The tragic Air India crash has reinforced the need to buy a comprehensive travel insurance. It provides structured protection against a wide range of high-impact contingencies that can occur while you are travelling, whether internationally or domestically.
A comprehensive travel cover for international travel covers medical emergencies, including hospitalisation, surgeries, and outpatient care. It pays a lump sum to the nominee or insured in case of an accidental death and permanent disability.
The cover reimburses non-refundable costs due to sudden disruptions and pays for loss of passport, baggage, or personal documents. In events like air crashes, the accidental death and disability benefit and repatriation services are two of the most critical features. An add-on personal accident cover combined with a critical illness policy will give further security during travel.
Bhaskar Nerurkar, head- health administration team, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, said for travellers with existing health conditions, the pre-existing conditions cover provides essential support by covering related medical care during the trip. “Additional coverages if you are planning to enjoy activities like skiing, scuba diving, or other adventure sports, the adventure sports cover ensures you stay protected,” he said.
Sum assured
Meet Kapadia, head, travel insurance, Policybazaar, recommended that travellers choose a sum assured based on the destination’s medical inflation and the traveller’s risk exposure.
Schengen Area: “Travel insurance is mandatory for Schengen visa issuance. The policy must cover at least €30,000 or $50,000 in medical expenses, and must be valid for the entire duration of stay across all Schengen countries,” he said.
USA & Canada: Given the high cost of healthcare, he recommended a minimum sum insured of $250,000 to 500,000. For senior citizens, this could go up to $1 million.
UK, Australia, New Zealand: While not mandatory, medical costs can still be significant. A $2,50,000 cover is advisable.
Asia (Thailand, Singapore, UAE, etc.): Medical costs are relatively lower, but emergency evacuations can still be expensive. A $2,50,000 cover is recommended.
Add-on covers
Along with the core policy, there are very few add-ons which each traveller should consider. Every buyer must buy accidental death and flight accident cover. Chetan Vasudeva, senior vice president, business development, Elephant.in, Alliance Insurance Brokers, said such a cover provides a huge pay-out if a plane crashes or any other calamity occurs. “This add-on must be over and above the basic sum assured.”
An add-on adventure sports cover is essential for high-risk activities like skiing or diving. The premium for adventure sports as an add-on can range from anywhere between 5% to 30% in addition to your base premium amount.
A visa rejection can derail travel plans and lead to major financial losses from non-refundable bookings like flights and hotels. To safeguard against this, travellers should opt for travel insurance that covers visa rejection. It reimburses eligible non-refundable expenses if a visa is denied. Some policies include it by default, while others offer it as an add-on, allowing flexibility based on destination and budget.
Domestic travel
Domestic travel carries exposure to medical emergencies, accidents, delays, and theft. Travel insurance enhances preparedness for these scenarios, at a negligible cost. For example, at the time of booking a flight online on travel websites or airline websites, the individual can simply add insurance with the click of a button.
For domestic flight insurance (opt-in), the costs range between Rs 50–150, depending on duration and coverage. A comprehensive domestic travel insurance will cost between Rs 300– 800 for multi-day travel across India. For train travel, IRCTC provides voluntary insurance at premiums as low as Rs 0.49 for accident insurance up to Rs 10 lakh.