Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans for 2018

Traveling is an exciting experience when you are going on a vacation and even if it is a business trip. Each and every detail of the trip is meticulously planned, right from the stay to the flight bookings. The itinerary is planned with extensive research and study to gain the most out of the trip. But what about the risks associated with travel? It is one aspect which often goes unattended for even the most exhaustively planned trips. Travel insurance is essential as it provides cover against risks such as flight delays, flight cancellations, loss of baggage or passport, accident, medical emergencies and much more.

Hence, travel experts and successful travel bloggers recommend that you should buy travel insurance online, but not just any travel insurance. The travel insurance plan must be carefully chosen and compared to all the other plans available.

While opting for a travel insurance plan, it is vital that you consider the plan that meets your requirement while not burning a hole in the pocket. We bring you the best 5 travel insurance plans for 2018 that should not be missed when you buy travel insurance online.

1. HDFC Ergo

HDFC Ergo travel insurance plans offer wide geographic coverage and an exhaustive list of inclusion. This list helps you understand the various risks and incidents for which the plan provides cover. While the process of purchasing this policy is fairly simple, do study the policy terms and make sure you enter all correct information so as to avoid any difficulties in case of an emergency.

The policy provides cover in case of:

1. Medical Emergencies: The policy covers your medical expenses incurred while traveling which include inpatient, outpatient care, diagnostic tests, medical aid etc.
2. Personal Accidents: In case of accidental death or disability, the policy covers medical expenses incurred.
3. Delays in Flight: In an event of delay in flight for 6 hours or more, the expenses incurred in order to procure meals and refreshments can be claimed for reimbursement.
4. Delayed checked baggage: The reasonable expenses incurred to purchase toiletries, clothes, and medication when the baggage is delayed for 12 hours or more are covered under the insurance plan.
5. Loss of Baggage: The plan also covers incidents such as loss of baggage or important documents such as the passport.

Last but not the least, the HDFC Ergo Travel Insurance plan also includes personal liability, an important cover in case you are traveling with kids.

You may like to read : The Significance of Domestic Travel Insurance

2. Bharti AXA

Bharti AXA offers two major travel insurance plans: individual/family travel insurance plan and student insurance plan. The plans cover critical travel risks and the process to buy travel insurance online is swift and easy. The various aspects covered by the plans are:

●       Medical Emergencies

●       Personal Accident or Injury

●       Daily Cash Allowance

●       Loss of essentials

●       Legal Expenses

●       Cancellation or Delay of Trip

●       Emergency Distress

●       Hijacked Flight

●       Home and Fire Insurance

3. TATA AIG

TATA AIG Insurance offers extensive coverage and protection in emergencies. The insured stays protected at each and every step of the trip. The company offers 4 travel insurance plans:

1. Travel Guard Plan
2. Asia Travel Guard Plan
3. Domestic Travel Guard Plan
4. Student Guard Plan

The company provides compensation in case:

●       there is a burglary in your home while you are traveling.

●       your passport is lost or damaged during the trip.

●       your flight is hijacked by terrorists.

●       the flight is delayed for 12 hours or more due to a covered hazard.

●       there are any unauthorized transactions on your lost card

●       the hotel or airline bookings are canceled by the proprietor.

●       the checked in baggage is lost by the airline.

●       your baggage is delayed or even misdirected.

●        any fresh booking needs to be made if the connecting or departing flight is canceled.

●       of property damage.

●       there is trip interruption or cancellation.

4. Bajaj Allianz

Bajaj Allianz offers a variety of travel insurance products which are designed to meet the specific needs of the different set of customers from all walks of life. Their travel insurance plan range from Individual Travel Insurance Plan, Family Travel Insurance Plan, Senior Citizen Travel Insurance Plan, Student Travel Insurance Plan, Corporate Travel Insurance Plan, Travel Asia Plan and Bharat Bhraman Plan which is their domestic travel insurance plan.

