Travel Insurance In Singapore – Insurance 101

A broken leg on a ski holiday can wipe out years of future vacations if you do not have insurance to cover your medical expenses. Travel insurance is designed to take care of you and your expenses during and after your vacation. In the past, globetrotters venturing to a major destination were more apt to get travel insurance. Those on shorter distance vacations such as the annual ski holiday or a trip to a sunny locale would snort at the expensive daily rates.

Travel insurance is more affordable today. By preceding four Starbucks coffees a month, you could travel anywhere in the world with the safety of mind knowing that your medical expenses will be covered if you have an accident or illness while globetrotting.

Travel Insurance In Singapore

• What’s covered?

A travel insurance plan covers most any eventuality on your travels from lost baggage to flying in your loved ones to visit you if you end up in a foreign hospital.

Travel insurance can be divided into four major categories.

• Travel Coverage

The next time you are racing down the airport hallway pushing your luggage trolley and sweating profusely as the words “Last call for Flight 101” ring in your ears, not all is lost if you do not make it on time.  Most travel insurance policies have you covered for cancellation, interruption, and missed departure.  If your trip is interrupted, you may be covered.

If a family member at home falls ill and you need to rush to their side, the cost of changing airline tickets and cancelling hotel reservations may be covered under shortened trip benefits.  If you lose your luggage or are pickpocketed (theft) while drinking margaritas at the Bahama’s airport bar, insurance will take care of that, too.

• Personal Accident Protection

Hopefully, you will never meet the fate of those on the Russian MetroJet that blew up over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula in October 2015. In such a tragedy, insurance can provide some comfort to family members by providing accidental death coverage. Check to see if your policy covers terrorism. More insurers are providing it as a standard feature or add-on of basic coverage.  Standard coverage also covers permanent disability.

With more people enjoying adventurous holidays and extreme sports, disability coverage claims are increasing. Whether horseback riding in the Andes or crossing a stream in Hawaii – which recently led to the death of an ABC News doctor – make sure you are not left paying several months of salary in medical expenses out of your pocket.

• Emergency Medical Coverage

When an accident or illness does interrupt your vacation, overseas emergency medical insurance can cover medical expenses and hospital stays. Evacuation back to your country is another critical service covered. Once you return home, local medical and hospital expenses for ongoing treatment can be covered. Many insurers will cover a compassionate visitor, allowing a family member to come to stay with you. Some will even cover the cost of a childminder.

Additional Benefits of Travel Insurance In Singapore

Personal liability is a standard feature of some plans and an add-on of others. Insurers will also pick up rental vehicle fees over a specific amount. The Russian plane crash is a reminder that we need to take more precautions when we travel. Terrorism, kidnapping, hostage events and war are additional benefit options.

Your golf trips may also be covered.

Different Types of Travel Insurance In Singapore

• Comparison of 3 Travel Insurance In Singapore

Most insurers provide the below-mentioned standard coverage. If you are like many Asians who depend on Chinese medicine to keep you in good health, a small amount of coverage may be available. The additional coverage may involve an extra charge.

When will they not pay?

If you are involved in one of the following occupations, check with your insurer to see if you are covered, or if you require additional coverage. If you are a professional sports person, you may be required to get special coverage due to the frequency of your travel in a work capacity and the higher value associated with a permanent or temporary loss of your ability to continue in your sport. If you are part of the crew of the aircraft, you will require coverage from your employer. The insurer may also exclude terrorists, drug traffickers and purveyors of biological and other weapons.

Excluded coverage may include war, suicide, and self-injury. Be sure to verify the eligibility of each country you are travelling to. Countries with high political and terrorist risk may not be covered, and this list can change. Currently, for example, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, Sudan and the Congo are not covered by some policies.

Payment Plans

Single trip insurance is often calculated on a daily basis and billed in advance. If you go on a two-week trip to Barbados, you can buy two weeks of insurance upfront. A popular way to buy travel insurance is in one lump sum annual premium. An average premium for the basic insurance is $300 a year. Family insurance can be bought at a significant discount to individual insurance. For example, AIA’s premium for an individual for its basic travel insurance is $320 annually but only $480 annually for the whole family.

Bon, voyage!

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