Travel Insurance

Overall Rating: star ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar rating[5/5]Total Votes [ 4 ]  
Rate this page:

What is Travel Insurance ?


Travel insurance policies is the insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellations, flight accidents, lost luggage and other losses incurred while traveling. These policies cover both domestic and international travel.

Travel insurance is usually arranged at the time of the trip bookings. It usually covers the exact duration of that trip, or it can also be taken for a "multi-trip" to cover an unlimited number of trips within a set time frame.

What does travel insurance cover?


A good travel insurance policy will make sure that your basic travel risk is covered through travel insurance.
There are three areas which are taken care of while taking travel insurance.
  1. Medical coverage
  2. Luggage protection
  3. Trip protection

Travel Medical Insurance Coverage/Medical Evacuation


A good travel medical insurance will cover the medical coast that can incur during your travel. This usually includes the cost involved from minor to severe injuries during your travel. It also takes care of high medical costs when you are away during your travel. Medical insurance is very much essential if you are travelling abroad.

Luggage protection


While travelling abroad with some really expensive items in your luggage it is always better to take travel luggage protection cover by your side. It enables you to cover the cost of your stolen luggage during transit or travel. This also includes protecting your documents like your passport, your visa, etc.

Trip Insurance


Travel trip insurance bails you out when, due to unforeseen circumstances, you have to cancel your trip at the last minute. This enables you to save considerable amount of money even though you are not planning the trip.

Travel insurance does not cover the following.


Every travel insurance policy has a list of situations in which coverage is not provided, also known as exclusions. This is a specific list of reasons, and it should be reviewed carefully to avoid misunderstandings.

Most travel insurance plans automatically exclude the following from coverage:


  • Losses due to a pre-existing medical condition
  • Last minute cancellations due to your financial standing.
  • Travel costs where the purpose of the trip is to obtain medical treatment outside your home country.
  • Cancelling due to weather conditions not conducive for travel.
  • Extreme, high-risk sports such as sky-diving, scuba diving, bungee jumping, heli-skiing etc.
  • Losses due to war, military actions, civil disorder, and riots.
  • Losses due to venereal disease, AIDS virus, etc
  • Losses due to mental, psychological, or nervous disorders including anxiety, depression, neurosis or psychosis.
  • Losses incurred while the insured is legally drunk or under the influence of drugs.
  • Losses due to nuclear radiation or radioactive contamination.
  • Losses incurred while the insured is participating in an unlawful act.
  • Losses due to the insured intentionally causing bodily harm, including suicide.
Multi trip policies are also available - these plans normally cover any number of tours within a particular time frame. These plans differ in terms of coverage and can include areas with higher levels of risk like winter sports.

Charge of Travel Insurance


The amount of coverage that a person needs in case of travel insurance is dependent on factors like duration of journey, and the proposer's age. If the stay is a longer one then the required coverage amount will go up and if the proposer is of an advanced age then the coverage amount will need to go up as well.

Benefits of Travel Insurance


The travel insurance providers often offer useful services and these are available, more often than not, on a round the clock basis. These services include emergency travel assistance and concierge services.

Need of Travel Insurance


Travel insurance comes in handy especially during international travel. The medical expenses outside India are normally pretty high. There are some countries where the doctors may not check a person if he or she is not covered by a travel insurance policy.

How to buy Travel Insurance


There are three ways to purchase travel insurance. The most common among them is to get coverage for each trip. These policies can be availed if the proposer does not travel frequently. People can also go for the multi-trip policies but normally these plans require each trip to last less than 30 days. If someone travels often he or she can opt for annual policies.

