Travel gives you great stories, most cherished memories and countless learnings which can be shared with your close ones.
Embarking on international travel, whether it is your business, for education or a leisure trip, requires extensive preparation to ensure a successful and safe journey. Even the best-planned trips can be jeopardised by unexpected events. Imagine scenarios like losing a passport or checked-in baggage, which has your travellers' cheques, or you falling ill and required to be hospitalised in a foreign country. Any of these situations may interrupt your joyous trip or spoil your business travel. Hence, choosing the best Travel Insurance plan will ensure that such incidents don't spoil your perfectly planned vacation.
It is always better to be safe than sorry! - Make a wise decision to buy a Travel Insurance policy with the best coverage options that secures you and your family from travel-related emergencies. You can also buy the best Travel Insurance plan online by comparing the benefits and premiums of various travel insurance plans and choose the right plan that suits your needs.
Why do you need Travel Insurance?
Once you have planned to travel to foreign countries, it is important to ensure your travel is safe and enjoyable.
Travel Insurance is meant to cover your medical and financial emergencies, which might arise during your travel abroad. Here are some reasons why Travel Insurance is needed.
Let's read up!
Top reasons why you need a Travel Insurance
You may encounter sickness or Injury
There are many reasons due to which you may fall sick. Late-night flights, air conditioning, change in temperature, time zone changes and varied cuisines to name a few. The current pandemic situation demands world countries make it mandatory for the travellers to take vaccination for specific diseases beforehand. This might also make you feel ill on your travel time and require hospitalisation. A Travel Insurance plan can cover the expenses incurred due to medical emergencies or accidents during your trip. Such unexpected eventualities are covered up to a specified limit mentioned in the policy. A Travel Insurance plan coverages include expenses of in-patient and outpatient hospitalisation, daily cash allowance, transportation to the nearest hospitals and many more.
Delay or loss of checked-in luggage
A common scenario while travelling overseas or even within the country is misplaced luggage or delayed baggage. Travel Insurances usually provide coverage for your delayed or misplaced baggage. They will help you recover your misplaced bags and will also reimburse any amount spent on essential items packed in the baggage as per the terms and conditions of the policy. Thereby ensuring hassle-free travel.
Flight cancellations and delays
When travelling to different countries, you would definitely have a pre-planned itinerary. Delayed flights or rescheduling of flight timings due to bad weather or missed connecting flights can disturb the whole trip. This may be due to a cancelled flight or any other aspect. Your Travel Insurance comes in handy here; it can reimburse the amount spent on the purchase of meals and refreshments, etc., for the period of the delay in submission of bills.
Loss of passport
If an insured loses the passport before your trip or even while you're away, the insured can reimburse the actual expenses incurred in obtaining a duplicate or fresh passport. In that way, the insurance plan can aid in avoiding financial and mental stress.
Cancelling or changing your trip before you start
You may intend to cancel your trip when you or your family members fall ill or due to natural calamities. In such cases, cancelling pre-paid air tickets is often expensive. Getting covered under a Travel Insurance plan may make you worry-free financially, as you are covered in such situations.
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is a must during cases of natural calamities like Tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic ash clouds, political uprisings and terrorist attacks, etc. If you have an insurance cover, the insurance company takes responsibility for evacuating you back to the respective homeland and providing medical help when needed.
24/7 support
One of the benefits of Travel Insurance is access to a 24x7 emergency helpline when you are in circumstances of emergency in an unknown location in a foreign land. You can get guidance and directions even in such an adverse situation. Hence, it is essential to carry a copy of the insurance document while travelling. The helplines can fetch your details at the nearest hospital or can help you in arranging for evacuation or emergency services.
For all these reasons, Travel Insurance is essential and undoubtedly a wise investment to make before you travel.
Features of Travel Insurance policy
Investing in a travel plan is always advantageous and protects the interests of those travelling abroad. The risks associated with human life are increasing exponentially due to crime, terrorist attacks, thefts and robbery. Hence it is always important to be well-secured with a Travel Insurance that offers a worldwide cover for travel exigencies.Travel medical covers for in/outpatient hospitalisation along with daily allowance.
The top features of health insurance include the protection against Travel inconveniences such as,
- Coverage for loss or delay of checked-in Baggage
- Coverage for loss of Passport and related documents
- Coverage for flight delay
- Coverage for missed flight/connecting flight
- Coverage for hijack distress
- Coverage for trip cancellation and delay
- Personal accident coverage during travel, including dental emergency expenses following an accident.
- Coverage for frequent travellers
- Coverage for legal liability for bodily injury or property damage to a third party.
- Coverage for costs relating to travel and accommodation incurred due to missed departure/connection are covered.
- Coverage for persons going abroad for studies.
And many more.
These facts together portrays the importance of Travel Insurance. And depending on what plan you buy, the coverages vary. The coverages and exclusions vary from policy to policy. Hence, it is always good to read your policy before you buy.