Our Global Network and Service Model

Last reviewed: April 2026. Sources: MDabroad operational data, JCI accreditation registry, Sabemi SUSEP Processo 15414.618124/2023-56.

When Allianz International needs someone to manage a complex medical case in the US, they don't tell their insured to deal with the hospital alone. They call a TPA. Asteroid travel insurance was built by the TPA these companies call — and that TPA, MDabroad, is what makes the difference between a policy and real protection.

Most people who purchase travel insurance have no idea what happens "behind the scenes" when an emergency strikes. They buy a promise, a policy, and expect that if something goes wrong, someone will be there to help. But who is this "someone"? And, more importantly, what is this "someone's" actual capacity to resolve your problem at your most vulnerable moment?

In the world of travel insurance, the central figure that turns a promise into reality is the TPA: the Third-Party Administrator. The TPA is the operational backbone, the intelligence, and the network of contacts that orchestrates the care. In Asteroid's case, our TPA is not a partner, an external vendor, or a generic call center. Our operational base is MDabroad, a company that has been providing TPA services for decades to the biggest players in the global market.

What is a TPA and Why It Determines Your Care

A TPA is a specialized company that processes claims and manages the service network on behalf of an insurer. Think of them as the engine and the control center. When you need medical assistance abroad, it's the TPA that receives your call, coordinates care, activates hospitals, doctors, and, crucially, authorizes payments.

Most travel insurers outsource this critical function to other companies. This creates a chain of providers where communication can be flawed, authority diluted, and response slow. It's the difference between speaking directly with a company's CEO and having to go through a telemarketing operator who, in turn, needs approval from a supervisor who might not even work for the same company. In an emergency, this difference can be critical.

The Game-Changing Infrastructure: MDabroad's Legacy

MDabroad wasn't built overnight. Its reputation was forged by managing complex logistics and cost containment for clients who demand the highest level of performance and reliability. We're talking about names like: * Allianz International * Cigna International * AXA * Global multinationals * Major mining and petroleum corporations * Diplomatic corps * Missionary groups * NGOs like the UN and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

These are not "small clients." These are organizations where a slip-up in service can have enormous financial, political, and human repercussions. To serve these entities, MDabroad had to build an unparalleled operation, featuring: * 24/7 Coverage in 162 Countries: A global network that operates non-stop, across all time zones. * Multilingual Support: Coordinators in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and German — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. * Robust Hospital Relationships: Direct agreements and contracts with 500+ hospitals and clinics — including JCI-accredited facilities such as Clínica Las Condes (Chile), Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (Colombia), Hospital CIMA (Costa Rica), Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires (Argentina), Médica Sur (Mexico), and Clínica Anglo Americana (Peru). Open access and direct billing on arrival. * Cost Containment Expertise: The ability to negotiate fees and procedures, guaranteeing the best care without exorbitant bills. This is what's expected of a TPA serving major insurers. * HIPAA Compliance: Strict adherence to American health privacy laws, a gold standard in patient data protection. * Direct Payment Authorization: The capability to guarantee direct payments to hospitals and service providers, eliminating the headache of reimbursement for the insured.

This is the elite infrastructure that MDabroad built and which, today, underpins Asteroid.

The Competitive Moat: We Are the Product

While most competitors outsource their TPA, Asteroid is, in essence, the direct extension of MDabroad. We don't have an assistance "partner"; we ARE the assistance. This vertical integration means: * Seamless Communication: No intermediaries, no delays in decision-making. * Full Authority: The team you speak with has the freedom and knowledge to solve your problem. * In-depth Expertise: Instead of call center scripts, you speak with specialists who understand the complexities of each case.

Sabemi (SUSEP Processo 15414.618124/2023-56), one of Brazil's largest regulated insurers, has trusted MDabroad as its primary TPA for years. Asteroid, therefore, is not a newcomer to the industry; it is the manifestation of consolidated operational intelligence, now directly accessible to you, the traveler. We "powered the industry" before we finally "sold to consumers." This credibility cannot be faked; it is earned.

The Direct Payment Model: Your Peace of Mind

One of the biggest fears in a travel emergency is having to pay thousands of dollars or euros out of pocket and waiting months for an uncertain reimbursement. MDabroad's TPA eliminates this. When you need care, our team: 1. Direct Contact with the Hospital: We call the healthcare institution, anywhere in the world. 2. Guarantee Establishment: We directly authorize payment to the hospital, on behalf of Asteroid. 3. You Focus on Your Recovery: No bureaucracy, no paperwork in the midst of a crisis, no waiting for reimbursement.

Our members carried cards that directly listed MDabroad's contact information, not the insurer's or any other intermediary's. This is concrete proof of who controlled the operation and guaranteed the support. In many cases, MDabroad even financed claims before receiving payment from insurers, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the insured.

The Blink Parametric Layer: Seamless Integration

Beyond medical support, Asteroid integrates innovations like parametric flight delay insurance via Blink. If your flight is delayed by more than 2 hours, you receive an automatic payout. No forms, no bureaucracy. What many people don't realize is that the ability to deliver this agility and automation rests on a robust operational foundation. MDabroad, with its expertise in systems and processing, ensures that the infrastructure is ready to support this innovation and that, should any issue arise, human support is there.

You're Not Buying a Call Center. You're Hiring the Operator.

Ultimately, what you're buying when you purchase Asteroid travel insurance is not just a policy. It's direct access to one of the world's most sophisticated medical and travel assistance infrastructures. You are not entrusting your safety to an outsourced call center that forwards your case to another. You are being served by the team that has years of experience saving lives and solving problems for the largest global organizations.

This is the difference MDabroad makes. This is the network no one talks about, and which you now know. And this is what it means to travel with the peace of mind of knowing that, behind your policy, there is an operational force tested and approved by the world's most demanding clients. This is what it means to buy travel insurance that actually includes assistance — not a policy that outsources both when you need them most. This is Asteroid.

Protect your next adventure

Travel insurance covering 162 countries. Automatic flight delay payouts. MDabroad TPA 24/7.

• USA/Canada: USD 250,000 minimum. A heart attack with angioplasty and 4 days in the ICU easily exceeds USD 200,000. Anything less is a false sense of protection.
• Europe: USD 100,000 minimum. The EUR 30,000 Schengen minimum does not cover a medical evacuation (EUR 20,000–EUR 50,000).

Watch the sub-limits: many policies advertise coverage of up to USD 300,000 but cap each procedure individually — surgery at USD 20,000, ICU at USD 5,000/day, evacuation at USD 30,000. Read the sub-limits before you buy.

That is Asteroid Assistance. Elite infrastructure, the transparency the industry avoids, and coverage that actually protects.

Get your travel insurance quote in 60 seconds and experience the difference of having MDabroad on your side.