Why Travel Insurance Is A Must For International Trips

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Travelling overseas is a joyous experience, but while creating an itinerary to explore the country, purchasing travel insurance to secure the trip is a necessity. With a small purchase, you can protect yourself from challenges such as baggage or document loss, flight delays or cancellations, trip cancellations or extensions, medical emergencies, and more.

Travel insurance is more than a financial protection against travel challenges; it is a safety net for every traveller headed to an unknown overseas destination.

Rohit Varma, a 29-year-old, was overjoyed about his vacation in London, which he had dreamed of for years. While booking his tickets and accommodation, he made sure to be diligent. However, one thing he overlooked was purchasing travel insurance for his trip. When he landed at Heathrow Airport, he was informed that the airline had misplaced his baggage. It was at this point that Rohit realised his mistake of ignoring travel insurance, only to cut down a minimal amount.

Sounds familiar? Many of us overlook travel insurance, thinking we won't need it, but it can lead to a financial burden and stress. Let's walk through the benefits of purchasing a travel insurance plan for securing international trips worldwide.

Why Do You Need Travel Insurance for Your International Trips?

Heading to a dream destination is all things exciting, but at the same time, it is essential to ensure safety, especially when you are in a foreign land. This is where travel insurance comes into the picture. Let's explore how purchasing travel insurance is a smart choice that you must not ignore:

1. You Need to Make Changes to the Trip

Even after planning everything to the point, uncertainties in life can lead to a trip cancellation or postponement. While you deal with the disappointment, the last thing you want to worry about is forfeiting all the money you spent on bookings.

This is where your travel insurance steps in to offer coverage in case of trip cancellation or postponement, up to a certain amount, so you do not lose all your money.

2. Your Baggage or Documents are Lost

Imagine landing at your dream destination with a plan for every day in mind, only to be informed that the airline has lost your baggage, or worse, you have somehow misplaced your documents, such as your passport. Sounds scary, right? Not when you have secured your trip with a travel insurance plan. All you need to do is inform the insurer, who steps in to offer financial compensation and help you retain baggage and document loss, so that you don't feel stranded in a foreign land without any help.

3. Your Flight is Delayed/Cancelled

Flight delays and cancellations are common. Does that mean they are not frustrating? No. While you have no control over such situations, you can always stay prepared. A travel insurance plan ensures that even in case of an unreasonable delay or a flight cancellation, you are compensated and have a safety net to fall back on for any kind of assistance.

4. You Face a Medical Emergency

The last thing you want is to fall sick on your trip. Just like a flight delay, this isn't something that you can control. But when you have purchased a travel insurance plan, you do not need to worry about finding a reliable doctor or medical facility, regardless of which part of the world you are in. Your insurer promises to offer coverage for hospitalisation expenses and a lot more. So you can focus on getting healthier rather than worrying about medical bills in a foreign country.

Pro Tip: You can also opt for family travel insurance for wholesome coverage for your loved ones.

5. You Wish to Extend the Trip

Whether you are travelling for work or heading for a fun vacation, a trip extension is a possibility. Not just this, imagine your trip gets extended due to weather conditions or medical emergencies. In such a situation, it is the responsibility of your insurer to help you get coverage for accommodation, food, commute expenses, etc, up to a specific number of days.

6. Political Turmoil, War or Act of Terrorism

When you are travelling to a foreign land, it is smart to be prepared for every situation rather than brushing such conversations under the carpet. If your trip gets hampered due to political turmoil, war, any act of terrorism or a civil war, your travel insurance steps in to provide coverage and offer assistance for any kind of queries regarding available flights to come back home, etc.

Choosing the Right International Travel Insurance

Now that you are on board with the idea of never skipping a travel insurance plan for your international trips, it's time to understand how to make a smart choice and select coverages that work for your travel needs.

1. Coverage Amount

Evaluating the coverage amount under travel insurance is crucial simply because you need to ensure that the expenses of the accommodation, commute, food, etc, in the country you are headed to are at par with the maximum coverage that your insurance policy is offering.

2. Inclusions and Exclusions

Every travel insurance plan has a unique set of inclusions and exclusions that you must carefully review. Inclusions are services that the policy promises to offer coverage for; exclusions are those services that the policy does not offer coverage for.

Pro Tip: Make sure that your insurance plan has coverage for basic services like tip cancellation or delays, baggage or document loss, medical emergency and trip extension.

3. Trip Destination

The destination you are headed to plays a central role in deciding the kind of travel insurance plan you need. For instance, the expenses incurred on a trip to Thailand will be very different from those in Europe. So, make sure to outline the trip details and select a plan that aligns.

Did you know that a trip to a Schengen country makes it mandatory for you to have a Schengen-approved insurance plan?

Wrapping Up

Purchasing a travel insurance plan for your international trip is a smart decision that can safeguard you from any unfortunate event during your trip. The best part? You get to choose from a wide array of options and customise the plan to meet your specific requirements without having to pay high premiums. Choose a plan today and enjoy your trip without any worries.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.