List of Travel insurance companies in India


  • Apollo Munich Health Insurance Company
  • Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company
  • Bharti AXA General Insurance Company
  • Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company
  • Cigna TTK Health Insurance Limited
  • Go Digit General Insurance Limited
  • Future Generali India Insurance Company
  • HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company
  • ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company
  • Policies for Schengen Countries
  • IFFCO - Tokio General Insurance Company
  • National Insurance Company
  • Reliance General Insurance Company
  • Religare Health Insurance Company
  • Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance Company
  • SBI General Insurance Company
  • Shiram General Insurance Company
  • Star Health & Allied Insurance Company
  • Tata AIG General Insurance Company
  • Travel Guard (without Sublimits)
  • Travel Guard Senior (without Sublimits)
  • The New India Assurance Company
  • The Oriental Insurance Company
  • United India Insurance Company
  • Universal Sompo General Insurance Company

Travel insurance - Points to remember


Before availing a travel policy an individual needs to ask him or herself the following questions:

  • Will they be traveling outside the country?
  • Can they pay the expenses for going back in case there is an emergency?
  • Are they looking to take part in any extreme sport?
  • If they can afford expenses of medical treatment?

Following are some factors that insurer needs to be aware of while buying travel insurance:

Getting acquainted with cancellation policies followed by providers of travel services such as tourism cruise lines and hotels.

Knowing the price schedules, terms, exclusions, and conditions of the travel plan availed.

Reviewing existing agreements and policies of credit card providers as in certain instances the credit card companies also cover car rental liabilities, lost luggage and such other issues.

Travel insurance - Points to remember

Before availing a travel policy an individual needs to ask him or herself the following questions:
  • Will they be traveling outside the country?
  • Can they pay the expenses for going back in case there is an emergency?
  • Are they looking to take part in any extreme sport?
  • If they can afford expenses of medical treatment?
Following are some factors that the proposer needs to be aware of while buying travel insurance:
  • Getting acquainted with cancellation policies followed by providers of travel services such as tourism cruise lines and hotels
  • Knowing the price schedules, terms, exclusions, and conditions of the travel plan availed
  • Reviewing existing agreements and policies of credit card providers as in certain instances the credit card companies also cover car rental liabilities, lost luggage and such other issues

Top Travel Insurance Policies of India

ICICI Lombard

ICICI Lombard offers 3 travel insurance plans - Overseas Travel, Senior Citizen, and Annual Multi Trip. The Overseas Travel is a detailed plan that provides coverage for both unexpected non medical and medical expenses.

The Annual Multi Trip plan is for people who frequently travel outside the country. It covers non medical and medical expenses. The Senior Citizen plan is for people of an advanced age going outside the country. This plan, too, covers medical and non medical expenses.

Reliance General Insurance

The Overseas Travel Insurance Policy of Reliance General Insurance is available for covering global travel. It has two versions - one that includes US and Canada and another one that excludes these. These plans provide the following coverage:
  • Medical expenses including evacuation and transportation
  • Loss of passport
  • Dental care costs
  • Total loss of checked baggage
The Annual Multi Trip Travel Insurance Policy is for frequent international travelers and covers them for a year. Its scope of coverage is similar to the Overseas Travel Insurance Policy.

The Senior Citizens Travel Insurance Policy protects the insured from the high expenses of medical treatment outside the country. The coverage scope of this plan is similar to the Overseas Travel Insurance Policy as well.

Tata AIG Insurance

The Overseas Travel Insurance policy of Tata AIG Insurance is a round the clock policy that covers medical costs and loss or delay of baggage among others. The Domestic Travel Insurance plan covers missed departure, reimbursement of lost ticket, and accommodation expenses owing to delay in trip.

The Student Travel Insurance is for students who are traveling outside India for higher studies and covers areas like sponsor protection, study interruption, two way compassionate visit in addition to sickness and accident reimbursement and personal accident

HDFC Ergo

The HDFC Ergo Travel Insurance plan covers the following:
  • Emergency medical expenses
  • Loss of passport
  • Emergency medical evacuation
  • Loss of checked baggage
  • Repatriation of remains
  • Delay of checked baggage
  • Emergency dental costs
  • Personal liability
  • Hospital cash
  • Financial emergency assistance
  • Accidental death and permanent total disability
  • Hotel accommodation
  • Personal accident
  • Hijack distress allowance
  • Flight delay

Bajaj Allianz

Bajaj Allianz offers the following travel plans:
  • Individual Travel Insurance
  • Corporate Travel Insurance
  • Family Travel Insurance
  • Travel Asia
  • Senior Citizen Travel
  • Swadesh Yatra
  • Student Travel Insurance


Last Updated on February 6, 2018



>> More About Insurance