But what does travel insurance actually cover you for? And what should you consider when taking out a policy? We summarise what you need to know in this guide.
Here are the 5 main travel issues that your insurance can help you with:
You’re committed to your travel plans as soon as you make your booking, so you’ll want to be covered from this point onward.
If things go wrong before they’ve even started, the right insurance policy means you’ll be protected against problems outside of your control, such as:
Explore: Steps to making an insurance claim
Right up to the point that you’re traveling to the airport, there’s always a chance you get delayed by something unexpected. Whether it’s a storm rolling in or a logistical issue at the airline, you could get cover for the costs of any accommodation or other travel arrangements you miss out on due to delays.
Check your policy to find out exactly which types of delays you’d be covered for, and for how much.
Being covered for emergency medical expenses abroad is arguably the most important benefit of travel insurance.
Your UAE health insurance won’t typically cover you when you’re travelling, and unless you have a global health insurance policy, you could face very expensive bills abroad if you need medical care.
A travel insurance policy could cover you for the following types of medical expenses during your trip:
Most policies won’t cover you for treatments related to pre-existing medical issues.
Make sure you’re familiar with what you’re covered for before you leave, as you don’t want to be unsure in the event of an emergency.
And if you’ve planned any physical activities on your trip, check if you’re covered for the relevant winter or water sports in your policy.
Losing your possessions, or having them stolen, can have a ripple effect on your trip. Whether it’s your travel documents, your mobile phone or your holiday cash, the right travel insurance could cover your costs.
Certain possessions are usually covered as standard with travel insurance policies, but other items, such as musical instruments and sports equipment, aren’t. Check your policy first and see if you can have any added if you need to.
Most policies will also have a limit to how much they can pay out per item, or a total amount for all your items. So weigh up how this compares to the actual value of your belongings to check you’ve got the right level of cover.
If you get into legal trouble abroad, your travel insurance could pay to help you out.
For example, your insurance might be able to pay a bail bond to release you from custody, or provide you with advice on how to proceed.
Legal support isn’t always covered by default with travel insurance policies, so check your cover before you go.
First of all, think about what’s important for you personally to have covered. Your personal belongings might be the most valuable thing to protect, or it might be medical expenses or being covered for delays.
Once you’ve decided what you want to be covered for, make sure you’re comfortable with what you’re not covered for.
Don’t forget to check your existing insurance policies, like your home or car insurance, to see if you’re covered for certain things already – you don’t want to be paying for the same cover twice.
Once you’re settled on what you want cover for, weigh up the cost compared to the amount of cover you can get.
The cheapest policy might not cover the value of all your belongings or the total cost of your holiday if you have to cancel. But equally, you don’t want to be paying for cover you’re not going to use.
At HSBC, our travel insurance policies come in 3 different types to suit different needs:
