Most of the time your travel plans will flow smoothly and you won’t have to experience any mishap or any problem in a foreign country. However as in everything in life; there is always a possibility of the unforeseen and in such a case especially on a family trip; the last thing you need is to be uninsured or not have enough financial support to get out of the problem quickly. Solely for this reason, a travel insurance policy is worth every rupee spent.
The first step while considering taking travel insurance coverage is to get a general idea of what can really happen. One faces various risks while travelling with family and while some may be very minor such as bad weather while riding a bike; there may be much bigger ones a person may end up facing like getting hospitalized. When we travel we generally prepay the cost of the tickets and hotel, etc. Hence a family trip without insurance means putting all these expenses at a risk; along with the added peril of a possibility of ending up paying a hefty amount of out of budget expenses due to an emergency or mishap.
Here are few crucial reasons why not to plan a family holiday without getting travel insurance:
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Your child is not well…
You are enjoying a leisurely day at the beach and suddenly your child starts showing signs of a high fever and starts throwing up; being in a new and strange place you don’t have any idea what to do. This is the most difficult and gruesome situation for any parent not to be able to get medical help for their child when needed and more so when their child is unwell in an unfamiliar place. Additionally in another country we most probably would not have any idea about the nearest medical facility or doctors available. Getting a travel insurance policy from a well known company can help reduce this risk greatly. For instance, HDFC ERGO family travel insurance provides medical, financial and other assistance in case of an emergency situation while travelling abroad.
You are stuck in an emergency…
It is highly frustrating to be in middle of an emergency; such as an accident abroad, missing passport, stolen wallet, misplaced baggage, lost credit card; etc and have no idea what to do next. This is the time when you may require travel advice or emergency assistance immediately and things can get worse if action is not taken immediately. Moreover sometimes the particular country might have very few people who communicate in English and speak in a foreign language you don’t understand. In such a case getting a travel insurance which also provides much needed travel advice, legal advice, or medical advice, can be a great help in making the trip a success.
You fall ill or are hospitalized…
Life is unpredictable and we can’t plan everything or protect ourselves from everything; especially falling ill or meeting with a mishap which results in getting hospitalized. This may be bad enough and imagine adding to that if you have particularly young children; you would be constantly worried as to how they could get them home safely with the right guidance. Moreover getting immediate care in another country will not be covered by your regular health insurance; and without travel insurance you may get stuck paying a rather huge bill.
You are injured in a remote place
We all love the outdoors and some of us may even plan a fun hiking trip with the family; however, in such a case a possibility of a mishap can increase greatly. For instance imagine if you may slip and injure yourself and the nearest hospital may require you to be airlifted 200 miles. Though the injury is minor and you are completely fit and healthy in a few days; the bigger surprise may come when you view the bill for the emergency helicopter airlift. Without an insurance cover not only the airlift charges; but also the actual medical bill too would be difficult to pay and can leave you feeling quite the opposite of relaxed and elated after a holiday.
Getting the right cover
Besides these risks there are many more risks that travelers may end up facing; and it is important to choose the right cover depending on various factors like – type of trip, risk factors, duration of stay, etc. With the many covers available choosing the right one can be quite confusing. A good travel insurance policy would include- insurance cover in various countries, coverage for injury and sudden illness, twenty-four hour emergency services and help, cover for lost, damaged or stolen possessions like jewelry, baggage, documents, cameras, etc, coverage for your electronics, personal accident coverage, and so on.
There are various well known companies as mentioned earlier which provide medical, financial and other assistance in case of an emergency or unpleasant situations while travelling abroad. They also offer coverage for Single Trip, Multiple Trips, and a Family Floater Plan.
