Why it's important to understand your travel insurance policy.
We want to start this article by saying that 'genuine claims that are covered by your travel insurance policy are always paid' this is something we'll repeat at the end. We all know someone who had difficulties with a claim, so this article will attempt to outline some of the things you should be aware of when purchasing a travel insurance policy and making a claim.
TIP 1: Always give your coverhunter.com booking agent as much information about your vacation and the activities as possible.
You've bought your travel insurance policy and you're off on an adventure holiday;
are you covered? Well the answer could be yes and no. Standard travel insurance
packages might cover you for delayed flights, missed connections, baggage
loss or damage, trip cancellation and interruption, etc, but 'adventure holiday'!
does this mean you'll be participating in things like hazardous/extreme sports
or organized sporting events/competitions? If so they are seldom covered unless
you add a rider, (if one is available), or take out a specialist policy.
So if your 'adventure holiday' includes activities that you'll not find Granny
or the toddlers participating in, be sure to mention this to your travel insurance
agent. Why 'yes AND no'? 'Yes' because you could still be covered if your
travel is delayed, your trip is cancelled or interrupted, you miss a connection,
your bags are lost or stolen, etc. but 'No' if you're injured performing the
bungee jump or skydive you've booked. You'll not be penalized for a baggage
claim because you did a bungee jump.
If you're booking your travel insurance online and don't speak with a coverhunter.com
agent, read the product documentation to make sure that all activities and
events you've planned are covered. If you add an activity after you've purchased
your travel insurance policy, you may be able to amend it to accommodate it,
so always call and leave nothing to chance. It's also worth remembering that
if you book a policy that isn't suitable, you can cancel that policy and receive
a full refund minus the booking fee, as long as you do so within your 'cooling
off' period; this period is specified in your travel insurance policy documentation
and can be researched online at coverhunter.com
TIP 2: Use the customer and concierge services provided by your travel insurance policy.
Some places are safer than others, but some places can be so unsafe that extra precautions are required. By calling the toll free numbers on your travel insurance documentation you can ask advice about the local culture and climate at your destination. You might think it's ok to take your new HD video camera downtown in London or LA but not Bogota, but thefts happen everywhere and in 2006 the Vatican City's justice system dealt with 827 civil and criminal cases, resulting in the tiny papal state having the world's worst per capita crime statistics. A lot of these crimes were also committed against unsuspecting tourists who had their pockets picked, purses snatched and cameras stolen!
Take precautions and don't do anything you wouldn't do at home like carry
more currency than you need. We hear a lot of stories about travelers love
affair with cash; remember using your credit card is the cheapest option,
and using travelers checks is widely regarded as being the most secure, but
taking anything other than a couple of hundred dollars worth of local currency
is not advisable. If you lose a large amount of cash then you are on your
own; few travel insurance policies cover more than $200 in cash. Travelers
who have lost more than their policy limits are still a top reason for a claim
to be denied.
TIP 3: Complete all claim forms honestly and provide documentation and receipts where possible.
Something didn't go to plan and you need to file a claim, just remember that
loss adjusters have a very hard job on their hands, they know that some people
file dishonest travel insurance claims and have to treat each case individually,
and may even start out on a case thinking that it's inflated or bogus. It's
important to document your claim and fill in as much information on the travel
insurance claim form as accurately as possible. If you lost your American
Tourist™ luggage and a pair of $30 sunglasses, don't write Gucci™ luggage
and Maui Jim™ sunglasses on the claim form, they can spot it a mile away.
If you had luxury and designer items that have been lost or stolen, try and
provide receipts or even photographs to support your claim. You also need
to report any incidents to the relevant authorities. If your purse is stolen,
call the police, if your bags are lost or damaged, report it at the airport
customer services desk, if there are problems with your hotel or the facilities,
report it at the front desk or call your travel agent. You should also report
it to your travel insurance provider as soon as possible.
Finally, a claim form WILL be returned to you if there are sections missed or incomplete, so make sure you complete everything to the best of your ability; if you genuinely do need to leave a section blank then write a note explaining why.
Buy the correct travel insurance for a care free vacation.
You're packed and ready to go sky diving in Australia, you've got your TravelCo,
Extreme Sports travel insurance policy, and granny and the kids are booked
into bird watching camp, so you've got nothing to worry about. Genuine claims
that are covered by your travel insurance policy are always paid, so just
enjoy whatever it is you plan. The staff at the coverhunter.com have many
years experience with travel insurance claims and we have never dealt with
one that wasn't resolved satisfactorily.
Need cover? Click
here to get started.
- Geoff Fincher, January 2008