Much as we hope our travel endeavours will all be smooth sailing, the truth is that things can go wrong. That’s why it’s so important to properly protect yourself with good travel insurance, so that when things do go wrong, they’re not further exacerbated by a huge financial burden while you’re overseas. In terms of what couldgo wrong, there are certain events that are more likely than others, and that you should be particularly aware of. Here, we list the three most common travel insurance claims in the hope that you might be able to prevent them!

3. Medical Claims

Coming in third on the list of common claims are those made for medical reasons. The added health risks posed by being in a foreign country combined with the high cost of medical care in many places overseas means that claiming for doctor’s visits, injuries and overseas treatment is pretty common. Within the category of medical claims, common reasons for claims are severe food poisoning (hygiene standards vary around the world so the risk of suffering a bout of food poisoning is fairly common), broken bones (overestimating your skills on the ski slopes of Canada will do that to you) and allergic reactions. While these things are often unavoidable, there are certain precautions you can take, such as:

• Educate yourself on the safety of drinking water in different countries before you go
• Make sure you get all of your immunisations
• Make sensible choices based on your level of skill, don’t put yourself in a situation in which you are not physically confident
• If you are prone to allergies, carry antihistamines with you at all times, and if you have severe allergies, an epi-pen.

2. Lost or Stolen Cash

If you’re carrying around large amounts of local currency, you’re pretty much a walking target for thieves. Travel insurance companies receive tens of thousands of claims for lost or stolen cash each year, which is why you should be extra-vigilant about how and where you keep your cash. In most places, the need for carrying around big amounts of cash is non-existent, such is the ubiquity of ATMs. There are some places where you’ll need to be prepared however, so keep a money belt underneath your clothes and be discreet when using it.

1. Lost, Damaged or Stolen Luggage or Property

It’s amazing the amount of havoc lost bags can wreak, and if you’re constantly on the move throughout your trip it can be hard for the airline to find you to get them to you if they’re the source of the problem. For this reason, people often have to go and purchase new clothes, cameras and other essentials so that they don’t spend the remainder of their trip in the same gear. In addition to this, bags are frequently stolen on overnight trains, and luggage is often damaged in transit, making stolen, lost or damaged property the most common reason for travel insurance claims. While the airline losing your bag is something you can’t predict or avoid, you can ensure that your precious items such as laptop and camera are with you in carry on. In addition to this, always keep your bag on your person, especially on overnight trains, as this is a prime time for thieves to do their best work.

Above all, make sure you find yourself a quality, cheap travel insurance plan before you leave, so that in the event that something does go wrong, you won’t be left holding a huge bill.

3 Most Common Travel Insurance Claims and How to Avoid Them! is a post from: Travel Insurance Articles

Many Western countries are very fortunate, enjoying a high level of social stability. Terrorism is a faraway thought for most rather than a daily reality, and the divide between rich and poor is not so great that people must steal simply to survive. Being the victim of crime is not pleasant – and even less so when you are overseas. This is the very reason travel insurance was created – so that people would have the peace of mind to do things that they otherwise might feel too risky. Overseas travel is so rewarding, there is no need to let distant possibilities prevent you seizing the day. Today we are looking at victim of crime travel insurance claims, and how much you are covered for in the case of specific events.

Baggage and personal effects cover

Claims relating to your baggage and personal effects may be the result of a crime – or simple mismanagement of your baggage by a travel carrier. There are sub-limits per item within this cover in standard policies, so if you are taking any individually very expensive items, it is wise to contact your travel insurance agent and check if they are covered.

Although sub-limits apply, the total amount of cover for baggage and personal effects in a standard policy is around:

• $3.500 at the basic level of cover
• $5,000 at the intermediate level
• $7,500 at the highest level of cover

Legal expenses

If you are injured or become ill as a result of someone else’s negligence on your trip, victim of crime travel insurance claims can cover these potentially enormous costs. Standard policy limits range up to:

• $10,000 at the basic level of cover
• $20,000 at the intermediate level
• $30,000 at the highest level of cover

Hijack benefit

If your plane or sea vessel is hijacked, you’ll be covered for any expenses incurred as a result – which may be quite varied. The product disclosure statement for your particular travel insurance policy usually has more detail. Levels of cover on a standard policy are up to:

• $5,000 at the intermediate level of cover
• $7,500 at the highest level of cover

Overseas car rental excess waiver

Insurance will be non-negotiable on any rental cars you take out. However, your own travel insurance can cover the cost of the excess on the rental company’s policy if they make a claim because the car your hire is involved in an accident, or is stolen during your hire period. The amount covered is usually around:

• $1,500 at the basic level of cover
• $3,000 at the intermediate level
• $4,000 at the highest level of cover

