What to look out for when buying travel insurance

If you want to go for a lovely holiday, buying travel insurance is an absolute must! It is a small price to pay for a peace of mind.

The benefits and cover vary among travel insurance plans, but it typically should include the following:

Medical and dental expenses

Should you fall ill or injure yourself during the holiday, this will cover your medical, surgical and hospital charges overseas as well as follow-up medical expenses when you return to your home country. You will likely need to pay for these expenses first and submit your claims to the insurance company.

Hospital stay

This will pay you cash compensation for every 24hrs of hospitalization overseas.

Medical evacuation and repatriation

Medical evacuation and repatriation insurance cover travel costs for medical treatment should it not be available locally. For example, suppose you are ill or injured and the required medical treatment is not available locally. In that case, you are transferred to the nearest suitable medical facility or back home for treatment.

Compassionate visit

It would be difficult for you to recover without emotional support. This will cover the traveling expenses for your family member to stay with you until you are fit to return.

Exclusions

Find out what the exclusions are in the insurance policy. For example, some travel insurance might not cover:

• pre-existing medical conditions
• pregnancy or childbirth
• suicide or self-inflicted injury
• war or radioactive risks

We want to enjoy the holiday but there will always be some uncertainty. However, with travel insurance in place, you can at least be assured that you are well taken care of financially.