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

Things to know before you buy domestic travel insurance

Domestic travel insurance plans cover the risks that occur within the domestic country. The risks that are generally covered by domestic travel insurance plans are the loss of baggage, medical cost, loss of tickets and personal liability. Some of the top travel insurance service providers in India are Religare, HDFC ERGO, Apollo Munich, TATA AIG and Bajaj Allianz.

The travel insurance plan generally caters to the age group of 18 - 65 years and varies from plan to plan. Buying a domestic travel insurance plan is a necessity for those who travel a lot as life is surrounded by a lot of risks and uncertainties. One must make this investment wisely after considering various factors. It is important to compare domestic travel insurance online so that you can buy one of the best domestic travel plans available in the market. Adventurous activities, criminal activities, self-initiated harm, accident due to the intake of alcohol or drugs are not covered under domestic term insurance plans.

It is very easy to get the claim from the insurance company. You can make the claim via online or offline medium by visiting the office of the insurance company. Some insurance companies can also settle the claim over the phone.

Some of the things that one must know before buying domestic travel insurance plans are:

Ensure that plan should cover all the major risks: It is important that one buy travel insurance plan after a lot of considerations. You should check that the plan you are buying has all the benefits that are important to you. Otherwise, having a travel plan without any highly beneficial benefit would be like wastage. So be wise while buying the travel plan and make sure that your plan has all the important benefits one requires while traveling within the country.

Do a thorough research: You can not plan to buy travel insurance at the last moment. For buying the best travel plan, one needs to do a lot of research work. You will have to compare the features and benefits of various travel insurance plans from different insurance companies in order to select the best one. You can compare domestic travel insurance online. There are a lot of tools available online that will help you to select the plan as per your requirement or need. You can also take the help of intermediaries who can advise you some of the top domestic travel insurance plans available in the Indian market. But do not depend fully on the agents as they try to sell the wrong policies sometimes in order to earn higher commissions. Research plays an important role when it comes to buying any travel insurance plan.

You may like to read : Student travel insurance policy – Things to consider before you make the purchase

Look for benefits, not for the price: People generally buy those travel insurance plans that are cheap. But it is not a good idea to buy the plans just because they are cheap. The first thing that one should find in the travel insurance plans is the number of benefits available. The plan which has a lot of benefits for the affordable price is the best plan.

Check claim settlement ratio: Before buying travel insurance plan from any company, you should go through their claim settlement ratio. Claim settlement ratio gives a clear picture of how many claims were settled by the insurance company in the past against the claims raised by the policyholders. It will give you an idea that your claim will be settled in the future if any risk occurs. Claim settlement ratio is a major important factor that helps you in buying domestic travel insurance.

Know about the claim settlement process: Though the claim settlement process is quite easy these days as you can get your claim settled via online medium as well as offline medium by visiting the office of the insurer. But you must check the whole process of claim settlement before buying any plan. Knowing the process will help you to get the claim on time without any worry or tension. Make sure that you have the knowledge about all the travel documents required to get your claim settled. All of this information will help you to win the situation.

Check the reputation of the company:

Before buying travel insurance from any company, you should refer to their reputation. The reputation of the company helps you to understand the position of the company in the market. It will tell you that your money is in the right hands or not. Before buying travel insurance from any insurance company, you should adhere to their bankruptcy status, reputation and goodwill. The reputation of various insurance companies in the Indian market will help you to compare domestic travel insurance online.

Conclusion:

Domestic travel plan lets you travel in your own country freely and without any tension. Insurance companies cover various types of risks like medical costs, loss of travel tickets, loss of baggage and more to make your travel journey a good one. You can take the help of customer care if you find any difficulty in understanding any of the domestic travel insurance plans. Now, you need not worry while traveling in your own country as there are a lot of insurance companies who cover all major types of risks involved in traveling.

It is important to compare domestic travel insurance online before buying any travel plan. You must buy a travel plan after doing a lot of research plan. You end up buying a wrong plan when you buy it without giving a second thought or in hurry. So, it is important that you sit in silence and make a comparison in various plans of different insurance companies available in the Indian market. It would help you to come up with one of the best travel insurance plans. Consider all the important factors before buying any domestic travel plan.

