Travel Insurance - Pocket Plans

Have you ever come across worst-case scenarios that could have potentially ruined your holiday or trip? If not, what do you think a worst-case real-life tragic situation in terms of travel would be like? Well, irrespective of the fact that someone is travelling solo or with their travel partner, most people have experienced a fair share of dramatic travel circumstances. 

 

Nevertheless, a lot of individuals have stated how travel cushions have helped them overcome their travel complications and manage inconveniences. That's right! We are talking about travel plans here. Travel Insurance policies act as a strong cover that helps you overcome all the vexing and uncertainties related to a trip. To name a few, ideal travel insurance covers overseas medical emergencies, manages delayed flights, looks after the loss/delay of luggage, informs about the necessary country or visa requirements, and provides cover for natural and human-made calamities as well. 

Adventure Cover	Backpacking Travel Cover
Solo Traveller Cover	Weekend Getaway Road Trip Cover
Leh Ladakh Road Trip Cover

•  The company offers a range of travel insurance online plans to suit everyone’s travel needs
• The coverage benefits of these travel insurance plans also include home burglary insurance
• The company settles claims in a quick and hassle-free manner
• The company covers the cancellation or curtailment of your trip.

The eligibility criteria for a travel plan vary from policy to policy. However, there are some mandatory documents that need to be produced at the time of policy purchase. These include visa, income tax, passports, and tax statements. Listed below are the eligibility criteria for four types of travel insurance. 

• International travel insurance plan and family travel insurance plan:

Generally, these plans cover two adults and two children provided that the ages are under and up to 60 years (for adults) and under and up to 21 years of age (for children) respectively.

• Senior citizens:

They can secure travel for up to 85 years of age. Note that senior citizens do not need to undergo any medical tests to get the cover.

• Student Travel insurance:

These provide insurance to students who fall under a certain age group and are moving overseas for further studies.

• Schengen Travel Insurance:

This type of insurance is available for leisure travel and business only. Such insurances are available for infants who are not older than 90 days and adults up to 70 years of age. 

You must have come across several companies that sell travel packages and tickets to consumers, thereby giving them the option of buying travel insurance online or offline. Generally, this can also be referred to as "traveller insurance". To be more precise, insurance for travel is a special coverage introduced to provide a safety cushion against financial losses and unforeseen risks and damage during travelling. These risks range from huge complications to minor inconveniences. These risks also include delayed luggage, sudden health complications, illness, serious injuries, missed airline communication, and many more. 

 

A travel plan can also be described as an insurance product of a General Insurance Policy. Usually, travel insurance online is sold in the form of a package. It involves a range of coverage options. Speaking a few, the chief categories of an ideal travel plan involve medical expense coverage, trip cancellation coverage, accidental death coverage, flight accident, or baggage and trip interruption coverage. The best part is, some travel policies provide coverage on damages associated with rented equipment, personal property, and rental cars as well. All in all, if you are someone who frequently travels, buying a travel plan can be highly beneficial. 

Most travel insurance online policies may appear similar, however, the kind of plan and variant that you purchase greatly determines the coverage that you receive. Given below is the basic coverage offered by most travel plans, to get more details of what all your plan covers, you must refer to the policy document.

1. Trip Cancellation:

Travel bookings are expensive, and any kind of cancellation can be heavy on the pocket. Almost all travel plans cover trip cancellation. This includes cancellation as well as delays that are caused by injury, sickness or death of a family member. Such financial losses are mostly covered.

2. Medical Emergencies:

If during the trip you fall unwell, it can not only overthrow your plans but also put you in a lot of trouble. Your trip insurance will cover the financial risks that you would face in the form of medical expenses.

3. Theft and Loss of Baggage:

Loss of baggage and belongings is not something unheard of. However, it can bring with it unfathomable troubles and problems. Losing your passport in a foreign country is everyone’s worst nightmare, but with the right travel plan, the necessary arrangements for a temporary passport will help you in dealing with such a situation.

4. Evacuation:

Sometimes a natural or man-made calamity such as earthquakes, floods, terrorist activities etc. can be the risks that you face during your travel. In such a scary situation, feeling helpless is normal. Your travel plan will act as a rescuer in such a situation. The company would evacuate you and the insured family members under any such circumstances. The coverage may also include the cost of any hospitalisation that you may need or your return flight back home. 

• Most countries have made it mandatory for tourists to have a travel insurance plan. Without proper coverage, your visa may be denied.

• Purchasing your travel insurance online can prove to be very convenient as you can do it in a matter of minutes from anywhere in the world.

• Most travel plans these days come at affordable rates with wider coverages, as the competition among these companies is increasing. Moreover, if you buy a plan online you can get better discounts on your trip insurance plan.

• Travel insurance comes to your rescue when you are in danger, far away from home. Having a support system to protect you globally can be a relief when travelling overseas.

