How to select a dependable travel health insurance?

Posted on: Feb 2, 2023 | | Written by:

How to select a dependable travel health insurance?

Published on February 01, 2023. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes

Are you all set for your next international trip? So, you have decided on a destination for your next international trip and are busy planning for the same. Depending on the destination that you have selected, you might have to buy a travel health insurance plan. Some countries require travellers to buy insurance to even get a Visa. Thus, before you even book your tickets, ensure you check the requirements for getting a visa.

It is only natural to wonder what are the benefits of buying travel health insurance and whether you should even opt for one in the first place. And should you even consider a policy for countries that do not mandate travel insurance? Here is all that you need to know about it.

What is the use of a travel insurance plan?

Travellers usually do not consider getting a travel insurance plan, if it is not mandated by the country that they are visiting. Right from additional costs to not having adequate information are some of the common reasons for people not to opt for a plan. However, it might be needed more than you know.

If you visit a foreign country and unfortunately meet with any medical emergency. Something as simple as a stomach bug or bad flu might warrant a visit to a hospital. In the case of an accident, there is no other way than to visit a hospital. You will end up paying for all these expenses out of your pockets if you do not have any plans.

It is no secret that medical attention is quite expensive in a lot of countries outside India. The last thing that you would want during a trip is to shell out your savings towards medical expenses. If you already have a health insurance plan in India, it will not cover the expenses you incur outside the borders.

Travel health insurance can come in very handy in such situations. It will take care of all the expenses and ensure that you can focus on getting the right treatment.

Things to do to choose the best travel health insurance plan

There are a lot of insurance companies in India offering an even wider range of products. It can make it a bit tricky to choose. Here are some of the steps that can help you choose the right travel health insurance plan.

1. Age of travellers

While looking for family travel insurance, it is important to consider the age of all the travellers accompanying you. Merely looking at the most affordable plan might not be the best strategy. If you have any kids accompanying you, they are less prone to falling sick but have greater chances of getting injured while playing. Similarly, if you have any senior citizens along with you, the possibility of them falling sick is much greater. Thus, it is important to consider the age of all the travellers while buying a plan.

It might be a good idea to choose senior citizen travel insurance for better coverage and lower premiums than adding everyone to a single plan.

2. Research customer support

Insurance companies usually have a dedicated team that can take care of your queries and claims. The presence of a 24/7 support can be quite crucial when you are travelling abroad. Ensure that you look at these aspects before choosing an insurance provider. Also, do not take their words for granted and do a bit of research about their claims. You can read online for reviews about customer service and their way of handling customers. In fact, you can even test it by calling them to get information about any of their plans. If you like the service on offer, you will be in a better state to make a decision.

3. Compare plans

There are several tools available these days to make the decision-making process much easier. The most prominent of them is an online comparison of plans. There are different ways of comparing family travel insurance plans online. And irrespective of which way you choose, you must compare policies.

It will enable you to buy a plan that not only offers all the coverage that you are looking for but at the same time is affordable as well. Comparison will also help you to shortlist a few insurance plans before taking the final decision.

4. Declare all existing health issues

Once you finalise the insurance provider and the plan that you want to proceed with, it is critical to share all the information about you (and your family). It is always a good idea to disclose any pre-existing conditions or other medical conditions before buying the policy.

You must disclose this information even if the insurance provider does not explicitly ask for this. Failing to do this can turn out to be quite tricky later. Insurance providers can reject claims on the very grounds of you not disclosing pre-existing conditions. And you will end up paying for the medical expenses out of your pocket, which does not solve the problem in the first place.

And if your insurance provider does not cover the disease as a part of the base plan, you can opt for an add-on to get adequate coverage for it.

5. Due diligence about the insurance provider

The websites of all the insurance providers offer a lot of information that can help you decide. However, it is your responsibility not to fall for these data instantly and check different forums and review pages for additional information. You can look at aspects such as the CSR or claim settlement ratio of an insurance provider. A higher ratio indicates that the insurance provider is more likely to settle your claims.

6. Look for adequate coverage

Whether you are buying travel health insurance for yourself or a senior citizen travel insurance, always ensure a healthy sum insured. It is the maximum amount that the insurance provider will offer as compensation or claims. If the treatment exceeds the sum insured, the liability is on you to pay the additional expenses.

Choose a sum insured based on the country that you are visiting, along with the number of days that you are staying as well. If you have plans for a longer stay, it is recommended to opt for a higher sum insured. Similarly, if you are visiting any of the more developed countries, the chances are high that medical expenses will be much higher. Thus, a considerable sum insured is unavoidable.

Conclusion

Travel health insurance plans might or might not be mandatory, depending on the country that you are visiting. However, it is important that you opt for one. By paying a small premium, you will ensure complete peace of mind during the trip. In the unfortunate event of a medical emergency, you can focus on getting the right treatment rather than worrying about medical expenses at such crucial times.

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

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