If you are a person who travels a lot in India for work or leisure then you must check all the above-mentioned tips that one must know before buying domestic travel insurance.

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The Coverage Offered by a Domestic Travel Insurance Plan

Travel insurance has been gaining popularity amongst the Indian masses in the last few years. This increase in the inclination to purchase travel insurance is due to the fact that travel insurance provides a safety net and financial security while you travel. You purchase an international or domestic travel insurance plan and can be assured that you can enjoy your journey while making the most of it. 

Today, a wide variety of domestic travel insurance plans are available in the market. Each product has been designed skillfully keeping in mind the needs and requirements of various kinds of travelers. You can now have your pick of the best domestic insurance plan that meets your set of requirement to the “T” and is easy on the pocket. 

While you are comparing and choosing the best domestic travel insurance plan, make sure that you consider the various benefits and cover that the insurance plan is offering. 

Various benefits or coverage offered by a domestic travel insurance plan

Although, each travel insurance plan brings something unique to the table, here are a few benefits or coverage offered by the popular domestic travel insurance plans:

1. Medical Expenses: 

A domestic travel insurance plan provides cover against any unexpected medical expenses incurred while traveling. These expenses include inpatient and outpatient care, hospitalization costs, diagnostic tests and doctor’s bills. In certain cases where there is an urgent need for medical evacuation, the insurance plan provides reimbursement to the expenses till a pre-decided limit. Some domestic travel insurance plans even provide for the transport of one immediate family member to the place where the insured is receiving medical care. 

2. Loss or theft of baggage:

Loss or theft of check-in baggage can cause a lot of stress, no matter at what phase of traveling it occurs. A good domestic travel insurance plan offers coverage for such contingencies where the checked baggage is lost or damaged due to the airline carrier. Also, in case there is a delay in the baggage or the baggage gets sent to an incorrect location, the insurance plan provides reimbursement for the reasonable expenses incurred in order to purchase toiletries, clothes, and medications. But such provisions have some crucial caveats associated with them, such as the delay must be of 6 hours or more, the baggage must have been misplaced by the airline and not due to the negligence of the insured etc. 

3. Personal Accident cover

Personal accident cover is another benefit offered by a domestic travel insurance plan. Under this cover, the insurance provider pays any damages payable by the insured to a third party due to the insured’s involuntary actions. A key point to note here is that if the damage was done knowingly or under the influence of alcohol, drugs or narcotics, it is considered grounds for rejection of the claim. 

4. Trip cancellation or curtailment

Most of us make all necessary booking online today before we start the trip to avoid any nasty surprises. This means making pre-paid and non-refundable bookings at times to save some money as well. But what if you have to cancel your trip or cut short a trip you are on. Domestic travel insurance plan provides trip cancellation or curtailment cover, which provides reimbursement for such contingencies provided the reason for cancellation or curtailment is in the inclusion list provided in the policy document. 

5. Emergency cash assistance

In case you lose your cash or it gets stolen while on your trip, it could leave you stranded in an unknown place. The emergency cash assistance cover of the domestic travel insurance plan provides emergency cash in such a situation. 

6. Flight delay or cancellation

A delayed or cancelled flight can have a domino effect on your meticulously planned trip. Also, in case of over-booking, the airlines refuse a customer from boarding. The flight delay and cancellation cover of your travel insurance plan will reimburse you the flight costs. Additionally, the insurance provider covers the expenses incurred as a result of you missing your flight due to a valid reason under the plan’s covered hazards, such as you being involved in an accident while traveling to the airport, although these provisions are subject to the policy terms. 

7. Death or disability cover

A good domestic travel insurance plan provides death or disability cover. Under this provision, the insured’s nominee can claim the pre-decided amount (also known as the death or disability benefit) in case of the insured’s death or permanent total disability. 

