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When travelling abroad, it's important to plan for everything from hotel stays to sightseeing to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip. However, the unexpected can still happen. That's why it's important to secure a travel medical insurance policy, like ACKO Travel Medical Insurance, to provide you with peace of mind and ensure that any medical expenses incurred during your travels are taken care of. In this page, we have highlighted the importance of medical travel insurance in detail, so make sure to go through it before embarking on your next international trip.
Travel medical insurance is a form of insurance that provides coverage for medical expenses incurred during overseas trips. This type of insurance generally includes emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, and return travel. It is important for travellers to have this coverage as medical care in foreign countries can be prohibitively expensive.
Additionally, travel medical insurance also provides coverage for financial losses related to travel mishaps such as flight cancellations, luggage delays or losses, and issues with hotel bookings. Other terms used to describe travel medical insurance include travel health insurance, international travel insurance, and simply, travel insurance.
Here are the main differences between regular health insurance and travel medical insurance.
Parameter | Travel medical insurance | Health insurance |
---|---|---|
Cost | Generally cheaper, as it covers only medical expenses incurred while travelling. | Generally expensive as it covers multiple medical services over a longer duration. |
Coverage area | Travel medical insurance covers you both nationally and internationally (depending on the policy’s terms). | Conventional health insurance policies typically offer coverage only in your home country. |
Length of coverage | An international travel health insurance plan is often purchased for a specific trip or period of time. | Regular health insurance is usually an ongoing policy. |
Emergency medical expenses | Travel medical insurance policies usually cover emergency medical expenses, such as hospitalisation, ambulance services, and emergency medical evacuation. | Usual health insurance may or may not cover these expenses, depending on the plan and provider. |
Trip-related coverages | Travel medical insurance may provide coverage for trip cancellation/interruption, loss of baggage, loss of passport, etc. | Health insurance is usually restricted to medical costs. |
Pre-existing medical conditions | Travel medical insurance policies may not cover pre-existing medical conditions. | Usual health insurance policies may cover them depending on the plan and provider. |
Repatriation of remains | Travel medical insurance policies may provide coverage for the repatriation of remains in the event of death | Typical health insurance usually does not offer this coverage. |
The main justifications for getting travel health insurance before leaving on a trip are outlined in this section.
The 26 Schengen Countries and other countries like the UAE and USA require visitors to be insured with travel medical insurance. In fact, visas to these countries may only be provided after you produce an active travel insurance policy covering the duration of your trip.
More often than not, medical costs abroad are several folds more expensive than in India. Having a travel medical insurance can help you afford these costs and receive the medical care you need while on your trip.
While travelling, it is possible to encounter issues like delayed/lost baggage, delayed/cancelled flights, bounced booking, etc. If you have travel medical insurance, you can claim financial compensation in all these situations.
Travel scams in popular tourist destinations are becoming increasingly common. If you are a victim of a scam while on a trip, travel medical insurance can help you protect your travel funds.
During your trip, it is possible that you may misplace your belongings or have them stolen from you. In such instances, a travel medical insurance can aid you by financially compensating you for the lost items.
In rare cases, flight hijacking or kidnapping can occur during an abroad trip. If you are caught in such situations during your travel, a travel medical insurance can contribute towards the demanded ransom up to a specified limit.
Buying travel medical insurance online has multiple benefits. In this section, we will discuss a few of them.
The internet is filled with insurers offering travel medical insurance. Thus, shopping online for a policy will enable you to compare multiple policies side by side and choose the best one for your trip. You can compare online travel policies based on their maximum sum insured, coverages offered, policy premium, etc.
Online travel policies can usually be bought without having to fill out any physical forms. All you have to do is visit the website/app of the insurer, type in a few essential details, choose a policy and make the applicable payment online.
If you buy travel medical insurance offline, you may have to go through a middleman. Consequently, your premium will be bumped up due to commission charges. In contrast, buying online travel medical insurance does not involve any intermediaries. So, you pay only for the policy with no additional costs.
Buying travel medical insurance from an offline insurer can be time consuming. Online insurers, on the other hand, can provide a policy within minutes. The same is true when it comes to claims and renewals. Online insurers are usually significantly quicker at these than their conventional counterparts.
You can buy online travel policies from your office, home, or anywhere you have an internet-connected phone or computer. Not only can you purchase a policy, you can also remotely raise claims, access your account, complete policy renewal and operate other features.
Here is a table that lists some of the features of our travel medical insurance.
Criterion | ACKO Travel Medical Insurance benefit |
---|---|
Premium | Pocket-friendly |
Claim process | Digital and paperless |
Cover options | Trip cover, Belonging cover and Medical cover |
COVID-19 coverage | Hospitalisation for COVID-19 |
Around the globe coverage | 150+ countries covered |
Zero deductibles | No cost sharing |
24x7 assistance | Anytime, anywhere insurance-related support |
Flexible policy term | Stretch the policy's term as per travel requirement |
Here are some of the benefits you will receive if you are covered under an ACKO Travel Medical Insurance.
1. Coverage for medical emergencies
When you are on a vacation or business trip in a foreign country, the last thing you would want is to face a medical emergency. Apart from the physical discomfort, such situations can also be financially stressful because of the high medical costs abroad. In such instances, ACKO Travel Medical Insurance can take up the costs associated with receiving medical care. So, instead of worrying about affordability, you can focus completely on getting better.
