [1]. Pulsar's own terms list its exclusions: read them the same way [4].

When might Continental Assist be the better choice?

You want a flight-delay trigger at six hours rather than twelve, or lounge access at 60 minutes [1][2].
You want a pre-trip teleconsultation, which their conditions list up to 15 days before travel [1].
You need a cruise or tour plan, which their conditions describe as a plan type [1].
You want trip-cancellation cover: their conditions describe a "multicausa" cancellation, rescheduling or interruption upgrade [1].

How do I choose?

Open the conditions and find the sentence that says what happens if you do not call first. Compare the consequence, not the phone number.
Ask where the deductible, the limit and the age cap are written. If the answer is "the voucher", read a sample voucher before paying.
Look for a published payment deadline for claims, and whether it comes with any remedy if missed.
Check the currency you will be charged in and what a refund returns to you.

Sources

Continental Assist, LLC. General Conditions applicable to our travel assistance plans, effective 13.01.2025. https://evacotizacion.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/terminosycondiciones/General%20Terms%20and%20Conditions,%2013.01.25%20and%20thereafter.pdf. Accessed 2026-10-01.
Continental Assist. Home (English). https://www.continentalassist.com/en. Accessed 2026-10-01.
Continental Assist. Travel Health Insurance in Colombia. https://travel-health-insurance-colombian-visa.continentalassist.com/. Accessed 2026-10-01.
Asteroid LLC (Pulsar). Pulsar terms. https://pulsar.travel/terms/. Accessed 2026-10-01.
Asteroid LLC (Pulsar). The Pulsar Promise. https://pulsar.travel/pulsar-promise/. Accessed 2026-10-01.
Asteroid LLC (Pulsar). Pulsar Flight Delay Benefit. https://pulsar.travel/flight-delay-benefit/. Accessed 2026-10-01.
Asteroid LLC (Pulsar). Pulsar full product description. https://pulsar.travel/llms-full.txt. Accessed 2026-10-01.

This comparison uses the conditions and pages Continental Assist publishes, read on 2026-10-01 (sources above). Conditions change and vary by plan and country: check the current document before you buy. Pulsar is not affiliated with Continental Assist. Brand names belong to their owners.