- Date : 24/09/2021
- Read: 4 mins
Wish to guard yourself against COVID-related expenses when travelling? Choose a plan that covers COVID-related medical expenses and is tailored to your needs.
Travel and hospitality are two sectors that were worst hit by COVID. The pandemic raised health risk for overseas travellers significantly. However, it also helped people understand the importance of having a travel insurance plan. Whether you are going on a holiday or official work, a travel health insurance plan is a must. It keeps you protected from travel-related inconveniences such as trip delays, loss of passport or checked-in baggage, or trip cancellation.
Getting covered for COVID-19
Avoid travel as far as possible, but if it’s urgent, you need to be adequately covered under a travel plan that covers COVID. So, if you have a trip planned this year, you can secure it by opting for an online travel insurance policy that includes COVID coverage. Among Indian general insurance companies, several offer a travel insurance plan with a COVID coverage. E.g. ICICI Lombard General Insurance, Tata AIG Insurance and HDFC Ergo.
Insurance to your rescue
Most countries require visitors to have travel insurance. COVID-specific travel insurance is coming to the rescue of travellers. All you need is an insurance plan that includes the exact coverage of COVID-19. Choose a plan that helps you handle the cost of your treatment, if you happen to test positive in the middle of your trip. A simple and comprehensive travel insurance policy that can take care of all your medical costs and repatriation can give you peace of mind and allow you to enjoy your trip.
Tested COVID-positive? Worry not
You can also choose a customised destination-specific travel plan that covers all your various medical expenses, including in-patient and out-patient care. Some policies allow you to claim COVID-related overseas medical expenses, hospitalisation, emergency hotel extension, trip cancellation, etc.
Whether it’s domestic or international travel, if a traveller gets infected by COVID midway, the plan will covers their medical expenses. It will covers all kinds of emergency hospitalisation and other expenses incurred. Also, in case a traveller wants to delay the trip by a few weeks or cancel it altogether in the event of contracting COVID, there are some policies that cover the delay.
Related: COVID-19: How it has impacted travel and tourism?
Emergency medical evacuation
If a traveller needs medical evacuation or repatriation while away from the home country, this benefit makes the necessary transportation arrangements to arrange for the medical facility. It can also help transport the traveller back to their home country when they are fit to travel.
Important points to remember
Some travel insurance plans do not cover the expenses incurred on quarantine or isolation in a different city or country at the time of travelling. Do remember to check this clause with your insurance provider before you purchase the plan.
Some governments have issued advisories urging people to avoid travelling out of the city or country due to COVID-related restrictions. However, if the insured traveller continues to travel and later faces a COVID-induced emergency, the travel plan will not cover any expenses.
Finally, it is important to understand the right coverage needed to prevent oneself from facing any financial strain during the trip. It is also necessary to review all the inclusions and exclusions oroperly and to read the terms and conditions while selecting a travel insurance plan.
Related: COVID-19: Why cancelling your travel reservations is better than rescheduling?
Recovered from COVID-19? Still opt for medical insurance
Even if you may have recovered from the virus earlier, and you decide to travel abroad for business or leisure, you can opt for a medical insurance policy that provides coverage to travellers outside of their home country. When you feel ready to travel again, make sure you invest in travel insurance that covers COVID-19. A travel medical insurance policy covers all the illnesses, including COVID-19, injuries, accidents, trip cancellation, loss of passport, lost luggage, and others.
What COVID travel insurance includes
- Emergency medical assistance: In case you meet with an unexpected medical emergency in a foreign land, this benefit gives you the required assistance.
- COVID treatment: This compensates for medical expenses incurred after being diagnosed with COVID outside the Republic of India (during the duration of the trip) and being hospitalised.
- Cashless hospitals: In view of a network of cashless hospitals, this clause ensures that all the medical expenses are covered through the cashless benefit.
- Compensation in case of trip cancellation or curtailment: Offered if the trip is cancelled or curtailed, or if the traveller or their travel companion is diagnosed with COVID before commencing the trip.
