Travel insurance is
an insurance product designed to protect the insured against unexpected losses
and expenses and any other associated risks involved while traveling. It is
considered a smart investment to safeguard bookings and valuables when traveling
to domestic as well as overseas destinations. Just like any other insurance
product, an international travel insurance cover has its own set of specific
list of inclusion and exclusion criteria, which must be considered while
purchasing the product.
Why do you need travel insurance?
As exciting as it
may be, traveling always involves certain risks-physical or financial. These
risks might involve getting injured, falling sick, being involved in an
accident, losing luggage or theft of valuables. While many people believe
international travel insurance cover to be another scam, those travelers who
have benefitted from it attest to the need for a great insurance plan. Travel
insurance comes to the rescue in time of emergencies and can prove to be of
great assistance when you are traveling overseas.
Risks you can neutralize with travel insurance.
1.
Flight Delay
or Cancellation
While
planning any trip, the first thing we check is the availability of flights and
at times the whole trip is planned around them. But what if there is a delay in
your flight and as a result, you miss your connecting flight. Or due to some
unexpected event, the flight gets canceled. Such incidents can derail the whole
travel plan and turn the trip into a harrowing experience. With international
travel insurance cover, such events and the expenses incurred thereof are
covered. The insurance provider, if so mentioned would also cover the expenses
that might have to be made for fresh bookings in such events. We have often
heard that the airlines refused to board some passengers due to overbooking of
the flight. If such situation arises, the travel insurance would help you book
another flight and not leave you stranded. This also prevents adding extra
expenses to your credit card bills. Sometimes flight insurance under the
international travel insurance cover also provides coverage for you and your
family in case of a plane crash.
2.
Loss or theft
of Baggage
Travel enthusiasts are witness to
the fact that the odds of losing luggage in transit are quite high. At times
the luggage may be delayed, lost or damaged during the course of your trip.
While this risk factor is included in most international travel insurance
cover, there may be certain sub-limit to your valuables such as jewelry,
electronics etc. Such conditions must be considered while comparing and buying
the insurance plan. It is also critical to note that in case the baggage was
lost due to negligence on the part of the traveler; it is grounds for rejection
of the claim. For instance, if the baggage or electronics were left unattended,
leading to theft, the policy provider is not liable to pay the claim.
You may like to read : Travelling within India? Do not forget to buy a domestic travel insurance policy
3.
Trip
Interruption or Cancellation
Certain
emergencies might result in you canceling your trip or cutting it short to rush
back home. Such eventualities are covered under the domestic and international
travel insurance cover. In the absence of travel insurance, the expenses
incurred due to trip cancellation or interruption, are borne by the traveler.
The insurance will cover your expenses if your trip had to be canceled due to
some unforeseen reasons such as health issues or if a non-refundable prepaid
tour gets canceled. If it's mentioned in the plan, travel insurance also covers
the expenses in case the trip gets canceled due to unfavorable weather
conditions.
4.
Medical
Expenses
Medical
complications can not only create havoc for your trip but also mount the credit
card bills. Purchasing a good domestic or international travel insurance cover,
which covers a comprehensive list of medical expenses, is advised. Before
leaving for the trip make sure the cover is in force, this might require you to
declare any pre-existing medical conditions. Even if you are traveling with a
clean bill of health and have a great health insurance, you never know when an
emergency may strike. It could be worrisome and be tormenting to locate and pay
for medical services on foreign land. Also, it is imperative to note that the
policy won’t
cover the expenses in case you are traveling to get a medical procedure done in
the destination country.
5.
Evacuation Insurance
Certain
emergencies may require you to be transported to the nearest medical center so
that you can receive the relevant medical services. These could mean the use of
special services such as air ambulance, which can prove to be quite expensive.
These costs are covered if evacuation insurance is included in your interstate
or international travel insurance cover. Although, keep in mind that unless
specified otherwise, the policy would not cover evacuation costs in case of
adventure sports such as skydiving, scuba diving etc. In order to include costs
for such dangerous activities in your insurance cover, you can look for a
product that is designed keeping these activities in mind. Also note that most
insurance providers exclude certain events from this such as political crisis,
nuclear threat, terrorist attack etc.
6.
Accidental
Death or Disability
Travel
insurance cover also provides a lump sum amount to the insured’s beneficiary in case of accidental
death or disability subject to the terms of the policy. It is important to note that this claim
however would not be payable in case the event occurs when the insured was
under the influence of alcohol or drugs as most insurance providers consider it
as grounds for rejection of claim.
While
these are the six basic risks covered and neutralized by most of the domestic
and international travel insurance cover, you could purchase an additional
cover or upgrade your existing travel insurance plan to include specific risks
such as identity theft, car rental insurance etc. to create specialized
coverage. Buying travel insurance not only takes care of the many risks involved
while traveling but also assists you in case of emergencies. Most of the
insurance providers help their policyholders with an emergency contact number,
which is available round the clock for any kind of assistance when traveling
overseas.
For more details check PolicyBazaar Customer Reviews & Ratings