You may like to read : Purchased Travel Insurance? Here are the Things You Should Do

Factors to consider when choosing a domestic travel insurance plan

There are many factors that come into play while you are considering a domestic travel insurance plan such as:

1. Sum Assured:  

Make sure that you opt for a domestic travel insurance plan, which offers the maximum sum assured, especially if you do not have a great life insurance or health insurance cover. 

2. Duration of policy:

There could be an emergency resulting in you extending your trip, make sure that your travel insurance plan covers your entire duration of the trip and has a provision for extension. 

3. Exclusions:

The list of exclusion is as critical as the list of inclusion or benefits. It provides you with a better understanding that in which scenarios you would not be covered by your travel insurance plan. 

4. Customer Assistance:

Most of the insurance providers these days provide the insured with an emergency contact number for any assistance. Choose a domestic insurance plan where you are provided with quality round the clock assistance. 

5. Premium:

While premium is a vital factor to consider, your whole decision must not be based on just the premium. A travel insurance plan with high premium does not ensure its extensive coverage. Hence consider all the coverage a plan offers which is also in your budget and then arrive at a decision. 

Conclusion

There are innumerous factors associated with a domestic travel insurance plan. It is pertinent that you go through the coverage promised by a travel insurance plan with a fine tooth comb and understand the various terms and conditions of the product before purchasing the travel insurance. 

For more details check ​PolicyBazaar Customer Reviews

How to find the best deals on domestic travel insurance plans

There are a lot of risks involved in traveling. The insurance companies provide insurance cover to those who travel in their own country. Life is very uncertain; you can not predict what is going to happen next. If you are a person who travels a lot then you must take a domestic travel insurance plan. Such type of insurance plans lets you enjoy your holidays without any worry. The travel insurance plans cover a lot of risks like medical costs, loss of travel tickets, loss of baggage and more.

There is an eligibility age to buy domestic travel insurance online or offline. Generally all domestic insurance plans cater to the age group of 18 – 65 years and it varies from plan to plan. The benefits that are covered under the domestic travel insurance plans also differ from plan to plan. You should select a plan with lots of benefits. There are a lot of people who prefer a plan by its price. But selecting a plan just because it is cheap is really not a good idea. Look for a travel plan that has a lot of benefits for affordable premiums. Religare, TATA AIG, HDFC ERGO, Apollo Munich and Bajaj Allianz are some of the top travel insurance service providers in India.

We travel a lot, sometimes because of work while sometimes to spend some good time with the family. Travel is always fun but there is always an element of risk in life. Think of a situation that you are planning a vacation with your family and while traveling within your own country you lost your baggage. Definitely, you will call it a bad start to your holidays. But you do not need to worry now as insurance company provides cover for such type of losses. For this, you just need to pay affordable premiums to the insurance company.

You may like to read : Here is Everything You Know About Student Travel Insurance

Tips to find the best deals on domestic travel insurance plans:

·        Do a lot of research: Insurance plan is not a thing to purchase at the last moment. Before purchasing any plan you must do a lot of research work so that you can buy one of the best domestic travel insurance plans. You can take the help of the agents who can guide about some of the best deals. But we wise while taking advice from intermediaries as sometimes they try to missell the policies to earn the higher commissions. Do not forget to compare the benefits and features of various policies as it will help you to select the best plan. You can also refer to the information available on the online medium.

·        Prefer benefits over the cheap premiums: It is a very common practice that people end up buying a wrong policy just because it is cheap. But that should not be the case. You should check the benefits that are available in the plan over the cheap premiums. This is one of the best tips to get the best deals on domestic travel insurance plans. Check those policies which provide benefits for trip cancellation, medical emergencies and loss of baggage. You should check the brochure of the plan thoroughly before buying so that you can understand what benefits are available in the plan.

·        Check online presence: This is a digital world where all the information is available online. You can easily check the reviews on the online platform that will help you to buy domestic travel insurance online. The reviews show you the real picture of various plans and insurance companies, so nothing could be better than the online medium.