2. Financial compensation for luggage/flight delays
If your flight or baggage is delayed at the airport, it can cause a negative domino effect on the rest of your travel plans. For instance, the other bookings that you have made on the same day may get affected because of the delay. Most places don’t offer reimbursements. So, you may end up losing your hard-earned money. Fortunately, our travel medical insurance offers monetary compensation in such scenarios.
3. Financial protection for your home when you’re out of station
When you are travelling out of the country, it is possible that thieves may take advantage of your absence and try to rob your house. Fortunately, if you are covered under our travel medical policy, we will financially protect you from any loss you may incur due to such a break-in. We also cover damages to your house caused by an accidental fire while you are away.
4. Budget-friendly policies
Hesitant to buy a travel medical insurance because you assume that it may pinch your pocket? Well, we are here to dispel your fears. ACKO travel policies start as low as around Rs.49 for a five-day long travel. If you do the math, you will figure that this amounts to approximately just Rs. 10 per travel day.
5. Peaceful out of country travels
When going on a trip, it is paramount that you enjoy yourself. Fearing the possibility of things going wrong can be a mood-killer and ruin your travel experience. However, if you are insured by us, you can visit places, engage in fun activities and forge new friendships, all while knowing that you are financially protected if things go wrong.
We believe that buying travel medical insurance should be a quick and easy process. That’s why our transaction flow only has a few steps.
Step 1: First, go to the ACKO website/app and select "Travel".
Step 2: Select the countries you are planning to visit on your trip.
Step 3: Select the start and end dates of your travel.
Step 4: If you are travelling as a group, add the details of the other members travelling with you.
Step 5: Select the specific coverages you need and generate a policy premium quote.
Step 6: Complete the online payment and receive the policy document instantly via email.
You can raise a cashless or reimbursement claim with us by following the below simple steps.
Step 1: Dial 8061617799 and give us a missed call or email us at [email protected].
Step 2: Initiate the claim process by sending us the necessary supporting documentation.
Step 3: There is nothing left to do from your end. We will process your request as per the policy terms and credit the relevant compensation.
You will most likely receive the monetary compensation within three to four working days. However, this duration could be longer based on the complexity of the claim request.
You may require some of the following documents while raising a claim with us. However, please refer to the policy wordings to learn the exact documents you need to produce for a specific claim.
Attested copy of the FIR (if applicable)
Travel tickets
Legal heir certificate (if applicable)
Copies of valid KYC documents of the nominee/claimant (such as Driving Licence, PAN card, or Passport)
Proof of ownership for a lost/stolen item (such as an invoice)
Duly filled out and signed claim form (you will receive a form after notifying us about the claim)
Proof of inconvenience or loss issued by the travel organiser or a service provider
Name and address of the attending medical practitioner
Medical and investigation reports (as applicable)
Attested copy of the death/disability certificate (issued by the relevant authority)
COVID-19 is still a pressing issue around the world, with new variants emerging and countries grappling with the challenges of vaccination and prevention. As international travel begins to pick up again, it's important to ensure that you have adequate insurance coverage to protect yourself against any unforeseen medical expenses or travel disruptions caused by COVID-19.
That's where ACKO Travel Medical Insurance comes in. If you contract COVID-19 while travelling and require hospitalisation, ACKO will cover the costs associated with your treatment, including hospitalisation charges, diagnostic tests, and doctor consultations. This can provide peace of mind for travellers who are concerned about the high costs of medical care in foreign countries.
In addition to hospitalisation coverage, ACKO Travel Medical Insurance goes the extra mile to provide coverage for travel delays caused by COVID-19-related quarantine. If you are required to quarantine due to exposure to the virus and your flight is cancelled, ACKO will reimburse the cost of your cancelled flight. This means that you'll be able to protect your travel investment and use the same for a future travel once you have recovered from the disease.
This is a crucial benefit for travellers who may face unexpected quarantine requirements due to COVID-19 exposure. Without insurance coverage, cancelled flights and other travel disruptions can result in significant financial losses. With ACKO, you can have peace of mind knowing that your travel investment is protected, and you can rebook your trip once you're able to travel again.
It is crucial to compare and purchase travel medical insurance to ensure that you obtain the best policy that suits your requirements. Although various insurance providers may provide similar coverage, the cost of the coverage may vary significantly. Moreover, the features and services offered by each policy may also differ from one another. Therefore, by comparing different policies, you can potentially save a substantial amount of money while obtaining the best possible coverage for your needs.
Travel medical insurance is a policy that covers medical costs while travelling abroad.
Travel medical insurance can provide financial protection against medical emergencies while travelling abroad. Without this coverage, you may have to bear all the medical expenses.
Travel medical insurance typically covers the following emergency medical expenses.
Doctor visits
Inpatient treatment
Emergency medical transportation
Trip cancellation
Lost baggage
Other travel-related expenses
No, travel medical insurance is not the same as regular health insurance, as health insurance generally does not cover medical expenses incurred outside of one's resident country. On the other hand, travel medical insurance was created to cover these kinds of costs.
Yes, you can purchase travel medical insurance even if you already have regular health insurance.
It depends on your personal needs and the type of trip you are taking. Some types of travel, such as international travel, may require travel medical insurance. However, for shorter trips or domestic travel, you may not need it. It's important to consider your individual needs and make a decision.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet and is subject to changes. Please consult an expert before making any related decisions.