- Automatic extension: The policy gets automatically extended if a lockdown is imposed in the destination country and no alternative mode of transport is available. Cancelled travel plans due to COVID-19? Here’s how to minimise your losses
Travel and hospitality are two sectors that were worst hit by COVID. The pandemic raised health risk for overseas travellers significantly. However, it also helped people understand the importance of having a travel insurance plan. Whether you are going on a holiday or official work, a travel health insurance plan is a must. It keeps you protected from travel-related inconveniences such as trip delays, loss of passport or checked-in baggage, or trip cancellation.
Getting covered for COVID-19
Avoid travel as far as possible, but if it’s urgent, you need to be adequately covered under a travel plan that covers COVID. So, if you have a trip planned this year, you can secure it by opting for an online travel insurance policy that includes COVID coverage. Among Indian general insurance companies, several offer a travel insurance plan with a COVID coverage. E.g. ICICI Lombard General Insurance, Tata AIG Insurance and HDFC Ergo.
Insurance to your rescue
Most countries require visitors to have travel insurance. COVID-specific travel insurance is coming to the rescue of travellers. All you need is an insurance plan that includes the exact coverage of COVID-19. Choose a plan that helps you handle the cost of your treatment, if you happen to test positive in the middle of your trip. A simple and comprehensive travel insurance policy that can take care of all your medical costs and repatriation can give you peace of mind and allow you to enjoy your trip.
Tested COVID-positive? Worry not
You can also choose a customised destination-specific travel plan that covers all your various medical expenses, including in-patient and out-patient care. Some policies allow you to claim COVID-related overseas medical expenses, hospitalisation, emergency hotel extension, trip cancellation, etc.
Whether it’s domestic or international travel, if a traveller gets infected by COVID midway, the plan will covers their medical expenses. It will covers all kinds of emergency hospitalisation and other expenses incurred. Also, in case a traveller wants to delay the trip by a few weeks or cancel it altogether in the event of contracting COVID, there are some policies that cover the delay.
Related: COVID-19: How it has impacted travel and tourism?
Emergency medical evacuation
If a traveller needs medical evacuation or repatriation while away from the home country, this benefit makes the necessary transportation arrangements to arrange for the medical facility. It can also help transport the traveller back to their home country when they are fit to travel.
Important points to remember
Some travel insurance plans do not cover the expenses incurred on quarantine or isolation in a different city or country at the time of travelling. Do remember to check this clause with your insurance provider before you purchase the plan.
Some governments have issued advisories urging people to avoid travelling out of the city or country due to COVID-related restrictions. However, if the insured traveller continues to travel and later faces a COVID-induced emergency, the travel plan will not cover any expenses.
Finally, it is important to understand the right coverage needed to prevent oneself from facing any financial strain during the trip. It is also necessary to review all the inclusions and exclusions oroperly and to read the terms and conditions while selecting a travel insurance plan.
Related: COVID-19: Why cancelling your travel reservations is better than rescheduling?
Recovered from COVID-19? Still opt for medical insurance
Even if you may have recovered from the virus earlier, and you decide to travel abroad for business or leisure, you can opt for a medical insurance policy that provides coverage to travellers outside of their home country. When you feel ready to travel again, make sure you invest in travel insurance that covers COVID-19. A travel medical insurance policy covers all the illnesses, including COVID-19, injuries, accidents, trip cancellation, loss of passport, lost luggage, and others.
What COVID travel insurance includes
- Emergency medical assistance: In case you meet with an unexpected medical emergency in a foreign land, this benefit gives you the required assistance.
- COVID treatment: This compensates for medical expenses incurred after being diagnosed with COVID outside the Republic of India (during the duration of the trip) and being hospitalised.
- Cashless hospitals: In view of a network of cashless hospitals, this clause ensures that all the medical expenses are covered through the cashless benefit.
- Compensation in case of trip cancellation or curtailment: Offered if the trip is cancelled or curtailed, or if the traveller or their travel companion is diagnosed with COVID before commencing the trip.
- Automatic extension: The policy gets automatically extended if a lockdown is imposed in the destination country and no alternative mode of transport is available. Cancelled travel plans due to COVID-19? Here’s how to minimise your losses