Bajaj Allianz insists on quick disbursement of claims by the insured. The plans include essential travel risks and expenses associated with hospitalization, loss of baggage, cancellation of trip, interruption or curtailment of the trip. In addition to these, the plan also provides cover in case there is a burglary in your home while you are traveling.

Also, as part of the Travel Ezee service provided by the company, the customer is notified of any flight changes and payout eligibility. Here the process is initiated by the company automatically to settle the claim.

5. Apollo Munich

Apollo Munich easy travel insurance plan offers travel insurance plan that covers risks of theft, illness and other various unprecedented risks you may face while traveling. The plan has five variants: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Asian Region. The sum insured in these variants range from a minimum of 25,000 USD to a maximum of 5,00,000 USD. Anyone between the age of 6 months and 70 years can be insured under the plan with a travel duration of up to 180 days.

These are the plan benefits for the Apollo Munich easy travel insurance plan which you should consider when deciding to buy travel insurance online:

●       Medical treatment, expenses for hospitalization, emergency evacuation and even dental care required in case of an accident.

●       The plan covers costs for repatriation of mortal remains to the home country or the final rites in the foreign country.

●       Daily allowance for every 24 hours of hospitalization.

●       Cover for a personal accident resulting in death or disability.

●       In case of loss or delay of checked baggage by the carrier and expenses incurred in case of loss of passport.

●       In addition to these benefits, the plan covers incidents such as hijacked flight, canceled or curtailed trip, missed connecting or cancellation of flights, personal liability etc. 

With a plethora of options available today, it is smart to compare and study the best plans available before you buy travel insurance online. A carefully chosen travel insurance plan can save the day and ensure a smooth journey.

For more details check ​PolicyBazaar Customer Reviews

Plan Your Next Trip and Save Smartly

To save money on your next trip, you should prepare your budget and plan the trip as per your budget. You should set a goal amount so that the money can be saved to reach the goal. By adding few extra bucks, you will have sufficient amount to undertake your plan. Your travel plan should include a subscription to a comprehensive insurance plan. Various risks associated with the trip can be overcome in the best possible way with the help of travel insurance plan. 

Best measures to save time and money 

The following tips will help you save time and money: 

• Coupons and discounts – You can use travel coupons and special deals on various routes. The coupon websites will present coupons to get a special discount so that you can make the most of your money. 

• Travel off-season – Instead of traveling during the peak season, you can plan your travel during the off-season. The dates and destination should be planned very carefully. You will have a great time at the destination as there will be sufficient freedom of movement. During the off-season, the prices will be cheaper. 

• Hotel deals – You can save money by booking your accommodation through online. As you go through the reviews and ratings offered by customers, you can figure out the right hotel as per your budget and comfort level. 

• Vacation rental sites – The vacation rental sites will help you find right hotels, resorts and other amenities. By using the discount coupons posted on the site, you can enjoy additional benefits such as a discount on the fare, boarding and lodging facilities. 

• Insure your trip – It is very much important to insure your trip so that you can make the most of your investment. Overseas travel involves various risk factors. The luggage, health, transport and sightseeing facilities, accommodation and other aspects should be covered as per your needs. 

You should insure your Overseas Travel Insurance Plans as soon as the itinerary is prepared or after making the first payment towards the trip. 

How to buy overseas travel insurance plan?

The insurance application should contain complete information as is available in the passport. In addition to the name, age, date of birth, mobile number, address, passport number and ticket details, you should provide information about the beneficiary as well. Before buying a policy, you should be aware of the cancellation procedure and travel exclusions as well. 

Types of plans – There are different kinds of plans. Individual, family and group policies can be subscribed as per the number of persons. There are travel policies to cover the needs of student and businessman. Hence, the most appropriate plan should be chosen as per the features of the insurance plan. 

You may like to read : Going Abroad for Your Honeymoon? Here is Why Travel Insurance is a Must

Insurance aggregators – You can explore a number of options by going through the insurance aggregator’s website. The website will present various plans that meet the criteria selected by you. The travel insurance policy can be opted as per the budget, ‘sum assured’ and risk factors. You should subscribe a comprehensive policy so that there will be absolute peace of mind. 

