Travel insurance acts as a saving grace for last-minute changes or some other unexpected circumstances that can arise while on the trip. Even though you get insurance, there are cases when an insurance claim can get rejected. It is the type of situation every insured person dreads.
When you have the policy and have paid that extra money for it but your insurance claim gets rejected from the insurer, it is pretty distressful when that happens. Experts suggest one should ensure properly with the documentation while opting for an insurance policy so that the travel insurance claims do not get rejected.
For instance, accidents during adventurous sports are not covered by most insurance policies. Anurag Rastogi, Chief Actuary, and Chief Underwriting Officer, HDFC ERGO, says, “Do not withhold details of pre-existing conditions. This should be maintained especially when traveling with elderly parents or traveling against doctors’ medical advice.”
Here are some tips to avoid your claim rejection:
Claim Exclusions
During international travel insurance claims, this is one of the most common reasons for claims getting rejected. Every insurance policy has exclusions embedded in, which policyholders should know while buying the policy. With planning for the holiday trips, most people forget to check the list of exclusions in their travel insurance coverage. Hence, make sure to understand the list of exclusions embedded in your insurance policy.
Undeclared Health Conditions
A critical mistake made by most policyholders, they tend to avoid the declaration of existing medical conditions. Even if you don’t disclose it completely, you are still at fault. While on your trip if you fall sick or meet with an accident due to an underlying medical condition, there are high chances that your travel insurance claim will get rejected. Note that, even if the accident is not related to the medical condition, your claim will likely be rejected. Hence, ensure to declare your health condition fully while applying for the travel insurance policy.
Adventurous Activities
Most travel insurance policy does not provide coverage for participation in adventure sports. Adventure sports include bungee jumping, skydiving. Any loss arising due to participating in any such activity is not covered by the travel policies. Policyholders should go through the fine prints, and make sure to go through the exclusion list of adventurous activities to gain more clarity in terms of policy coverage.
Traveling to unsafe locations
There is a consolidated list of locations and places that are deemed risky or unsafe for travel, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices (FCO). If you are traveling to such places any accident or loss that may result will normally not covered. Experts say, try to avoid such blacklisted areas. Despite the fulfillment of other criteria, the insurance claim will be rejected on the above grounds.
Missing Bills
When you register a claim, make sure to submit the associated bills and paperwork, as they are needed to sustain the claim. This is for reimbursement claims, wherein you have to produce the receipts of every medical service you have received.