Travel insurance: What can you claim and when?

For frequent travellers, travel insurance is more than just a product. It can be the difference between an amazing trip, to one where you end up miserable and maybe, broke.

In particular, travel insurance covers the inconveniences or emergencies that you might experience during your travels. This insurance will help you save on your medical, accidental, baggage expenses or accident expenses.

Nobody wants to make a claim on their insurance, much less travel insurance. However, some situations demand precisely that. However, when exactly do you need to make a claim?

To answer the question, you first have to consider what the travel insurance covers. Like we mentioned earlier, it covers typically medical, accidental, baggage expenses or accident expenses.

When a trip is cancelled or abandoned

This is one of the claims most commonly made by policyholders. No wonder, as most travel insurance policies covers you for 60 days before the trip. Therefore, you might be able to ignore the junkies who tell you to buy your insurance early.

Trip cancellations are widespread because anything trivial thing can affect those planning to go on the trip. For instance, your child could fall sick and may need hospitalisation. In such a case, you would have to pay for a holiday that did not happen!

However, most travel insurances come with a cancellation cover. This is to say that the insurer will reimburse you for the money paid out.

When you fall sick during travel

Interestingly, the very first travel insurance in 1863 covered sickness on the trip. Usually, many people fall sick on their trips and may need hospitalisation. However, it might be difficult to cover your medical expenses overseas if you have a basic government insurance subsidised coverage only works in your country.

Good travel insurance has a scheme through which it gives your money back in case you spend on hospitalisation.

Under this section, you also file claims for expenses on accidents sustained during the trip. This is the reason why most insurance schemes do not miss accident covers. An insurance package would be useless if it did not at least cover accidents.

When you lose your money or baggage

Usually, most trips involve a lot of baggage and money. Travellers always want to ensure they are self-sustaining during the period of the trip. Further, not all countries operate cashless economies. You might find yourself in a case where you need to be flush with cash. All these are risks that require insurance.

Insuring the cash and baggage will help in case you lose some or all of your money – and baggage. Once you establish that the insured amount is missing, you need to make a claim as appropriately mentioned. Most insurers cater for procedures in the terms and conditions.

When your transport delays or you miss the departure

Nature is always unpredictable. You may arrange everything about your trip to perfection and nature decides to disappoint. For instance, you might have planned a trip to Indonesia to visit the lush jungles. In the same period, an earthquake strikes and flights face delays.

In another case, due to some unavoidable circumstances, you might miss your departure flight. An excellent travel insurance package considers all these. This is to say that the package contains procedures that guide how you can claim the insurance in this case.

This is because when you miss your departure flight, you will need to make new flight arrangements. In most cases, you will find yourself going back into your pockets to cover the new travel arrangements. Therefore, the travel insurance covers such inconveniences.

*The advice offered in this column is intended for informational purposes only and not intended to replace or substitute for any professional, financial, legal, or other professional advice. If you have specific concerns or a situation in which you require professional help, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified adviser.