What Is Travel Health Insurance And Why Should You Get It?

If you travel regularly, then travel health insurance is a must! It provides medical coverage to travellers against any medical emergency. This ongoing pandemic has made travel health insurance more important for travellers across the globe. This article lists the key features and benefits of travel health insurance, its types and what it covers. Read on if you are planning to travel soon!

What is Travel Health Insurance?

Travel health insurance is a unique product that provides financial cover in emergencies or unwanted situations. The International Health Insurance for Travel works similar to the other health insurances. Except for these travel health insurance, there is no border limit. They provide financial protection to you in all corners of the world, whether you are a frequent or occasional traveller.

Why Buy a Travel Health Insurance Plan?

Travel Health insurance works specifically outside the borders of India. For that, you do not have to contact anyone abroad. The insurance purchase procedure is similar to any other insurance purchase. When you purchase insurance from any Indian insurer, all of them mention in their base insurance policy contract that the insurance is only viable within the boundaries of India. Therefore, you will not get much protection if you fall sick or if any unwanted situation happens. To get past this, you can avail of travel health insurance to have that safety cushion even when travelling abroad. 

This insurance works for everyone irrespective of age, gender, and travelling status or purpose. 

Also Read: Dental Insurance: Everything You Need To Know

Key Features of Travel Health Insurance in India

The key features of travel health insurance are: 

• If you fall sick abroad and have availed of travel health insurance, you can use the cashless services. Your Insurance company will take care of your medical bills.
• All types of travellers are covered under this policy. So if you travel frequently or go on a vacation, you still get all the benefits under this insurance policy. 
• Countries across the globe are covered under this insurance, so you can travel to any nation you like. 
• The customer services offer their services 24/7. You do not need to worry about the time difference. 
• Before purchasing the policy, you do not have to participate in any type of medical check-up if you are below 70 years of age. However, the criteria for travel insurance for senior citizens differ from insurer to insurer. 

Does Travel Health Insurance Cover Covid-19?

Yes, travel health insurance provides financial coverage against all expenses due to COVID-19. For example, if you need to quarantine, get tested, get medicines or treatment, etc. during the journey.

Types of Travel Health Insurance Policy

There are four types of travel health insurance policies:

• Single Trip: If you fly occasionally or are going on vacation, you can get single-trip health insurance. This insurance policy will provide protection cover for that one trip only. After that, the policy will be concluded. Because of this nature, it is known as the single trip health insurance policy. 

• Multi-Trip: If you frequently travel abroad because of business or for any other reason, then multi-trip health insurance is for you. This insurance covers international trips taken for the duration of one year. In that policy year, you can make a certain number of trips that your insurer determines. The insurer also limits the duration of each trip between 30 days, 45 days, and 60 days. 

Geographically, the world is divided into two types: Schengen countries and non-Schengen countries. Schengen refers to the countries that are part of the European Union, and the rest of the countries in the world are referred to as the non-Schengen countries.

• Schengen: If you are visiting one or more European Union countries, you can avail Schengen Travel Health Insurance. The duration of the trip must be below 90 days. 

• Non-Schengen: If you are travelling to any country that is not part of the European Union, then you can avail Non-Schengen Travel Health Insurance. Under this policy, you get the option to choose single trip insurance or multi-trip insurance.

Travel Health Insurance Coverage

The best travel Health Insurance protects against the following difficulties: 

Medical Illness

If you take ill abroad suddenly, you can get financial aid from the insurer. The illness must not be critical. Your insurer will cover all the costs of the hospitalisation or the daycare. Depending on your insurer, the pre and post-hospitalisation expenses could get reimbursed. However, this facility is limited to only a predetermined number of days in the hospital. 

Emergency Dental Treatment

If you need sudden dental treatment during the trip, then you can claim coverage under travel health insurance. 

Emergency Medical Evacuation

Suppose you sustain a serious injury or have an emergency in which you must be evacuated from one place to another. In that case, your cost for an ambulance is covered under this insurance policy. 

Personal Accident

Travel and health insurance also cover any injury incurred in an accident abroad. Your insurer takes care of all the expenses for your treatment abroad. Unfortunately, if the nature of the injury is serious and you sustain partial or permanent disability, then the insurer would also cover that. 

Hospital Daily Cash

If the hospital stay gets extended due to unforeseen events, then you get daily cash expenses from the insurer for the extended days. It is on a day-to-day basis given to the policyholder or the beneficiary. 

Delay or loss of baggage

If the baggage is misplaced or delayed at the check-in point, then all the losses that you incur also get reimbursed by the insurer.

Additional Coverage of Travel Health Insurance

Similar to the other insurance policies, you can also get additional benefits in the form of add-on covers when you purchase a travel health insurance plan. These benefit covers are completely voluntary, and it is up to the policyholders who wish to purchase: 

• Pre-existing Diseases

Any sudden medical emergency is covered in the base policy. Still, if you have any pre-existing diseases that get accentuated while you are travelling, it is covered under this add-on cover by your insurer. 

• Flight Delays

Flight delays due to unavoidable circumstances could burden your pocket as well. With this add-on cover, if your flight is delayed for more hours than specified in the policy, you can get compensated for that. 

• Personal Liability

Any injury or damage caused to another person as a result of negligence on your part, then you get protection against the third-party liability. This add-on cover also provides financial assistance to the third party. 

Benefits of Travel Health Insurance

Travel health insurance has many benefits:

• After the travel health insurance purchase, the insurer takes care of all the emergency medical expenses. 
• If you are travelling to a nation where standard healthcare is not  accessible, then travel health insurance will provide you with all types of medical assistance. 
• This insurance cover can be extended to the whole family of travellers. 
• After an insurance purchase, you do not have to worry about overburdening yourself with unnecessary financial burdens. 

Also Read: Apply for Instant Travel Loan: Check Benefits & Eligibility

What is International Travel Medical Insurance?

International Travel Medical Insurance provides protection cover to foreign travellers. This includes the family of vacationers, business trips, or student travel insurance. The frequency of the trips and the countries that are covered in the insurance will be mentioned in the base policy. The benefits that are provided under this insurance policy are similar to those of the other health insurance. You can make a claim either online or offline.

Final Word

Unfortunate events can come any time, anywhere. Having help does matter in such adverse situations, especially if you are in a place where you do not know anyone. In India, the health system is more affordable if you compare it with other countries, and if you find yourself in a medical emergency abroad, it will definitely burn a hole in your bank account. Travel Health insurance is the best way to get protection for yourself and your family while travelling abroad. For affordable health insurance with monthly premiums at Rs.241, download the Navi app now!

FAQ on Travel Health Insurance

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Disclaimer: This article has been prepared on the basis of internal data, publicly available information and other sources believed to be reliable. The information contained in this article is for general purposes only and not a complete disclosure of every material fact. It should not be construed as investment advice to any party. The article does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of the information, and disclaims all liabilities, losses and damages arising out of the use of this information. Readers shall be fully liable/responsible for any decision taken on the basis of this article.