·        Refer to claim settlement ratio: Claim settlement ratio tells you about how many claims were settled by a particular insurance company against the claims raised by the policyholders. Before referring to the insurance plan of any company, you should check their claim settlement ratio. It will give you an idea of whether your claim will be settled by the company in future if something happens. If the claim settlement ratio of a company is good then you are good to go with the plan.

·        Take the help of customer support: In order to get the best deals on domestic travel insurance, you can take the help of customer care. They give fare advice and make it easy for you to understand the plan in a better way. They will also tell you about various special offers and discounts if available. They would not try to missell you as they do not get any commission to sell any policy. They are just like the helping hands for the customers.

Conclusion

Traveling is fun and contingencies in life come without a prior notice. No one wants to make their travel journey a bad one that’s why people take domestic travel insurance plans. Travel insurance plans cover a lot of risks like medical costs, loss of travel tickets, loss of baggage and more that people might suffer while traveling in any part of India.

It is not possible to buy domestic travel insurance online at the last moment. You need to do a lot of research for that. You must compare features and benefits of various travel insurance plans to select the best one. You can also take the help of agents or intermediaries who will advise you some of the best travel insurance plans available in the India market. If you are purchasing with the help of agents then be wise as agents sometimes try to sell wrong policies to the customers in order to earn higher commissions. That is why online is considered as the best medium when it comes to compare and understand various plans from different insurance companies in the market. Though, you can also make a call to customer care that will help you to understand the policies in a better way. Make sure that you do a lot of research and comparison before you buy domestic travel insurance online.

For checking tips on how to get best deals on domestic travel insurance plans, scroll up the page.

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How secured are you with a domestic travel insurance policy?

Everyone wants to make their trip a happy one. Traveling is fun and no one wants to destroy their holidays just because of some uncertainties. That is why people prefer buying domestic travel insurance cover. Domestic travel insurance plans cover all the major risks involved in traveling like loss of baggage, loss of tickets, medical costs and more. You need not worry about the uncertainties while traveling in any part of your own country as there are travel insurance providers to help you out. If you are a person who travels a lot either for business or leisure then having a domestic travel insurance cover is a must for you.

It is important that you do a lot of research before buying any travel insurance plan. A lot of tools are available online that will help to compare various travel plans and also select the best one as per your affordability and requirement. Make sure that you do thorough research before selecting the best plan as it is wise to buy a plan without any research. You can also take the help of the intermediaries who will suggest you about some of the best plans. But do not depend completely on the agents as they might try to sell you a wrong policy in order to earn higher commissions. The domestic travel insurance plans keep you stress-free while traveling in any part of India.

You may like to read : Here is Why Senior Citizen Travellers Should Purchase Domestic Travel Insurance Policy

The eligibility age for getting a travel insurance plan varies from plan to plan. Though generally, the eligibility age is between 18 – 65 years. Getting a claim settled is an easy process. You can get the claim settled through the online medium as well as offline medium by visiting the office of the insurance company. Some companies also settle the claim over the phone. So, travel insurance makes your trip tension free and lets you enjoy every bit of it without worrying about anything.

What are the risks that are covered by the travel insurance policy?

Cancellation of flights:

Insurance companies provide the claim for cancellation of flight and accommodation for which the policyholder has to provide a proof to the company. Flight cancellation is something very common. Sometimes flights get canceled because of the technical reasons or sometimes because due to the natural factors. Whatever may be the reason it is the traveler who suffers. And because your flight gets canceled; you will have to suffer the losses of hotel reservations too. Here the role of insurance company comes into the picture. The insurance company not only provides the claim for flight cancellation but also for hotel accommodation.

Loss of baggage:

When you leave your home for a trip; one of the most important things that you take with you is your luggage. You carry a lot of valuable and personal things in your luggage. This loss would surely make a huge hole in your pocket. Today, there are a lot of insurance companies who cover such type of losses and ensures the claim to the travelers who have lost their luggage somewhere in their own country. So, travel insurance providers reimburse the cost of your belongings.

