A Travel Insurance Policy protects its insured against a financial strain which might be suffered on experiencing a contingency on the trip. As such, the policy works on giving you a carefree time on the journey.
But what should you keep in mind while applying a travel insurance claim?
![travel-insurance-claims](https://policystar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/travel-insurance-claims-1024x576.png)
Hence, while planning to go travelling, you should make sure to invest in a Travel Insurance Policy for ensuring a risk-free trip. However, in case you face any emergency while travelling, you can conveniently make a claim in your Travel Insurance Policy for availing reimbursement on your incurred expenses.
Do note, these travel insurance policies won’t cost much but may provide you relaxation in case something goes wrong during your trip.
I have tried to cover all basics of travel insurance claims which you may need to understand before you plan to buy one for yourself.
Open Zero Brokerage Zerodha Account
Now let’s continue reading to understand the meaning of Travel Insurance Claims and how to initiate its settlement.
What is a Travel Insurance Claim?
While travelling, if you come across a situation of an emergency which is included in the coverage benefits of your Travel Insurance Policy, A Travel Insurance Claim can be made by informing your Insurance Company about it. They will then take care of the financial expenses suffered by you under such circumstances.
Types of Travel Insurance claims
There are a variety of Travel Insurance Claims which can be initiated to avail coverage benefits for different types of unpredictable situations that you experience on the trip.
Additionally, different plans offer different sets or combinations of Travel Insurance Claims. However, given below are some of the most common types of Travel Insurance claims –
- Medical claims: Any medical contingency suffered during the trip is classified under Medical Claims. These medical contingencies involve an accident, injuries or disease that you might suffer on the trip.
- Baggage claims: You can initiate a Baggage Claim in case if you face a delay in receiving your checked-in baggage. Additionally, you can also make a claim if your checked-in baggage is misplaced by the airline.
- Passport claim: A Passport Claim can be made in a situation of losing your passport while being on an international trip. Hence, the cost of acquiring a duplicate passport and any other necessary documents for returning back to India would be provided coverage under this type of claim.
- Personal accident claim: A Travel Insurance Policy also provides coverage to the insured in case of suffering an accidental death or permanent disability. Such expenses are covered under the Personal Accident Claim.
- Personal liability claim: A Personal Liability Claim is when you are liable to compensate for the damages caused by you to the property of a third party or in case if you injure a third party.
- Trip cancellation/Interruption/Curtailment Claim: You can make a claim in case if your trip gets cancelled, postponed, interrupted or if you have to make an early return from the trip due to unavoidable circumstances. Hence, this claim takes care of the financial losses incurred on tickets and accommodation bookings.
- Other Claims: You can also avail claims on facing situations like hijack, dental treatments, missed flight connection, urgent cash requirements etc. However, these types of coverage benefits are entirely based upon the kind of Travel Insurance Policy you are purchasing or have purchased and whether or not it provides services to cover these situations.
How to file a Travel Insurance Claim – Step by Step Process
Depending on the type of contingency you face, a specific Travel Insurance Claim Process is necessary to be followed for successfully attaining the Travel Insurance coverage benefits. However, specified below are some of the general steps involved in making a Travel Insurance Claim. These are as follows-
- For quick claim assistance, notify your Insurance Provider regarding your claim as soon as possible. They will then connect you with their Partnered Service Providers who will further guide you in making your claim.
- The Service Provider would explain to you the steps in case you wish to acquire a cashless medical claim. Additionally, the concerned hospital is also required to be informed of your hospitalisation and requirement of cashless treatments.
- On filing a Baggage Claim, you will be required to duly fill and submit a form with accurate and precise information regarding your loss.
- You will be required to make a Police Complaint and generate an FIR in case if you suffer a loss of passport, accident or a third party liability.
