Buy Cheap Online Travel Insurance
Cheap Travel Insurance Plans in India
If you like travelling, you are probably always thinking about going on a trip. And when the travel date comes closer; you start packing your bags. Sometimes, you pack way too much and then realise that one suitcase isn’t enough. So you start taking out stuff from your bags and you get confused about what to take and what not to!
But there is one thing you definitely need to pack along: travel insurance.
A lot of people still think that a travel insurance plan is unnecessary. They feel that it is just another expense that can be avoided when travelling to a new city or country. However, ask any travel expert and you’d know that a travel insurance policy is a must if you wish to experience a safe and comfortable stay in an unknown place.
But it is always great if you know how to save money on your travel insurance premium. Just like you look for travel deals when planning a trip, you can look for affordable travel insurance to get optimum coverage within your budget.
In this article, we will talk about finding cheap travel insurance online. But before that, let’s delve a little deeper into the benefits of buying a travel insurance plan.
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Benefits of Travel Insurance
Travel insurance plans could offer unmatched financial protection during your trip. If something goes wrong while you are travelling, your travel policy will cover a range of situations, including medical exigencies. Here are a few more benefits of opting for instant travel insurance during your next trip –
- Medical Coverage
First and foremost, a travel policy will cover your treatment costs if you fall sick or meet with an accident during your trip. If you are travelling abroad, medical treatments could be expensive. Also, without any known faces around, you will not even be able to ask for help. Even during your trip within India if you fall ill, you can get emergency travel assistance with your insurance in place.
However, a travel insurance plan will offer extensive coverage against your medical bills, including Covid-19 treatment expenditures. So, if you get affected by the virus during the trip and need to be hospitalised to treat the same, your travel policy will pay for every cost related to your treatment.
In case of domestic travel insurance, any medical expenses incurred towards treatment of accidental injuries are covered under the policy.
- Travel Assistance
With a travel insurance plan in place, you will be assured of any kind of trip-related assistance in the event of any unprecedented events during your trip. In addition, you can avail of the benefits of cash transfers, cash advances, emergency travel services, and much more.
Also, suppose you end up losing your luggage or other essentials like a passport during the trip. In that case, your chosen travel insurance policy will enable you to opt for reimbursement of the cost of all the lost items in your baggage. If you end up losing your passport, you will be reimbursed for the loss if you have valid travel insurance in hand.
- Cover for Minor Travel-related Glitches
A vacation is an investment for almost every one of us. So, we all wish it to be devoid of any mishaps. However, certain events like flight cancellation, losing your rail or air tickets, hotel booking cancellation, flight delays, baggage delays, minor accidents, etc., can ruin the whole trip if you aren’t prepared well.
With travel insurance, such situations can be taken care of. You will get coverage against such losses. You need to, therefore, talk to the insurer about the kind of inclusions that you will have in your travel plan. And always choose one that will offer unmatched protection against such glitches.
Things to Look for While Buying a Cheap Travel Insurance Plan
There are three things that you need to consider when looking for cheap travel insurance plans online. So, before you compare travel insurance plans in hand, here are the three things that you must keep in mind to be able to zero down on the best options that are available online –
1. Coverage Options
Not all insurance policies are the same. So, when looking for cheap travel insurance online, you need to learn about the coverage options. So, read the policy documents properly. Try to understand the coverage options that are being offered by the insurer. For instance, some policies may not offer coverage against loss of baggage or flight delays. However, you should choose one that comes with extensive coverage options to ensure a financially guarded trip. You must always keep in mind the inclusions and exclusions of the travel policy if you wish to get the best kind of financial coverage against any adverse event during the trip.
2. Claim Settlement Ratio
Next, you need to look for the insurer's previous year’s claim settlement ratio (CSR). This is one of the essential aspects to consider a travel insurance plan. Always choose a travel plan offered by an insurer who has a history of settling past claims quickly and efficiently. Also, the company should have an absolutely seamless online process of an insurance claim. So, if you need to file a claim during your trip or even after coming back home, you will know that your insurer will settle your claim on time.
3. Customer Support
Imagine you being stranded in a foreign land without any loved ones during an emergency. How would you feel? Without a travel insurance plan, you are bound to feel absolutely despondent and anxious. Your travel policy could be your friend in need during such a situation. However, the insurer should also be able to revert to you with solutions as early as possible once you get in touch with them. So, always choose an insurer that has a 24X7 customer support feature. This way, you will not have to worry about getting through to them during any such mishap.
How to Save Money on Your Travel Insurance Premium?
If you wish to secure your trip for unforeseen events and financial losses due to them, you must opt for travel insurance. You can buy a travel insurance plan for a business trip, family trip, solo trip, or for a trip with your friends. This will only ensure that you will be financially covered against any unprecedented situations in a foreign land. However, if you wish to find cheap travel insurance plans and wish to save money on your insurance premiums, you must be aware of a few tactics. Here are some of them to help you with your purchase –
- Go For Multi-Trip Plans
If you frequently fly overseas due to work, you should opt for the annual multi-trip travel plans or frequent flyer insurance policies online. Such plans will offer coverage options for a year, and hence, you will be able to travel to and fro, anywhere during an entire year, without worrying about buying another travel policy. This way, not only will you be able to save yourself from the hassles of buying a new policy before every single trip but you will also save money as you will just have to renew or extend the existing policy once a year.
- Compare Travel Insurance Policies
Before paying for a travel insurance plan, you must do wholesome research on the types of plans that are available online. Also, be very sure of the exact number of days that you plan to stay outside. Also, you need to keep in mind your co-travellers, your and their health conditions, etc., when buying a travel policy. You must also check the premium amounts through an online premium calculator and then choose a plan that will go easy on your pockets. When comparing the policies, keep in mind their coverage options, benefits, inclusions, and exclusions to be aware of what you can expect if you need to file a claim in the future.
- Look for Better Coverage
When buying travel insurance plans, you must look beyond just medical assistance and death coverage. It is, therefore, wise to choose a plan that will compensate for other losses like baggage theft, trip delays, loss of passport and other important documents, emergency cash benefits, and so on. Also, you must know that it is not necessary that only an expensive travel policy will have such extensive coverage. However, you must also avoid add-on covers that you won’t need as they can push up the premium costs. Basically, even a cheap travel insurance policy online can offer you the best deals if you are able to research better.
Conclusion
Be smart when choosing travel insurance for your trips abroad. And by keeping in mind the above-mentioned aspects, it will get easier for you to choose a travel policy that will offer maximum coverage and won’t be tough on your pockets.
Disclaimer / TnC
Your policy is subjected to terms and conditions & inclusions and exclusions mentioned in your policy wording. Please go through the documents carefully.