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There’s a saying that if you can’t afford travel insurance then you can’t afford to travel.
It’s apt, especially in today’s turbulent world. It may seem as an added financial burden to many, however, it’s a burden you should bear without any groans.
Travel Insurance is an all-encompassing cover which makes sure you are protected from mishaps and taken care of in difficult times while travelling. Be it domestic or international, it’s a good practice to purchase travel insurance whenever you travel.
In India, travel insurance is often overlooked by people. For some, it’s an unwanted charge and for the others, they don’t have adequate knowledge about its benefits. Read on to know the many reasons why travel insurance is something you ought to have when you travel the next time.
1. Medical Coverage:
You may be in the best shape of your life, however, you never know when a mishap may occur. Say you are visiting Bangkok for a holiday, and you get involved in an accident. Immediate hospitalization is required, and you don’t have much cash on you.
This is when your travel insurance kicks in. Medical cover is one of the essential components of travel insurance. Emergency medical expenses, the cost of medicines, and related transportation costs are covered by insurance.
To be insured is a boon, especially if you need medical help in countries where healthcare is expensive. However, travel insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing illnesses, suicide, insanity, and injuries arising from adventure sports.
2. Theft or Loss:
Imagine this. You are in the spice bazaar of Turkey, a trip you had planned for months, and you suddenly realize that you can’t find your passport!
Nothing can be more distressing that losing your passport in a foreign land. Most would lose their minds and panic. The ones who are insured would not panic, they know they are safe. Being insured makes sure that in case you lose your passport, you will be taken care of. A duplicate passport can be arranged by you and the costs incurred will be paid in full by the insurer, up to the eligible Sum Insured.
If losing your passport is distressing, nothing can be more frustrating than losing your luggage. If it’s lost in transit, you will need to wait for a few days before the airline can recover it. An insured person will be compensated for it by the insurer and if the luggage is stolen, a pre-approved sum is paid by the insurer to the claimant.
3. Delays/Cancellations:
This happens to be one of the best advantages of travel insurance. Delays in trains or flights are common and cancellations often cost you. Nonetheless, an insured person won’t complain about delays and won’t worry about money lost on trip cancellations. Why?
If you are travelling to Sydney and you miss your connecting flight from Kuala Lumpur because the original flight from Mumbai was delayed due to bad weather, nothing can be more infuriating than this. To add to the misery, quite a lot of airlines won’t reimburse you too. That’s when travel insurance will help you, you will be reimbursed for purchase of essential items on account of this delay.
4. Evacuation:
You can never be sure when a calamity may occur. Be it a man-made event like a terrorist attack, a military coup, a state of emergency or a natural calamity like floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, etc. If you are stuck in one, it’s the insurer’s responsibility to make sure you are evacuated and brought back to your homeland and provided medical assistance.
5. Peace of Mind:
When you are travelling, you will be at a peace of mind knowing that you are covered by your travel insurance. That’s the beauty of this insurance. You get to enjoy your trip with the assurance of someone looking after you.
There are many players who sell travel insurance. Insurers like Royal Sundaram are a good choice, they have years of experience in the industry and offer great plans at excellent premiums.