From Urgent Care to Hospital Visits: Here is What Travel Insurance Covers

What Medical Expenses Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Travel insurance policies cover urgent medical treatments for accidents, illnesses, and injuries up to the assured sum. Let us break down what expenses travel insurance covers.

1. Hospital Bills

   If there is a need to be hospitalised for emergency treatment, an overseas travel insurance policy covers in-patient (IPD) treatment costs, including hospital bed charges, ICU fees, surgeon and anaesthetist costs, and nursing charges.

2. Medicines, Diagnostic Tests, and Ambulance Charges

   Besides hospital charges, travel insurance policies cover the cost of medicines, medical diagnostic tests, ambulance service charges, blood storage, and processing charges up to the specified sub-limits.

3. Evacuation to Other Facility

   Travel insurance can help with transportation (including air ambulance services) to the closest medical centre if you are in a remote area or a place with limited medical facilities.

4. Emergency Dentist Treatments

   If you experience sudden and acute tooth pain or incur teeth injuries during accidents, your travel insurance policy can cover the cost of required dental treatment.

5. COVID-19 Cover

   As COVID-19 greatly impacted international travel, insurers now offer specialised coverage for hospital treatments, OPD treatments, and trip cancellations related to the disease. Some insurers also provide a daily cash allowance during hospitalisation for COVID-19.

6. Repatriation of Mortal Remains to India

   In the unfortunate event of death, travel insurance covers the cost of repatriating mortal remains to the home country.

What Medical Costs are Excluded from Travel Insurance Coverage?

You must check your travel insurance policy's 'exclusions' section to identify which expenses are not covered. Here are some standard exclusions:

1. Cosmetic and Obesity Treatments

   Travel insurance does not cover beauty treatments, weight-loss treatments, plastic surgeries, or any other medical procedure performed to change one's appearance.

2. Travelling Against Medical Advice

   If your doctor had already cautioned you against travelling due to health issues, travel insurance will not cover any subsequent medical expenses incurred abroad.

3. Specified Health Issues

   Standard travel insurance coverage does not include mental health concerns, sexually transmitted diseases, or pre-existing illnesses. However, some insurers offer mental health and pre-existing disease covers as add-ons.

4. Non-Urgent Medical Treatments

   Travel insurance will not cover medical treatment that is not urgent and can be reasonably completed after you return to your home country.

5. Intoxication

   If you consume alcohol, drugs, or any other intoxicant, the related medical treatments will be excluded from your international travel insurance coverage.

6. Self-Inflicted Injuries

   The healthcare costs related to self-harm and suicide attempts are excluded from the travel insurance scope.

7. Medical Tourism

   Travel insurance does not cover healthcare costs if you travel to another country only for medical treatment. Similarly, the cost will not be covered if you are already on the waitlist for a certain treatment.

What Are the Benefits of Having Travel Insurance for Medical Treatments?

An exciting international trip should be about unexpected adventures, not medical bills. Here are the main benefits of having travel insurance for an international trip:

1. Cashless Hospitalisation Facility

   Most insurance companies provide global cashless hospitalisation services. You do not have to pay the hospital bills and ask for reimbursement later, as the insurer directly pays the bills to network hospitals.

2. Worldwide Customer Service

   Indian insurance companies often provide 24/7 customer service through designated helplines. Thanks to this facility, you can contact your insurers easily during emergencies abroad.

3. Coverage Without Prior Medical Tests

   Most insurance companies issue travel insurance without requiring medical tests beforehand. This makes the process of buying travel insurance quicker and more convenient.

4. Helpful Add-On Covers in Travel Insurance

   Optional covers or add-ons allow you to get coverage for costs not covered by standard travel insurance policies. Popular examples include adventure sports cover, pre-existing diseases cover, and maternity & newborn cover.

How to Find the Right Travel Insurance for Medical Expenses?

How can you pick a travel insurance policy that covers all necessary medical expenses? Here are some simple steps that can help you find the right international travel insurance:

• Check the Legal Rules: Some countries require a specific type of coverage for their tourist visas. For example, Schengen countries require travel medical insurance with coverage for medical treatments, hospitalisation, and repatriation to India, with a sum assured of at least EUR 30,000.
• Declare Health Issues: Notify your insurer about your health conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. You may need to get an optional cover separately for these.
• Select Your Insurer Wisely: Ideally, your insurer should have a high claim settlement ratio, favourable customer reviews, and a good market reputation.
• Buy Travel Insurance Online: Consider buying travel insurance online to save time, effort, and money. The whole process can be completed from home, with digital documents and forms to save you from tedious paperwork.

Bottom Line

International travel insurance is not a legal formality, but an investment made to make your trip more enjoyable and stress-free. Knowing that you are protected from medical costs abroad, you can focus on exploring a new place and enjoying quality time with your travel companions.