An individual travel insurance plan 

The medical expenses and hospitalization in a foreign country are very expensive. By buying a travel insurance plan, you can overcome the contingency at a fraction of the cost. 

Features 

• Covers hospitalization 

• Loss of baggage

• Quick disbursement of claims 

• Best policy to meet the needs of Indians 

• International toll-free numbers 

• Personal accident 

• Loss of passport

• Personal liability 

• Trip delay 

• Emergency cash advance 

A family travel insurance plan 

The family travel insurance plan will cover the entire family. A family plan is available for two adults (less than 60 years) and two children (less than 21 years). 

Features 

• Cheaper than an individual policy 

• Covers all standard and unforeseen circumstances

• Flight or train cancellation 

• Hotel booking cancellation 

• Package tour cancellation 

• Hospitalization expenses 

• Bad weather 

• Loss of passport, credit card, luggage and others 

Senior citizen insurance plan

Elderly travelers who are above 70 years can go for senior citizen travel insurance plans. Even though the premium for senior citizen insurance plan is high, it will cover the risk in a very efficient manner. Hence, you should not hesitate in purchasing the insurance plan. 

A senior citizen travel insurance policy can be customized to meet his/her requirements. The policy will meet the statutory requirements of the visiting country as well. 

Before buying a plan, you should be aware of the exclusions and medical tests that are mandatory to be covered by the policy. 

Features 

• Covers pre-existing ailments 

• Hospitalization 

• Intensive care treatment 

• Ambulance services 

• Loss of baggage 

• Surgical care 

• Flight delay/flight cancellation 

Student insurance plan

A student will face a number of unanticipated risks during the study period in a foreign country. Universities, as well as governments, stipulate the possession of a comprehensive insurance policy. Some universities will insist upon the insurance policy as per their terms and conditions. Hence, students should be aware of their own needs as well the requirements of the foreign institution before applying for the insurance plan. 

Features 

• Study interruption

• Repatriation of remains 

• Emergency medical evacuation 

• Personal accident cover 

• Mental and nervous disorders 

• Sponsor protection 

• Accident medical expenses 

• Maternity benefits by the termination of pregnancy 

• Home burglary cover 

• Loss of baggage/passport 

• Bail bonds and tuition fee

• Dental pain relief 

• Trip cancellation/curtailment 

Student travel insurance policies are offered by various reputed insurance companies in India. Some of the popular companies are TATA AIG, Bajaj Allianz, Reliance General Insurance Company, and HDFC Ergo. 

Conclusion 

There are many options for Indians in choosing the Overseas Travel Insurance Plans. You can buy an online policy at best price and the policy can be customized as per your needs. The little premium that you for the policy will cover major risk and there will comprehensive coverage of risk. You are advised to compare various policies to settle for the best!

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Going Over Seas With Your Friends? Here is Why Buying Travel Insurance is Necessary

If you are visiting a foreign country as a group, you can purchase a group travel insurance policy. The group travel insurance policy is affordable and it can be customized as per your needs. Various kinds of risks during the journey such as loss of baggage, hospitalization and personal liability can be overcome by subscribing to a comprehensive travel insurance policy. A travel insurance policy will combine the benefits of the travel insurance plus medical insurance. Even though you possess a health insurance plan, you should subscribe to a comprehensive travel insurance plan to make the most of your investment. 

Benefits of travel insurance plan 

A group travel insurance plan can be subscribed from the comforts of your home or office.  You can Compare Overseas Travel Insurance Online and the best policy that fulfills your needs can be subscribed very easily. 

• Emergency travel benefits – The emergency medical conveyance and travel costs for medical repatriation will be offered by the travel insurance company. 

• Emergency medical costs – The expenses that are incurred due health issues while traveling will be borne by the insurance company. You should go through the terms and conditions of the policy to understand all the features under the policy. 

