Travelling is undoubtedly the best way to make memories and create new stories. Creating such stories becomes even more fun in the prime of your life. You get to explore international locales solo or try that sushi place your spouse always wanted to visit. Even your friends have time to join you in these fresh exotic adventures.
And these adventures become a piece of cake when you have the right international travel insurance with you. Yes, this insurance is as vital to your travel plan as booking your flight tickets or having the right visa. It gives you the much-needed financial and medical backup in a different country.
Not only does it make your travels hassle-free, but you and your loved ones get to enjoy complete peace of mind.
SENIOR TRAVEL INSURANCE: A SAFE START TO YOUR TRIP
Senior travel insurance is a specialised plan tailored for senior travellers aged above 60 years. As opposed to regular travel insurance policies, this plan provides comprehensive coverage for emergency, evacuation and medical care assistance. These policies also account for age-related concerns and pre-existing conditions.
Similar to how a senior health insurance plan covers your needs within the country, a senior travel insurance plan becomes your safety net in a country where you have few to no contacts.
INSTANCES WHEN YOU MIGHT NEED TO USE YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
The plan is never to use them at all. However, if need be, senior travel insurance helps you get best-in-class assistance for:
- Medical Expenses
Your senior travel insurance grants you coverage for consultations, medications, hospital stays, surgeries and medical treatments in case of any unexpected illness or injury. Some plans even cover the price of emergency evacuation to a hospital within the vicinity or back to India.
- Pre-Existing Conditions
Many travel insurance plans cover pre-existing concerns like diabetes, hypertension or heart disease. However, they may charge additional premiums for it or add certain limitations.Yet few of them go as far as giving a waiver on pre-existing conditions if your condition has been stable for a certain period before your travel dates.
- Trip Cancellation & Interruption
All set for the trip! Yet at the last moment, an unforeseen medical emergency like a doctor advising against travel or hospitalisation, forces you to cancel your plans. This is where the travel insurance helps you get your non-refundable costs back.
Similarly, if your trip gets interrupted midway due to medical reasons, the same insurance covers any additional expenses like extended stays and rescheduled flights.
- Medical Repatriation
The term ‘repatriation’ means “to return someone to their home country”. So in case of any injury or serious illness, a good travel insurance policy provides for repatriation too. A handy feature that helps you stay safe and get the best medical attention while saving personal costs.
- Emergency Dental Treatment
It is problematic to experience dental troubles during travels. The good news is that a few comprehensive policies offer seniors dental treatment in case of emergencies.
- 24/7 Assistance Services
Last but not least, you have 24/7 help available while travelling. This is especially beneficial in emergencies like the loss of travel documents, or the need for translation and coordination with medical care facilities in that particular country.
With so many benefits and covers, it makes sense to have this policy at your disposal while ticking off your bucket list.
And you need only one provider for all these needs. Ensure that you get the best one.
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHILE BUYING SENIOR TRAVEL INSURANCE
Compare travel insurance plans on aggregator sites like PolicyBazaar or Ditto Insurance. You can also check travel sites like MakeMyTrip and Thomas Cook.
Read the fine print carefully. This will save you trouble later on, and help you make the most out of your plan as and when needed. Here are a few pointers in these policies that require your special attention:
- Age limitation: Few policies come with age restrictions or skillfully impose higher premiums above a certain age limit. Ensure your selected plan covers your age group.
- Coverage limit: If you have health issues, choose a plan that covers medical evacuation to a nearby facility and repatriation to India. These facilities are costly but can save money and trouble in unforeseen circumstances.
- Duration of coverage: Choose a plan that covers you for the entire duration of your trip.
- Geographical availability: Check the insurer’s network of hospitals in the country you are visiting. This ensures you receive prompt medical care without financial hurdles.
- Policy exclusions: Go through the fine print minutely to understand what is excluded from the policy. It might be injuries caused during extreme sports or undisclosed pre-existing medical emergencies.
- Claim process: See how they handle their claims and reimbursements. Many companies offer direct billing to healthcare providers, while others require out-of-pocket payment. Avoid any policy that has a complex claim process.
If you travel frequently, you can also consider a Multitrip Policy.
Once you buy the policy, take out the printouts of your insurance paper and keep your policy number handy. Note down their toll-free customer helpline number and insurer’s email ID. If they have an app, download it too.
EXTRA TIPS TO KEEP YOUR TRIP AS HASSLE FREE AS POSSIBLE
Just to ensure that you do not need to use your travel insurance in the first place, remember to keep these things in mind while planning your trip:
- Time your travel perfectly
Extreme weather conditions might give rise to health hazards. So whichever country you travel to, visit only when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. This will ensure a safe and worry-free trip.
- Pack your medicines
Take your supply of daily medicines and supplements with you. It’s best to carry them in a pillbox. This ensures you don’t skip your dose.
Consult your doctor before and inform them about your travel plans. This will allow them to adjust your dosage if needed.
- Safeguard your passport
This will be your most important document throughout the trip. Do not carry it with you everywhere. Instead, keep a copy for outdoors, and store the original passport in your hotel room’s locker or anywhere safe.
However, if you land in an emergency situation, inform local authorities and your insurer immediately.
FINAL WORD
A little planning, smart packing, and the right travel insurance! This is all you need to travel the world and experience everything it has to offer.
Have any other queries or suggestions? Post them in the comments below.
We wish you a safe and happy journey!