Medical costs:

It is one of the major benefits of buying the domestic travel insurance cover. The insurance company covers all the medical treatment cost when you are traveling any part of your own country. The medical cost comprises of expenses of hospitalization, regular doctor visits, medical treatment for injuries, ambulance fee etc. Self-initiated harm and accident due to the intake of alcohol or drugs are the activities that are not covered under domestic travel insurance plans.

What are the benefits of buying domestic travel insurance plan?

Keeps you tension free:

Think of a situation that you are traveling for a vacation with your family and you lost your baggage. It would definitely surround you with a lot of worries. And if you get to know that there is someone who will bear your cost for just a nominal price then you would be more than happy. But for that, you will have to buy a domestic travel insurance cover. This is an important role that the travel insurance plans play in the life of travelers. Now travelers need not worry as they can travel in any part of India tension free.

Applicable in all the parts of India:

The domestic term insurance plans are applicable when you travel in any part of India. The insurance company ensures you a claim if you suffer any loss including loss of baggage, loss of tickets, medical treatment costs and more while traveling in India. The claim settlement process is also very simple. You can get your claim settled from anywhere in India. There are some companies who settle the claim over the phone.

Conclusion:

These days domestic travel insurance has got a lot of importance as people are traveling a lot. They travel sometimes for business purpose or sometimes for spending a vacation. The domestic travel insurance plans cover all the major risks involved in the traveling. So if you are a person who has an indelible love for traveling then make sure that you have a travel insurance plan. Religare, TATA AIG, HDFC ERGO, Apollo Munich and Bajaj Allianz are some of the best travel insurance companies available in India. You can prefer these plans while buying domestic travel insurance plan.

One must do a lot of research work while buying travel insurance. It is not a thing that you can buy at the last moment without any research. Otherwise, you will end up buying a wrong plan that does not match your requirement. So, make sure that you do a lot of research while buying domestic travel insurance. Choose that plan which has a lot of benefits and is perfect as per your affordability and requirement. 

The domestic travel insurance plan is a complete protection for those who travel a lot within their country. Scroll up the page to check the risks covered by the travel insurance providers and benefits of buying travel plan.

For more details check ​PolicyBazaar Customer Reviews & Ratings

Here Is Why You Should Buy International Insurance For Your Much Awaited International Trip

Traveling is fun but if you find yourself in crisis during the trip, it becomes a challenge in itself. Travel insurance is a way to safeguard your bookings and travel arrangements while providing you and your family with the necessary insurance cover. Often while making the travel bookings, we overlook the necessity of a travel insurance plan. This might save you some money at the time of bookings but can prove to be a pretty expensive mistake in the long run. A little careful planning can go a long way in ensuring that you remain stress-free during your trip. 

Top ten reasons why you should buy travel insurance for your international trip. 

The best international insurance plan would offer coverage for any kind of unexpected injury, illness or travel risks during your trip abroad. Even though you may be covered under an extensive health insurance plan, a travel insurance plan offers added benefits while you are traveling. These plans are designed to protect and assist the insured from unforeseen stress and financial burden arising due to unprecedented incidents while traveling away from home. 

1. Visa mandate: Well, most of the countries make it mandatory for you to be insured under international travel insurance, failing which the visa is not issued. This condition is in place to ensure that you have adequate coverage for medical expenses such as hospitalization and that you would be taken care of in case of an emergency.

2. Loss of baggage: Frequent travelers can attest to the fact that loss of baggage during international and especially connecting flights is much more common than you think. And it could take up to 5 days before you receive your luggage back. This means surviving in a foreign land without your belongings and making some unwanted expenses. The best international insurance plan would provide coverage for such expenses. 

3. Flight Cancellation or delay: On each trip, there are certain factors over which we have no control. Flight cancellation or delay is one such factor, which can have a huge impact on your travel arrangements. Delay of few hours for one flight could mean that you would miss your connecting flight and rebook another flight to reach your destination. Such last-minute bookings add a hefty amount to your bills, which could be avoided if you are insured under an international travel insurance plan. Also, many times airlines end up overbooking a flight and could even stop you from boarding the aircraft in such case. An international insurance plan is designed in such way to protect you from added expenses in such cases.