• Medical deportation – The medical deportation facility will be offered by the insurance company. The medical deportation costs are very high. Hence, you should buy a policy to cover the risk. By paying few hundred rupees in Indian currency, you will get benefit in thousands of dollars. 

• Loss of key documents – You should carry your passport while traveling to a foreign country. If you lose or misplace your passport, a new passport will be arranged by the insurance company. As soon as you realize the loss, the information should be brought to the notice of the insurance company. 

• Cancellation of the trip – The trip might be canceled due to various reasons. The health issues or destination-related issues will affect your journey. If the trip is canceled, you will want to lose money on various fronts. The loss will be minimized or made zero with the help of a comprehensive travel insurance policy. 

• Hijack disaster – The hijack disaster can be covered by the travel insurance policy. The premium for covering the hijack risk will be based on the risk potential. The insurance company will pay compensation for every 6 hours of loss.

• Trip interruption – The trip will be interrupted due to various reasons which are beyond your control. The travel insurance company is liable to pay accommodation charges or travel compensation as per the case. 

You may like to read : Here is How a Travel Insurance Plan Can Keep Travel-Related Troubles Away

Exclusions 

You should be aware of exclusions in a travel insurance plan. If the trip is canceled by the tour operator, the cancellation is not covered by the insurance company. However, you can strike a special deal with the insurance company to include the trip cancellation by the tour operator in which case, you will get the compensation. 

• Pre-existing health issues – The pre-existing health issues are not covered by the insurance company. If you are suffering from health issues, you should get medical advice and get fitness certificate from the doctor before the commencement of the journey. 

• Sports injuries – If you participate in adventure sports, the loss or damage occurred due to injuries will not be covered by the travel insurance policy. 

• Mental disorders – The mental illnesses are not covered by the travel insurance plan. If there is self-inflicting injury such as suicide, it will not be covered by the insurance plan. 

HDFC Ergo Group Travel Insurance Plan 

Every organization will offer a group travel insurance plan to cover the needs of employees. The group policy can be customized as per your needs. 

Features 

• Covers international travelers 

• Frequent travelers can opt for multi-trip travel 

• Assistance provider services

• Contingency travel benefit 

• Emergency travel 

Frequent flyer interruption – Under the frequent flyer interruption, users will have access to emergency travel, contingency benefit and assistant provider services. 

Optional benefits – The optional benefits offered by the travel insurance policy include emergency medical expenses, emergency travel benefits, baggage delay, baggage loss, hijacking, flight delay, trip cancellation and trip interruption. 

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company 

• Covers medical expenses, evacuation, and repatriation 

• Emergency dental plan 

• Loss of baggage 

• Loss of travel documents 

• Personal liability 

• Trip delay 

• Hijack 

Bajaj Allianz offers various kinds of group insurance policies to fulfill the needs of all kinds of customers. The corporate plans are ideal to accommodate several employees in a single policy. The premium will be low and the benefits will be many. The policy can be bought online after customizing it as per your needs. 

Reliance group insurance 

The travel insurance plan covers the following risks: 

• Trip cancellation 

• Flight delays 

• Loss of luggage 

• Loss of passport 

• Emergency medical expenses 

• Special distress allowance 

The policy can be customized as per your needs. The policy comes with the free international debit card. Some of the convenient features include cashless hospitalization, no medical check-ups, and expenses towards the emergency evacuation to India will be covered by the policy. 

Selection of overseas group travel insurance policy 

The group travel insurance policy should offer 100% trip cancellation coverage. You should get clarification about the percentage of cancellation coverage if the insurance company fails to offer 100% trip cancellation coverage. 

The trip interruption coverage will be up to 150% by some travel insurance companies. You should be aware of the claim settlement ratio of the insurance company before ordering a policy online.

You should get quotes from three or more insurance companies. After comparing the features, insurance premium, claim settlement ratio and customer support offered by various travel insurance companies, you can settle for the best policy as per your needs. 

