7 Things To Know Before Claiming International Travel Insurance

Though an overseas travel insurance policy offers protection against various troublesome situations -from flight delays to losing important travel documents to health emergencies; but to avail the benefits it is also important to know the right procedure to file the claim. There are cases when travel insurance claims get rejected and this is the kind of situation every traveler would dread. A lot of times people don’t know how to claim travel insurance for flight cancellation, what are the documents required for travel insurance. For this reason, we bring to you this simple travel insurance claim guide in case you file an international travel insurance claim next time:

Carry Your International Travel Insurance Documents

Troubles can knock anybody’s door anytime. And when it happens in an unknown country, it can be even more troublesome as you don’t know who to contact and where to get help from. It is always better to go prepared while travelling abroad. If you have bought an international travel insurance policy it makes sense to carry your travel insurance policy documents. If you have purchased your travel insurance online, you would have got all your travel documents and e-receipts in your inbox. Simply download it on our phone and you are good to go.

Furnish Correct Information

While filling your travel insurance form at the time of policy purchase make sure that you furnish all the correct information. Most importantly declare all your pre-existing illnesses, exact date of travel, and purpose of visit. Any incorrect or false information on your travel insurance application form can lead to rejection of your claim. So, make sure that all the details are true to your knowledge.

Gather Local Communication Details

The insurer will provide you with some local point of contact along with your overseas travel insurance policy. You can check your policy wordings for the local emergency point of contact. Nobody anticipates to get stuck in such a situation, however, it is always better to be prepared should an emergency situation arise in a foreign land. Whether you are travelling alone or with your family, make sure that you keep some local emergency contacts on speed dial.

Inform the Local Police

In case you find yourself stuck in an emergency situation involving an accident or passport loss, the first thing that you need to do is inform the local police authorities. At the time of travel insurance claim settlement, you would need to provide a copy of the police report. For example, if you lose your passport or get mugged, a police intervention will be required. Your travel insurance provider will ask you to submit your police report for claim and any other assistance.

Inform the Insurance Provider at the Earliest

In a scenario where you miss your flight due to a traffic jam or any other medical reason, it is imperative to inform your travel insurer at the earliest. Any delay would further your travel insurance claim process and might make it all the more complicated. In extreme cases, it can even lead to rejection of your travel insurance claims. So, make sure that you inform your insurer about any unforeseen circumstance that can disrupt your trip.

Lodge a Travel Insurance Claim Whilst You Are on Your Trip

You can lodge a claim for travel insurance online. You can look to initiate the claim process while you are still on your trip. As it might not work well for you if you would choose to wait to return to your home country and then file a claim. The idea of buying an international travel insurance policy is to get immediate assistance while you are away from your country. A lot of people end up making this mistake. So make sure that you file a claim as soon as there is an emergency. This will ensure that you get your claim is settled timely and you get help at the time of need.

Keep Evidences Ready

Another crucial aspect is to have all the possible evidences ready at the time of filing your travel insurance claim. Here is your checklist of shreds of evidence that you would require in case you file a claim- medical bills, police report, hotel bills, airline receipts, etc. Keep all your papers ready as this will help you to get the claim in a much simpler fashion.

Apart from that, keep the following in mind for filing travel insurance claims under a particular circumstance:

Baggage Loss/Delay Claim:

• Immediately inform the concerned airline about the loss of checked-in baggage
• Do not forget to get Property Irregularity Report from the concerned airline
• Collect details of the compensation that the airline provided in case of baggage loss

Medical Sickness/Accident Claim:

• In case of road accident inform at the nearest police authorities
• Collect all the receipts, bills, and original medical papers from the hospital/doctor/other medical establishments
• Also, get your international travel insurance claim form signed by the attending doctor

Loss of Passport Claim:

• Notify the police authorities immediately
• Contact the Indian Consulate or Embassy for a new or duplicate passport

Trip Cancellation/ Delay/ Interruption/ Missed Connection Flight Claim:

• Collect correspondence from the airline causing delay to certify the cause of the cancellation/delay

Financial Emergency / Bail Bond:

• Immediately notify the police authorities
• Contact the travel insurance provider
• If required you can contact the Indian emergency as well

Personal Liability Claim:

• Do not settle for any mutual compensation or enter into any agreement

Conclusion

No one ever imagines they will need to make an insurance claim while they travel. But you can never predict when an unfortunate incident will strike and there arises a need to file a travel insurance claim. Thankfully, filing international travel insurance claims is not that difficult. The process is quite smooth and hassle-free if you follow the above-mentioned tips. So, get a good international travel insurance plan before your trip and stay carefree! Bon Voyage.