| What is Travel Insurance? | | | | emergency dental costs. Almost all travel insurance |
| In general terms, travel insurance protects all holiday | | | | plans work by reimbursing the traveller after they |
| costs against adverse events such as cancellation and | | | | have paid locally for treatment. Claims are usually paid |
| interruption and also reimburses medical expenses, | | | | within 7 - 10 days. Pre-existing conditions are covered |
| the loss or damage of property and transit delays. | | | | by most policies if the policy is purchased within (at |
| Travellers are compensated if they have to cancel or | | | | the most) 21 days from the date the traveller made |
| interrupt their travel, they will also be covered should | | | | the first payment or deposit. |
| they need emergency medical treatment, medical | | | | 3. Death of travellers: |
| evacuation and other situations. | | | | Air Flight accident - this covers death or |
| Categories of travel insurance: | | | | dismemberment during an air flight only. Usually |
| 1. Delays and cancellation - including curtailment | | | | provides the highest amount of coverage due to |
| Cancellation: Reimbursement comes into effect if | | | | fairly low likelihood of this occurring. |
| travellers have booked and paid for a holiday, but are | | | | Common carrier - Covers death or dismemberment |
| unable to embark because of personal illness or | | | | while travelling on public transport such as a plane, |
| injury, death (of the individual or of a family | | | | ferry, train bus or taxi. |
| member), adverse weather conditions, airline strikes, | | | | Accidental death - covers death or dismemberment |
| terrorism, bankruptcy, sudden unemployment, jury | | | | at any time of your trip. Usually provides the lowest |
| duty or by sustaining serious damage to their home | | | | amount of coverage due to a higher risk |
| causing it to be uninhabitable due to fire or flooding. | | | | 4. Personal effects: Loss or damage |
| Interruption: Insurance companies pay money to | | | | -Rental Car damage - Reimburses travellers for |
| policy holders abroad if they have to cut short their | | | | damage or loss to a rental vehicle. It is designed to |
| trip due to illness, death (of the traveller or a family | | | | allow the traveller to decline collision damage waiver |
| member), terrorism, weather, airline strikes, | | | | (CDW) coverage offered by the car rental |
| bankruptcy, sudden unemployment, and other | | | | companies. Liability coverage should still be purchased |
| adverse conditions which mean that, due to events | | | | through the car rental company. Rental Car Damage |
| outside the control of the holiday-maker, a trip has to | | | | coverage is also often included with the credit card |
| be curtailed. | | | | used to pay for the car rental which is often |
| Delay: This reimburses travellers for hotel, food or | | | | matches the coverage provided in the policy. |
| clothing expenses in the event of a flight delay. Some | | | | -Baggage loss - reimburses travellers for lost, stolen |
| plans also cover costs associated with catching up | | | | or damaged personal items. This coverage is usually |
| with a cruise should another delay cause the traveller | | | | restricted to the duration of the trip and not confined |
| to miss embarkation. | | | | to baggage damaged or lost by the airline. There are |
| 2. Health and Medical reasons | | | | two policy limits, total claim and per item maximum. |
| Medical evacuation: This provides emergency | | | | Some policies also place limits on the type of items |
| transportation to either a local hospital in the event | | | | that can be claimed for - such as precious jewellery, |
| that the traveller is unable to get there by | | | | laptops and sporting goods. |
| themselves or back to a hospital near the traveller's | | | | -Assistance services - provides a 24-hour collect |
| home. If family members are covered on the same | | | | telephone advice and assistance service to travellers. |
| policy they can return home also | | | | This service can be used anytime a traveller needs |
| Medical and health reasons: Reimburses medical and | | | | advice. |