Conclusion 

A group travel insurance company is a convenient option to maximize savings and it will cover various risks in a very efficient manner. You can buy a group policy online. 

For more details check ​PolicyBazaar Customer Reviews

7 Easy Steps for Planning Your Next Trip

If you have resolved to spend the best vacation, you should not undermine the importance of planning. With better planning, you will be able to make the most of your time, effort and money. Preparation of the checklist, execution of the itinerary, the arrangement of funds and financial cushion to absorb unpleasant surprises should be done in an efficient manner. The following steps will help you in this direction: 

Schedule – You should prepare the travel schedule in advance so that you can plan the trip very easily. The season, duration of the trip, the inclusion of kids, leave from the workplace and other parameters should be considered to chalk out your plan. 

Activities – you will want to find a fascinating destination where there will be scope for everyone. If you are travelling in the summer season, you can participate in various kinds of water sports. You will have great relaxation and there will be great fun as well by participating in your favorite activity. The destination should be selected as per the type of activities that you would like to include in the holiday. You are advised to procure necessary protective gear as well. 

Length of trip – The length of the trip should be planned as per the feasibility of time. It should be as per your budget as well. By preparing a rough estimate, you can plan the trip very efficiently. If you are not aware of the length of your trip, you will not be able to figure out your expenses for the trip.

Save money for the trip – After being aware of the location and the duration of the stay, you should save money for the trip. If you are aware of your trip well before few months, you can set aside good amount on monthly basis and there will not be any difficulty white executing the holiday. If you are taking one or two trips on annual basis, you should save a percentage of your savings on monthly basis. If the trip cost is high, you can increase the savings in various ways so that you will not take loan from other people and banks. You should not land in financial distress after the completion of the trip. Certain travel cards will give you reward points so that you can redeem them later. You should also go for no-fee ATM cards and sufficient local currency should be managed to make small payments. 

Book your vacation – If you save sufficient money, there will be great relief in booking your flight tickets. You will also be able to reserve your hotel/resort accommodations. The expenses incurred under various heads such as food, activities, joy rides, the arrangement of the guide and local transport will be fulfilled with a well-planned trip. There are budget hotels as well as luxurious resorts where accommodation and activities can be planned as per your capability. 

Insure your trip – There are many singles, couples and families who fail to buy the insurance cover while undergoing the holiday. There are many advantages of the insurance policies. Students can go for Student Travel Insurance as it is very affordable and will help them get relief from major financial disasters. Indians studying abroad can buy the student travel insurance policy in India and the benefits can be enjoyed from abroad. By buying a policy in India, the premium will be very low. The hospitalization and cashless treatment options are provided in a foreign country by availing the insurance cover. 

Preserve and share memories – You should take snaps at various instances of your trip so that you can preserve them throughout your life. The smartphone, digital camera and digi cam are some of the options with which you can capture photos and videos very easily. You can also share your images and videos as per the availability of internet connectivity in the visiting places. The visual content can be shared with your friends, associates and family members. 

Why travel insurance?

The travel risks are borne by the travel insurance policy. You can buy Travel Insurance Online as the process is instant and seamless. As there are many insurance companies in the market, you should want to go through the plans offered by various companies. After comparing these plans, you can settle for the best plan as per your needs. 

The following benefits are enjoyed with your travel insurance:

• Medial and hospitalization costs in overseas 

• Overseas emergency medical support 

• Accommodation and travel–related expenses 

• Hospital cash allowance 

• Accidental death 

• Permanent disability 

• Trip cancellation charges 

• Payment against loss of valuable items 

• Theft of travel documents 

• Arrangement of alternate transport 

• Personality liability 

• Care for domestic pets 

• Coverage for sponsors 

Conclusion 

You can plan your next trip very easy and there will be great comfort and convenience by implementing the important steps in a very efficient way. You should not forget the importance of insurance as it will take care of your needs in the best possible way.

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