Getting travel insurance before you go on an adventure is a good idea - but does it apply when you need it? We've tried to find out when home insurance is enough, and when you actually need travel insurance too. Plus, we found a list of 10 things that make your travel insurance invalid.
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Before travelling, it is a good idea to check your home insurance. Home insurance is usually valid for 45 days while travelling and usually covers such things as delays due to technical faults, damage to checked-in luggage, hospitalisation costs, robbery and assault. In many cases, home insurance is sufficient, but sometimes you may need additional travel insurance.
Travel insurance
First of all, you need travel insurance if you plan to be travelling for more than 45 days. In some cases, you may want extra travel insurance for shorter trips as well. For example, if you intend to engage in very adventurous activities or if you are carrying expensive and theft-prone items.
10 things that make your travel insurance invalid
Sometimes your insurance may not actually be valid, even though you have one. The following list, originally taken from Skyscanner, lists things that could mean that your insurance is not actually valid.
- You have not declared your health status correctly
- You have bought an insurance policy that does not cover your needs
- You forget to report the theft/robbery to the police in the country where it occurred.
- You have no proof that you own the items
- You participate in activities not covered by the insurance policy
- You use alcohol or drugs
- Extra losses - The medical visit is compensated, but not the loss of income
- Compensation for missed entertainment - Is your trip reimbursed if you are hospitalised?
- Fights - Often an effect of No. 6 and then insurance companies say no.
- Terrorists - Flight cancellations due to terrorist acts are not covered.
You might also like:
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Emergency help with money when travelling abroad - what to do?
Traveller safety - 10 things to consider
Packing list for the trip - check this off when packing
17 questions about travelling - and our answers
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Lena & Jan says:
Extremely important to really find out BEFORE the various journeys, e.g. overwintering/being away for a long time, then ordinary travel insurance is not enough!
22 February 2012 - 10:21
Cat in Asia says:
I think you can do quite well with a Regular travel insurance, if you are a regular traveller, i.e. not a photographer with expensive camera equipment or a diver with the diving equipment etc...I have used my 45 days included in many cards, i.e. VISA. Nowadays some card companies have extended that time period to 60 days. If you have home insurance, you can sign up before departure from day 46 or day 61. I have used the insurance for emergency care in the USA, Philippines, works very well! I have been hospitalised. However, not all insurance policies are valid in all countries. For example. When travel is discouraged due to earthquakes, war, etc. We saw this last year in Thailand, Egypt in Europe, the scope of the insurance is wider if, for example, a flight is cancelled or delayed than the protection is outside the EU. You should probably ask yourself what you want the insurance for, as the airlines' own insurance policies within the EU take precedence over travel insurance in the event of cancelled flights, delays, etc.
22 February 2012 - 13:03
My says:
Insurance is always a difficult question as to whether it is valid or not. There is hardly an insurance that is completely similar to another and it depends on who you are and it is important to check the conditions so that you get protection that suits you as a person ...
22 February 2012 - 20:38
admin says:
Lena & Jan, no if you are away for so long I understand that you have to check up extra how to do!
Katta, yes, for normal travelling it's often enough... depending on what you're doing. Sometimes I think there is a risk of double insurance as well... But then when it comes down to it, it may not help that you thought right. When we ended up in Kenya during the unrest, there was no insurance... and that's typical, when you need it for the first time....
Ma, no, it's a jungle! Not easy to get to grips with...
22 February 2012 - 21:53
Elisabeth says:
I think it's impossible to get comprehensive insurance, but you have to think about the situations you might find yourself in and, as always, read the small print. ha dé!
22 February 2012 - 22:42
Krister in Beijing says:
If you are looking for a "comprehensive" insurance that for example would cover thefts that you have not reported to the police (#3 above) or stupid things you do under the influence of drugs (#6/#9) etc, the premium would of course be absurdly expensive. I think a lot of the list is quite logical that it is not included in a "normal" insurance.
Travelling (and living) is unfortunately associated with some risks. You have to realise that you can't insure yourself against everything.
I myself belong to the group that is restrictive in taking out insurance for a lot of eventualities. I'd like to think that the money I've saved on these cancelled insurance premiums will "pay" for the occasional incident.
For example, I have had to use the Chinese health care system a few times, and then as a "low-insured" paid the entire cost myself. However, this cost has not been close to what it would cost to take out an insurance policy that covers these situations.
Regards
23 February 2012 - 6:05
admin says:
Elisabeth, no it's probably impossible... and would probably be unnecessarily expensive! But you might have to think about what you need it for in the first place.
Krister in Beijing, you have very sensible points! The insurance can't cover everything, but it's still good to know what it covers and what it doesn't, so you know what you're paying for. When it comes to insurance on technical gadgets, which they often offer in stores, we always say no. If something ever breaks down, we will probably have earned that amount from all the insurance policies we haven't paid over the years....
😉
23 February 2012 - 9:16
Travel insurance says:
How much does home insurance cover?
09 March 2012 - 11:16