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Why You Need Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance Protects Against Medical Fees and Other Disasters

Aug 27, 2008

Think of travel insurance as acting as a financial safety net that will protect you against the many things that can go wrong on a trip abroad.

Travel insurance is an essential part of your holiday package and needs as careful consideration as the holiday itself. Many people accept the insurance that the travel agent offers or what they find on a website or worse still have no travel insurance.

Buy Before You Go

It is best to buy insurance before you book the holiday because you will be covered for any eventuality long before your holiday begins. You need not take the travel agent’s recommended policy but if you do it is wise to get a cooling off period while you look around for one that is better suited to your and your family’s needs.

For nationals of the European Community health care is provided free of charge or for a small payment.

What Insurance Should Cover

Good travel insurance will cover a variety of misfortunes from the mundane like

minor injuries to major illnesses
broken limbs and accidents
insect bites
hospital and doctors’ fees
cost of air evacuation or repatriation to your home country.

Insurance Plans

The range of plans and policies is vast so you should choose carefully your requirements, do you need a single or an annual plan? Think of the risks and the activities you may be undertaking.

So What Should You Pay?

The less expensive the insurance the less comprehensive the cover is likely to be. For instance the amount of compensation for loss or damage to luggage, delays, loss of currency and credit cards will also be less generous and cancellation of the trip may not be covered at all.

Your Insurance Check List

Most insurance policies do not cover:

Chemical attacks
Injuries caused by terrorism, blasts and acts of terrorism, civil war or commotion
Illness or accidents contributed by alcohol or illicit drug use
Participation in dangerous or extreme sports
A flair up of an undisclosed pre-existing condition like high blood pressure or diabetes

What You Should Do

Keep a photocopy of all your documents and carry them at all times

In the unfortunate event of an accident or a medical emergency all relevant documents should be kept including

Police reports
Medical notes and reports
Boarding passes and tickets.

What Travel Insurance Policies Should Provide

A 24-hour emergency hotline
Payment for both inpatient and outpatient treatments and consultations
Costs of flying out partners or family members and their essential and necessary expenses like hotel rooms and meals
A daily inpatient allowance
Full repatriation costs including air ambulance if needed
A full refund for trip cancellation or curtailment
Immediate cover cancellation
Cover sports and other activities you may perform like playing football, diving, skiing, elephant trekking/rides, and for extreme sports like bungee jumping
Cover personal liability in cases of accidental injury or damage to other people or property
Cover legal costs from any claim for injury or damage
Compensation for stolen, lost or damaged personal possessions sufficient to cover the value of the items
Insure all your accompanying children and not just one of them.

Finally

Watch the exclusions - the things the insurance won't pay forCheck the excess - the part you have to pay. Read the small print and if you are not sure ask.

Should disasters happen on your dream holiday purchasing the wrong choice of travel insurance can turn a misery into a financial nightmare.

The copyright of the article Why You Need Travel Insurance in E Asia Travel is owned by John Howe. Permission to republish Why You Need Travel Insurance in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.