A travel insurance cover is a must while going on a holiday. An unfortunate emergency can set you back financially and turn a pleasant holiday into a nightmare. Travel insurance mitigates risk and ensures your financial security while you take a break
Everyone is travelling these days. The world is shrinking and it isn’t uncommon to hear of foreign holidays. There is much to be discovered in India too and domestic holidaying has come a long way. A long weekend is excuse enough for people to plan a holiday and some sight-seeing. A holiday is just the antidote people need to break the monotony and beat stress in today’s hectic pace of life. Unwind, relax and rejuvenate is the way to come back recharged for another battle.
Now, isn’t it crucial that the holiday actually works well for you? Who would want the holiday to turn a nightmare and add to the already high stress that you deal with daily? What if an unfortunate event throws the spanner in the works? The last thing you would want is a heavy hospital bill from a misadventure or unexpected illness while away on a holiday. Theft or loss of valuables can turn a pleasant holiday sour. Anybody going on a holiday wants to come back with happy memories and photographs to cherish for a lifetime. *
This is where insurance comes in.
Insurance – a safety net
An insurance cover is the safety net you need to put in place while going on a holiday. While a great deal of attention is paid to all aspects of a holiday such as location, accommodation, itinerary and shopping, many tend to neglect this safety net. The further from home you are going, and the longer you plan to holiday, the more important it becomes to pay attention and ensure you get the right insurance policy. The cover should be adequate and bring you back without a large financial dent to fill over the next few years. You wouldn’t want to miss your next vacation because you are still covering the loss from the previous one.
So, it pays to go over the different insurance covers available and pick one that includes enough clauses to give you adequate risk cover. It may just be that this investment actually saves you a great deal of trouble and loss. *
Choosing the right combo
Insurance covers for travelers come in many permutations and combinations. They are flexible and you can mix and match for a policy that works best for you. Broadly, you can choose between a one-time policy cover or an annual policy. In the first case, the policy covers a specific travel package while the second covers multiple trips over a given time period that can go upto an year.
A one-time policy is ideal for those who don’t travel frequently. If your trip is a one-off holiday and you do not plan to holiday again in the near future, go for the one-off policy as it will be a more cost-efficient one for you. On the other hand, if you are planning regular holiday travel through the year, a policy covering multiple trips over a period of time is a better choice.
Either way, it is never advisable to leave home without insurance. *
Covers to choose
There are many options you have in travel insurance. If your insurance policy has to be cost-efficient, you need to choose the covers wisely. It will depend on how far you are travelling, the duration of the holiday and your health status. *
Common covers:
Personal accident
Pre-existing and acquired illness requiring hospital stay
Loss or theft of baggage
Cancellation of flights or missing connections
Theft or loss of documents such as passport, driving license
Theft or loss of equipment such as laptop, mobile phone etc
Legal expenses if needed
Emergency cash withdrawal assistance
Burglary of home
While these are the common clauses that everyone needs to include in any policy, there are some specific clauses that can be included too for those in the risk bracket. It is advisable to pay a bit more and include more clauses as any emergency is expensive to manage. *
Some clauses you can consider based on risk profile:
Emergency dental pain relief
Trip cancellation, interruption
Cover for those indulging in adventure sports/tourism
Cancellation of hotel booking
Peril of fire
Hijack cover
Personal liability
Car hire insurance
Weather turning inclement
Covering loss
A well-planned policy also covers your loss arising from a cancelled flight or your hotel reservation not coming through for any reason. Basically, you are ensuring you don’t suffer a loss while on a holiday on any of the events you feel can actually happen. It is also prudent to buy a policy that covers only the risk you perceive. For example, if you don’t plan to indulge in risky adventure sports, that specific clause is not needed. You can save some money by eliminating adventure sports cover from your policy. *
Convenient to buy
It is very easy to buy family travel insurance while travelling. You can buy the policy online or get an insurance agent to advise you and choose one that suits you best. However, before signing on the dotted line, you need to ensure you are covering all perceived risks. It will be disastrous if the one event that is setting you back financially is not covered in your travel insurance plan.
At the end of the day, a holiday insurance is a safety net that will make your travel a pleasure. *
* Standard T&C Apply
Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms and conditions, please read sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.