Personal money and loss of passport

If your personal money is either lost or stolen, or your passport is lost or stolen, travel insurance policies with this cover will replace it. Limits on standard policies are generally around:

• $750 at the basic level of cover
• $1,000 at the intermediate level
• $1,250 at the highest level of cover

Sources:
https://www.travelinsuranz.com.au/page/Cover/

Crime-Related Travel Insurance Claims: What is Paid? is a post from: Travel Insurance Articles

Logistics problems are (fortunately!), more common than the serious medical events that induce many people to take out travel insurance. What is not fortunate is that many people don’t realize that insurance cover even exists for these sorts of problems, and will simply chalk these events up to bad luck. Even the most basic travel insurance policies cover a wide range of logistics-related events, usually circumstances like cancellation and curtailment, missed connections, travel delays, and the additional cost of getting to non-delayable events. Here we take an in-depth look at the monetary levels of cover you can expect if you need to make a logistics travel insurance claim.

Cancellation and curtailment

If you’ve ever read the fine print on a hotel booking form or the terms of service for a flight, you might have had second, third and fourth thoughts about actually going! The cancellation fees can run into the thousands on long and extended trips, and you may be liable for quite a lot of money, through no fault of your own. You can make a logistics travel insurance claim under cancellation and curtailment if you have expenses incurred from cutting short or completely cancelling your trip due to illness, injury, death, jury duty, pregnancy, witness service or employment redundancy. You’ll find standard levels of cover range up to:

• $5,000 at the basic level of cover
• $7,500 at the intermediate level
• $10,000 at the highest level of cover

Missed departure or connection

Any additional accommodation you have to pay for and incidental travel expenses that result from you not being able to get to your scheduled transport on time are usually covered by logistics travel insurance claims. Note that if you cause yourself to be late your claim won’t be paid – this is an industry wide practice, naturally! The missed departure usually has to be due to another public transport failure to qualify. There are just a few policies that also cover delay caused by a traffic accident or vehicle breakdown. You’ll need documentation to prove that it occurred, and you may be able to claim up to:

• $750 at the basic level of cover
• $1,000 at the intermediate level
• $2,000 at the highest level of cover

Travel delay and abandonment

If your transport is delayed by 12 hours or more, your travel insurance will often pay incidental expenses associated with that; or alternatively covers the entire irrecoverable cost of the trip under the cancellation and curtailment cover. Maximum paid amounts for a delay on standard policies are:

• $250 at the basic level of cover
• $500 at the intermediate level
• $750 at the highest level of cover

And maximum paid amounts for abandonment on standard travel insurance policies range up to:
• $5, 000 at the basic level of cover
• $7,500 at the intermediate level
• $10, 000 at the highest level of cover

Resumption of trip

Good travel insurance online companies will cover the cost of you purchasing flights to resume your trip, if you have an emergency that requires going back home. These are high-order emergencies like the death or disablement of a travelling companion, and being medically repatriated to your home country … not your dogs having puppies or the like! Standard amounts paid by travel insurance policies are around:

• $2,000 at the intermediate level
• $3,000 at the highest level of cover

Travel carrier insolvency

This should be a watch point in your travel insurance comparisons. Many policies choose not to cover it (due to the mass nature of claims that may concurrently arise). The travellers that had flights booked with Ansett several years ago would have certainly appreciated this cover, though. It often applies to tour operators, travel agents etc, as well as airlines. Cover on standard policies is up to $5,000 when you buy the highest level of cover, and is not usually included in basic or intermediate policies.

Sources:
http://theadventuretravelcompany.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/most-unusual-travel-insurance-claims/
http://timesbusiness.typepad.com/money_weblog/2007/10/25-most-bizarre.html
http://nomadshostels.com/Travel-Tips/strangest-travel-insurance-claims

Logistics-Related Travel Insurance Claims: What is Paid? is a post from: Travel Insurance Articles

The fear of being stuck overseas while you are ill, with little understanding of the local language and bankruptcy as your only way to be treated or get yourself back home, is the main reason that many people take out travel insurance. If you are wondering about the fine print on medical travel insurance policies and exactly how much they pay for adverse events, we’ll be looking at several policy types from a popular travel insurance agent today to give you an idea.

Overseas medical expenses

This is the cornerstone of most travel insurance policies – there aren’t many available that will omit this vital cover. The key words in the policy are usually ‘necessary and reasonable costs’ – so the treatment must be reasonably priced and necessary to your immediate health. Typical cover levels are:

• $5,000,000 at the basic level of cover
• $5,000,000 at the intermediate level
• $10,000,000 at the highest level of cover

You can file travel insurance claims for the actual medical or surgical treatment; for emergency dental work to your natural teeth; being evacuated to your home country if necessary; and the associated logistical costs (cancelling accommodation and flights,etc).