• One of the major benefits of a travel insurance online policy is that you can avail of cashless emergency medical services in case of an accident, injury, or other situations. Moreover, you can always add coverage for your prevailing illnesses and the facility of medical evacuation to eliminate all your worries.

• Trip insurance plans provide compensation for lost pieces of baggage, delayed or cancelled flights, and other such situations that can cause havoc when you are on a trip.

• There are a lot of miscellaneous non-medical benefits that companies provide when you are on a tour. Compensation for a lost passport, trip interruption, etc is also covered here. 

Imagine a situation where you've missed a flight or lost your passport. Undoubtedly, there is nothing scarier than experiencing these situations in person. So, should a person not buy a travel insurance plan to help recover in a time of crisis during their travel? It is advisable to always keep a financial backup through a travel insurance policy if you travel frequently. 

 

Moving forward, if you too are battling to find the importance of travel insurance, here's what you need to know. Healthcare expenses generally cost around 3x or 5x times more overseas. Moreover, each year, around 25 million bags are misplaced. The point is, travel scams are no longer a big deal. Instead, they have become extremely common in tourism-promoting countries. Hence, being financially strong and backed-up has become more important than ever. 

 

In fact, as stated above, trip insurance provides a slew of coverage options including detained checked-in baggage, medical evaluation, lost connections, emergency monetary help, loss of baggage, repatriation, etc. One can only find the importance of these components when they face a travel mishap. Hence, it is extremely crucial to consider buying travel insurance. In a nutshell, if you purchase a travel plan today, you can build a safety net against all the unforeseen losses during the trip. 

 

Now that you know the importance of having a trip insurance policy, when you head out to buy one, make sure you know the factors to consider while buying. Thanks to internet services, you might be able to gain enough knowledge about all the travel insurance plans that are offered, but selecting one of them can be overwhelming. Here are some important factors that you should consider that would help you buy yourself the best travel insurance plan in India:

• The Frequency of your Travel

Today, almost all companies offer plans according to the nature of your travel. You can look for a plan according to the number of times you travel in a year, this can even save you from paying extra premiums.

 

For example: if you are a frequent traveller you can opt for a multi-trip or annual travel plan that will cost you less. 

• The Duration of Your Travel

You should always estimate the number of days you are going to spend on a trip and then choose a plan accordingly. This tip can help you with the coverage you want at affordable rates. Companies tend to charge more premiums if the number of days is higher. 

• Your Medical Condition

Your health, age, and existing illnesses can affect your travel plan a lot. Companies lay down special terms and conditions for people who are afflicted with specific diseases and thus you may want to have a clear look at all the terms before buying a plan.
Keep in mind, many companies exclude the compensation of medical charges if a person is dependent on alcohol or drugs.

• Your Destination

It is a fact that the coverage and premiums of your travel insurance plan differ according to the country or city you are travelling to. Therefore, you might need to research and calculate your budget accordingly. For example, medical expenses are significantly higher in the European continent as compared to South Asian countries. 

• Your Itinerary 

If you are going on a vacation with family and friends and plan on doing adventurous activities like skiing, trekking, or water sports, it will be better if you invest in special coverages when buying a travel plan. This will ensure you enjoy your trip to the fullest and leave all the worries to the insurance company. 

• Coverages Offered

Analyse your trip, estimate your needs and find a plan that provides wider coverage at a lower premium. Do your homework and compare the plans to find the best one. 

• Insured Members

It is a must that you cover all your family members when travelling with them. There are many policies that offer coverage for the whole family, moreover, special trip insurance plans are designed for the comfort of senior citizens. 

• Read the Documents clearly for Reassurance

It is a fact that we often ignore the terms and conditions before buying a policy. However, in the era of the covid pandemic, many companies have altered their plans, and therefore, it is necessary that you read them carefully. 

• Select the Best Company

Before buying a travel insurance policy for yourself, it is a must that you read the ratings and reviews of the company so that you get an idea of their goodwill, customer services, and claim settlement ratios. These figures can help you with the company's market position.

• Don’t Overlook the Exclusions

There are several situations wherein you will not be entitled to avail of compensation or support from a trip insurance company. Make sure you understand them before you have selected the plan.

 

For example, a lot of companies exclude reimbursement for medical emergencies caused by adventurous sports like trekking. In this case, you might have to pay extra to add these services to your plan.

Buying a travel or trip insurance policy can be done easily if you know your requirements and the budget to be invested. Comparison of travel plans can be done very easily through online modes. To find the best travel insurance plan in India for your next trip, you just need to calculate your budget, estimate your needs and search for a plan that can suit you the best.

 

Having a good travel insurance policy will not only help you with the physical coverage but also give you mental peace when you are travelling. Now you know the recipe for a good trip, just buy your most-suited travel insurance plan, pack your bags and leave all your worries behind.