Insurance 

All You Need To Know About Travel Insurance Claims

While planning for trips, we tend to forget about opting for travel insurance plans. Many of us think of it as an unnecessary expense since we assume, ‘what possibly will go wrong on a trip’? The truth is slightly different, though. When you go on a trip to an unknown place, a lot of things can go wrong. You can misplace your luggage at the airport, you can lose your essentials in transit, your wallet can get stolen, you can fall sick during the trip, and the list is endless. So, what do you do if you experience any of these unnoticed events during your upcoming trip? You cry a little, brood over not having the necessary coverage of a travel insurance plan, and you worry a little more about your future financial expenses. However, if you buy travel insurance from a reputed insurer like Tata AIG before boarding the flight and know how to claim a travel insurance plan properly, it can take all the financial worries off your shoulders.

Travel insurance policies are not something that should be overlooked anymore while planning for a trip abroad. Some of the countries have also made it necessary for their visitors to have a valid travel insurance policy.  While you are on a trip and a mishap takes place, here is all you need to know about filing travel insurance claims.

Tips to Claim Travel Insurance

You know about the relevance of buying a travel insurance policy for your upcoming trip, but you also need to understand the steps involved in successfully filing an insurance claim in India. For example, suppose you lose your luggage or get sick during the trip; how would you claim the coverage from your insurer? Here are the steps involved:

  • First and foremost, always read the policy documents properly before buying a travel insurance plan. This will save you from further hiccups during the claiming procedure, and you will be aware of what and what not to expect from your insurer when claiming.
  • If you lose your luggage or any other belongings during the trip, file a complaint with the local police station immediately. If you get sick or hurt, see a doctor and get a written report of the same. Once this is done, inform your insurer without any delay and provide them with all necessary information.
  • Almost every single insurer will ask for financial proof before filing your claim. Hence, it would help if you had all the receipts in place. In case of flight delay or trip curtailment, do not forget to keep your meal receipts, medical receipts, and tickets handy.
  • The Claims Service Representative from the insurance company will help you to register the claim. You will need to understand the process well and support your claim form with all the relevant documents to avail of specific coverage.
  • After downloading the relevant claim form, you will have to duly fill it up and send it back to the insurer with the supporting documents.
  • Once it’s done, your form and the documents will be assessed by a reviewer from the insurance company. And once the survey is complete, the company will decide whether to accept your claim or reject it.

However, do not just buy any insurance plan that you come across online. Like any other expensive shopping, you should research well before choosing the right policy. So, before you settle for any particular insurance plan for your next trip, here are a few things that you should keep in mind.

Tips to Choose the Right Travel Insurance Policy

Since a huge part of travel insurances are about coverages for emergency medical care, you need to consider the age of the people travelling. It will help you to evaluate the policy cover better. Apart from that, here are a few more things that you should consider:

  • Pre-existing medical history

If you think that one of the travellers has a medical history, you must ensure that the insurance covers pre-existing ailments. This is because, during the trip, you wouldn’t want to be in a situation where you will not be able to offer the best healthcare to someone who will need it the most. So, discuss everything well in advance with your co-travellers, understand their health conditions well, and make a complete declaration in the insurance application form to get the best coverage.

  • Purpose of the trip

If you are travelling to a destination for fun and adventurous sports, buy travel insurance to cover such risks. If you opt for an insurance plan for your child travelling abroad for education, go for long-term student insurance covers. If you can buy travel insurance based on the purpose of your trip, you will be able to reap better benefits of the same. Do not always rely on a travel agent to choose a policy for yourself or your family. Do your research and keep in mind every single aspect of your trip before opting for one.

  • Based on the destination

If you are going to book your tickets for the UK or the US, you need to know that even a simple visit to the hospitals there can burn a hole in your pocket! Hence, choose a medical travel insurance plan that will cover the same. Also, go for a large cover amount to not break the bank to pay for the medical expenses while on your trip.

Conclusion

The right travel insurance will only cost you a few thousand rupees but will save you from huge financial burdens in return. So, in case of any such accidental loss or illness during the trip, make sure to inform your insurer on time to avail the best of your claim benefits. Also, if you are well aware of the terms and conditions of your chosen travel insurance policy, and if you follow the rules well while filing a claim, you can benefit the most from your policy.

 

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