Documents required for Travel Insurance Claims
The list of documents given below is necessary to be deposited to the Insurance Company or their Partnered Service Provider for making a successful Travel Insurance claim –
- Claim Form, correctly filled and signed by the insured
- Police FIR, wherever applicable
- If making a Medical Claim, medical test reports, discharge summary, original hospital and medical bills are required
- On suffering delay of baggage, a report issued by the common carrier is needed
- Evidence of expenses showing the costs incurred in case of loss of baggage or passport
- In case of Accidental Claims, a death certificate, disability certificate, post mortem report is needed to be submitted
- Any other document which your Insurance Company might demand for verification
![zerodha-account-opening](https://policystar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/zerodha-account-opening.png)
Reasons for Rejection of Travel Insurance Claims
Despite the extensive benefits offered by a Travel Insurance Policy, there can be situations where you might face a rejection by your Insurance Company against your Travel Insurance Claim. Such situations are as follows –
- If a claim is initiated for a coverage which is not included in the plan
- If the person facing the claim is not insured under the policy
- If the claim happens after the conclusion of the journey
- If the correct process of making a Travel Insurance Claim is not followed
- In circumstance of submission of incomplete documents
How to select a Travel Insurance Company?
I hope you are aware about what all cases might be possible for rejection of your travel insurance claims. Hence, as a next step, you would be interested to know how to select the best travel insurance company for your next trip.
Also, nowadays, there are a great number of Travel Insurance Companies available in the market which are offering various beneficial Insurance Plans. Hence, there are certain key-points which we highly recommend to a person who is planning to invest in a Travel Insurance Policy. These important points to select best travel insurance company are-
- The selected Insurance Company should provide a variety of Travel Insurance plans which should offer coverage benefits for the destination you are planning to travel to.
- There should be an extensive coverage scale offered under your Travel Insurance Plan.
- The total premium payment amount should be nominal, competitive and relevant to the offered coverage benefits.
- Your Insurance Provider should offer the service of making a Travel Insurance claim online. Additionally, their process of claim settlement should be easy, quick and hassle-free.
- Ensure to research about the Partnered Service Providers of your selected Insurance Company. A huge network of Service Providers throughout the world will result in a convenient process of settlement of your claim.
Travel Insurance Claims FAQs
How to avail cashless facility in Travel Insurance?
Cashless Facilities are provided in circumstance of medical conditions and hospitalisation. To initiate a cashless service, you should inform your Insurance Provider as quickly as possible.
To connect, you can simply call them on their toll-free number or send a written request of their email address mentioned on your policy document. Similarly, you can also get in touch with their Partnered Service Provider at your respective destination.
A Cashless Claim Service is permitted only if you take treatments from the Insurer’s Networked Service Providers. Hence, your claims would get settled on a cashless basis after the approval on verification is given by your Company’s Service Providers.
Where can I avail claim forms?
To avail claim forms, you can simply visit the website of your Insurance Company. From here, you can easily download the form, fill and submit it to initiate your claim process. However, if the form is not available on the company’s website, you should get in touch with your Insurance Provider who will then send you the claim form on your email address.
Similarly, you can also avail the claim forms by contacting the Partnered Servicer Provider of your Insurance Company.
What is the process if we need to claim later?
You should get in touch with your Insurance Provider and inform them regarding the claim as soon as it takes place, even if you wish to make the claim later.
It is important to intimate your Insurance Company immediately after facing a claim.
Thereafter, you can avail and fill up a claim form, provide relevant documents of claim, evidence of expenses incurred along with your policy document.
Hence, the settlement process of your claim would start after successful verification of your documents.
Would you settle my claim when I am back in India?
Absolutely. For initiating the claim settlement process after your return to India, you should contact your Insurance Provider by using their toll-free number or email address given on the document.
Their expert panel will further assist you in getting your claims settled conveniently. Please note that it is extremely important to keep all the documents and evidence related to the claim intact.
Once in India, you will be asked to fill up the claim form and submit it along with the proof of claim, evidence of expenses incurred and any other documents which the Insurance Company might ask for. Hence, your claim settlement process will begin after the successful verification of your submitted documents is done.
What documents do I need to submit for claim processing?
A duly filled claim form along with a copy of insured’s passport having entry and exit stamps of the destination country, relevant evidence of the claim suffered, medical bills and reports in case of hospitalization claim, policy document, identity proof of the insured and any other document as demanded by the the Insurance Provider are necessary to be submitted for successfully initiating the claim process.
It is recommended to contact your Insurance Company for seeking further guidance related to the documents required.
To do so, you can simply dial their toll-free number or send a written query on their email address mentioned on the policy document itself.
What if I lose all original documents?
Your Insurance Provider might reject your claim request in case if you lose all the relevant original documents required to make the claim.