You may like to read : Here are 10 Tips for your International Trip

4. Medical Expenses: Medical emergencies never come knocking and your health insurance might not be enforceable outside your homeland. In such crisis, travel insurance comes to rescue. When you purchase the best international insurance plan according to your needs, make sure that it covers the essential medical costs such as X-rays, few days hospitalization, doctor’s charges etc. 

5. Loss of passport: A passport is the most important document while traveling abroad. It is not only your valid identity proof but without a passport you would not be allowed to travel back home, leaving you in a lurch. With international travel insurance, you are covered for such unfortunate incidents. The insurer assists you in filing for a duplicate passport and also expediting the process.

6. Trip Cancellation or Interruption: You never know when you might need to change your plans. Any emergency at home could result in you canceling or cutting short your trip. What if your flights are non-refundable and without a provision of rescheduling. This would mean losing the booking amount for both cases and in an event of an interruption, an added expense of fresh booking. With international insurance, you can rest assured that you would be protected against such unexpected expenses.

7. Personal Liability: Personal liability is the expenses incurred in case you injure someone or damage someone’s property. These events are covered under an international insurance plan and crucial when traveling with kids. Do keep in mind that if the damage is done under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it could be grounds for rejection of the claim. 

8. Accidental Death or disability: When you purchase the best international insurance plan, it provides cover in case of accidental death and disability. Under the plan, your beneficiary would be paid a lump sum amount as stipulated in the policy.  

9. Emergency evacuation: Certain emergencies require immediate evacuation or transfer. In an unfortunate event of a medical crisis, you might need the services of an air ambulance. Also, for instance, the country you are traveling to is struck by a natural disaster such as earthquake, wildfire, tornado, tsunami etc. or man-made disasters such as an airstrike, political collapse, terrorist or nuclear attack leaving you in the immediate need for evacuation. Such transport can end up being quite expensive. An expense against which you would be covered if you have the best international insurance plan. Such plans also cover the costs incurred in extreme cases where there is a need for repatriation of mortal remains to the primary residence.

10. Round the clock assistance: Facing difficulties or crisis while traveling is something every traveler wishes to avoid. If you are on foreign land and do not speak the local language, such events of distress can become even more harrowing. Always buy the best international insurance plan before you travel as the insurer provides you with an assistance number, which you can contact anytime, any day while traveling for any emergencies you might encounter.

Consider buying the best international insurance plan well ahead of your eventual departure date. This would give you time to better compare the best international insurance plan available online. Also, most of the policy providers run background checks and complete relevant formalities before the travel insurance cover comes into force, this can take up to 5 working days and maybe even more. Hence purchase the best international insurance plan that suits your needs and provides sufficient cover without breaking the bank before you leave for your international trip. 

For more updates and News follow Policybazaar Youtube Channel

Here are the Best Group Travel Plans In India

Travel insurance is critical to making sure that you have a smooth journey and make the most of it without facing any crisis. As the name suggests, Group Travel Insurance plan is a specialized plan designed for the whole group making the trip. With businesses becoming global, corporates are purchasing multi-trip group travel insurance plans. Travelers when traveling with friends and relatives prefer making combined bookings as it is easier and proves to be cheaper. Group Travel Insurance covers a troop of people together saving a lot of money, as everyone doesn’t need to purchase individual travel insurance policies. 

What is Group Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is critical to make sure that you have a smooth journey and make the most of it without facing any crisis. As the name suggests, Group Travel Insurance plan is a specialized plan designed for the whole group making the trip. With businesses becoming global, corporates are purchasing multi-trip group travel insurance plans. Travelers when traveling with friends and relatives prefer making combined bookings as it is easier and proves to be cheaper. Group Travel Insurance covers a troop of people together saving a lot of money, as everyone doesn’t need to purchase individual travel insurance policies. 