Emergency dental treatment

This usually comes under the umbrella of overseas medical expenses, however there is often a sub-limit for dental work. You know how much routine dental work can cost – standard policy coverage rates are:

• $500 at the basic level of cover
• $750 at the intermediate level
• $1000 at the highest level of cover

Accidental death/total and permanent disability

This portion of cover refers only to benefits paid in the event of your accidental death – not if you die from a progressive cause, such as a disease. That medical travel insurance event would come under overseas medical expenses. If the accident causes you to lose your sight, lose a limb, become totally and permanently disabled or die within 12 months, you can expect the following benefits, based on a standard policy:

• $10,000 at the basic level of cover
• $20,000 at the intermediate level
• $30,000 at the highest level of cover

Hospital cash allowance

Many medical travel insurance policies allow you to claim for out of pocket expenses arising from a hospital stay, including incidental food and phone calls, and other costs not related to your actual treatment. The standard benefit limits you can expect (based on a popular policy) are:

• $1,000 at the basic level of cover
• $2,000 at the intermediate level
• $3,000 at the highest level of cover

Loss of income

In your regular home country insurance, loss of income is a separate policy that you need to take out. Medical travel insurance will often cover you for quite a decent amount, though. Loss of income cover will reimburse you 75% of your net income, for a period of up to 6 months from the date that you return. It is usually only available with the highest level of travel insurance cover, and standard limitation is $30,000.

Sources:
https://www.travelinsuranz.com.au/page/Cover/

Medical-Related Travel Insurance Claims: What is Paid? is a post from: Travel Insurance Articles

‘Stranger things have happened’: for some it is a catchcry to tell you that anything is possible. Few people have as good an understanding of just what those stranger things might be than the people who process travel insurance claims! If you have an overseas trip upcoming, you have probably purchased travel insurance against common events like losing your luggage, missing a flight, or getting ill while overseas and needing medical assistance. What you might not realize is that it isn’t only the boring events that travel insurance helps you out with. The unexpected does happen – and it happens to single group more than travellers. Here we look at some of the weird and wonderful travel insurance claims from around the world.

1. Bikinis break man’s nose
In Athens, a young man had to file a claim on his medical travel insurance for a broken nose. He wasn’t watching where he was going and walked into a bus shelter … because his eyes were taken up with a passing group of bikini clad women. Such pleasure followed by such pain! It’s like his mother was exacting revenge…

2. Free skis for lack of snow
A British lady claimed on her travel insurance after purchasing a new set of skis for a holiday, and finding that the slopes were completely dry once she arrived there. Not dry powder – just no snow. Her insurance company refunded her the cost of the skis – she mustn’t have had the option to ask for a refund from the company.

3. Expensive hide and seek game paid for
A family holidaying on the beach in Cornwall had some panicked, frantic, and finally stern words with the children after they thought it would be funny to bury the £600 handheld video camera. Travel insurance covered the cost though – you can see how incidents which sometimes seem to be the insured’s ‘fault’ are actually covered by the policy. Some home insurance companies would have covered you for this event if it had happened at home, with the appropriate policy. Another good reason to play it safe with travel insurance levels when you have kids.

4. How can we sleep when our brides are burning?
A British couple wedding on a West Indian beach had to take an unexpected dip when a coal from a fire caught the bride’s dress. Her husband threw her in the sea, and the travel insurance claim for the ruined outfits was paid. Almost a happy ending!

5. Coconuts leave woman critical
Okay, not quite critical – but a woman holidaying in Sri Lanka had to get medical treatment after a coconut fell from a tree and landed squarely on her head. Apparently coconuts cause more deaths per year than sharks.

6. Fire Bar burns woman
The bar at ‘Fire Bar’ in Greece periodically becomes engulfed in flames – a neat party trick. However one girl did not understand the warning buzzer, and stayed at the bar waiting to be served. She received third degree burns to her hands, and her travel insurance claim was paid, despite the risky activity!

7. Wallet in drain creates medical claim
A man who dropped his wallet down a drain in Israel ended up making a medical travel insurance claim, as well as one for the lost wallet, when he was stung by a scorpion while trying to retrieve it. ‘Finders keepers – get away!’.

Sources:
http://theadventuretravelcompany.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/most-unusual-travel-insurance-claims/
http://timesbusiness.typepad.com/money_weblog/2007/10/25-most-bizarre.html
http://nomadshostels.com/Travel-Tips/strangest-travel-insurance-claims

7 of the Strangest Travel Insurance Claims is a post from: Travel Insurance Articles