Coverage levels

Medical

Medical reimbursements include inpatient and outpatient, diagnostic testing, prescription, consultation and surgical charges. A travel insurance plan may even cover follow-up medical expenses back in your home country over a specified period.

Under the plan, transport and accommodation costs incurred by a travel companion to take care of the insured in the hospital can also be claimed. Additionally, a daily cash allowance is issued to the insured during the hospitalisation period of up to around 250 days. These benefits are payable in home country, upon presentation of supporting documents.

A travel insurance plan also covers emergency medical evacuation should the insured need to be transferred to a medical facility from a remote location via specialist services such as air ambulance. The medical cover also includes costs where the injured or remains have to be repatriated to the home country. This is usually fully-paid under the premium plans.

Trip cover

Travel insurance protects you from factors outside your control such as flight delays, trip interruption due to natural disasters or strikes, and death of loved ones. There are usually exclusions for eligible countries and airlines so you will have to check beforehand.

As you are planning for the year, it will be wise to check whether cancellation coverage is included in case of a change in itinerary. Unlike a single-trip policy that starts on the travel date, you can decide on the start date of your annual policy. While starting the plan closer to the date of the first trip may seem most worthwhile, it also means that you will not be covered for any cancellation in the lead up to the trip. Depending on the insurer and the plan, a trip cancellation can reimburse up to USD $100,000.

Baggage and personal possessions cover

This is probably the most widely claimed under all the covers. Covering you from damage of rental cars, to theft and loss of luggage, this can save you a lot of grief and money.

Optional covers

Research has shown that one in four British tourists risks racking up huge medical bills by going on a winter ski or snowboard holiday without the right travel insurance. This is because different travel insurance provides protection against different kind of travel activities. More often than not, sports activities are listed as an optional cover. The popular ones include the winter sports cover that encompasses skiing and snowboarding; the water sports cover for divers, and the extreme sports cover for outdoor thrill-seekers.