Best Group Travel Plans In India

When you buy domestic travel insurance or international travel insurance, it is highly important that you comb through the fine print and understand what each product has to offer. Here are the best 5 Group Travel Plans in India can be purchased from the leading insurance providers Apollo Munich, Bajaj Allianz, HDFC ERGO, Royal Sundaram, TATA AIG. These plans have proven to be extensive and provide the essential cover for you when you travel with your group. 

You may like to read : HDFC ERGO Travel Insurance Policy: An Overview

Key benefits of best group travel plans

While there are various factors that differentiate group travel insurance plan, there are certain key benefits that you must look for when you buy domestic travel insurance or even international travel insurance for a group. These key benefits are:

• Cover for medical emergencies

Medical emergencies can strike anyone anywhere, especially if the group has old age travelers. A good group travel insurance plan must provide coverage for expenses incurred in case of medical emergencies. Expenses such as the doctor’s fee, diagnostics tests charges, inpatient-outpatient care costs, hospitalization bills etc. 

• Accidental cover

Best group travel insurance plans include ample compensation for death or permanent total disability resulting from the accident. 

• Trip Cancellation

When traveling in a group, there is a high probability of changes or even cancellations. Make sure that you buy domestic travel insurance or international travel insurance that provides maximum claim amount to the group. This claim amount should at least cover the money spent for the vacation/trip if not more including the pre-paid activities and excursions. 

• Flight delay

A good group travel insurance plan provides cover for the delay in flight or missing a connecting flight due to the carrier. 

• Personal Accountability

Your group travel insurance plan must provide individual accountability cover in case a third party is harmed due to any involuntary actions of a group member. 

• Cover for loss of baggage and key documents

Loss of baggage or key documents is a very common occurrence while traveling, especially in a large group as it makes harder to track each of the bags. Your group insurance plan must be enough to cover your belongings and key documents such as the passport. 

• Distress allowance

Situations such as a flight hijacking or a natural calamity are very distressing. Make sure that your group travel insurance plan provides adequate distress allowance for all troop members. Another aspect to keep in mind is to include the natural calamities prone in the area you are traveling to. 

• Repatriation of mortal remains

The group travel insurance plan covers expenses incurred in repatriating the mortal remains to the home country or cost of final rites in the traveling country. 

• Group Rebate

One of the greatest benefits you get when you buy domestic travel insurance or international travel insurance for a group is it's affordable. While purchasing group insurance you pay a fraction of the total cost of individual travel insurance policies for all troop members. 

• Simple and Hassle free Registration

Since it is a common travel insurance policy, there is no need to register and ensure complete paperwork for each group member. You only need to fill out a single form for the master policy, post that each traveler would be provided with his or her respective ID Cards. 

Exclusions of a group travel insurance plan

• Nationality

Typically all insurance providers issue group travel insurance for all members of the same nationality. 

• Pre-existing medical conditions

Most of the group travel insurance plans do not cover pre-existing medical conditions. Hence if any of the group members suffer from an ailment that may act up while on a trip such as asthma, allergies etc., make sure you purchase an extra cover to include such contingencies. 

• Criminal Act

Group Travel insurance policies do not include damages or legal charges resulting from an illegal and criminal act. Also, acting under the influence of alcohol, drugs or un-prescribed narcotics is considered grounds for rejection of the claim. 

• Age

Generally, group travel insurance can be purchased for those below the age of 65. For anyone above the age of 65, you might have to purchase a separate cover or include them in the group travel insurance plan at additional costs. 

Eligibility criteria

Just like any travel insurance, there are certain eligibility criteria for a group travel insurance plan. 

1. All travelers must be part of the group. 

2. The group members must of the same nationality.

3. The group must comprise of at least 5 members. Although this criterion can be adjusted subject to the insured and insurer’s discretion.

4. All members must depart and arrive on the same day. 

When you buy group travel insurance make sure that the chosen plan meets the needs and requirements of all the group members. Additional cover can be purchased in case there are aspects or contingencies are not included under the policy. While this might seem an additional expense at the time of purchase but can actually save a lot when crisis strike. 

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