In the excitement of planning an overseas trip, arranging comprehensive travel insurance might be the last thing on your mind. But for your peace of mind while travelling and as a vital backup in the event of an unforeseen illness, accident or loss, it’s essential to ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place before you go.
Here are five fundamental must-have inclusions that should be covered in your travel insurance policy:
Your travel insurance policy should cover you for trip cancellations or curtailment. In the event of an emergency resulting in you having to cancel or shorten your trip cancellation cover will ensure that you are reimbursed for any flights, accommodation and activities that you’ve already paid for. Check with your provider on what is considered an emergency.
The second most important cover you need is for medical emergencies. In the event of an illness or injury, your travel insurance policy should take care of the bills so that you don’t need to worry about the cost of treatment. Your policy should include adequate cover for the cost of emergency medical and surgical treatment in your destination country, as well as medical evacuation in event of an emergency. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it’s essential to check with your insurance provider whether your condition is covered under the policy.
Your policy should also include repatriation cover i.e. the cost of getting you back home quickly, covering the cost of return flights and accommodation in the event of a covered illness or injury that results in death.
The third important inclusion in your travel insurance policy is cover for travel delays and missed departures. If you miss your departure due to events beyond your control, such as your car breaking down, an accident or public transport being delayed, the costs of additional accommodation and travel expenses will be covered. Delays due to industrial action or adverse weather conditions should also be covered.
The fourth essential cover you need is for any sports and activities you intend to participate in whilst on your travels. Swimming, snorkeling, cycling and horse riding all carry an element of risk of injury, and even higher risk activities like bungee jumping, rock climbing, skydiving or other extreme sports need to be specified to ensure you have cover in place for these activities.
The fifth must-have cover is for your luggage and personal items. Should something get lost, stolen or damaged, your travel insurance policy should make adequate provision for that.
Check with your provider on what the limits are on individual items as there might be a limit on how much you can claim on some high-end items such as mobile phones, cameras or personal computers. Bear in mind that some policies may require you to show proof of ownership like a receipt and that some items like sunglasses or jewellery can be excluded.
Your cover can be customized to also include additional items such as personal liability cover, loss of important documents like passports and visas, loss of or damage to equipment and 24/7 phone assistance.
Choosing the Right Insurance Policy
So, if you are planning an overseas trip any time soon, make sure you’ve updated these on your checklist. Choose the travel insurance plan that’s customized to meet your needs with InsuranceMarket.ae. We will help you compare the best travel insurance deals, all customized to your requirements, and help you choose.
