Why Travel Insurance is a must when you plan your next holiday

Travel insurance isn’t something you book on the side. It is one of the must-have components of your dream holiday. Here’s why

When we plan our annual holiday, things start with a budget in mind and seeing what destinations can ‘fit’ into it. While you plan out for everything from shopping to flight tickets, the one thing you can’t afford to cut corners on is travel insurance.

When we play it in our mind, missing luggage and being stranded during a natural calamity are things that happen to others. You are in the midst of the euphoria of vacation planning and thinking of a worst case scenario is such a dampener. So our mind is programmed to brush aside these thoughts as being ‘paranoid’. Besides, why fork out additional money for insurance for something that many not be needed at all.

Several people who were in Havelock and Neil islands when cyclone Vardah hit Andaman were stuck there for 4-5 days. The media to an extent overplayed the news of the people being ‘stranded’ and ‘rescue’ ships not being able to reach them.

Here’s what popular travel insurance in India can cover for you

Health cover: While we don’t expect to fall sick during a vacation but the change in the weather and food can trigger a condition if you are unlucky. From unexpected medical tests and surgeries to dental treatments and transportation during an illness, there are schemes that cover the most heavy expenses you are likely to incur.

Inconvenience caused during a trip: The Vardha incident was an inconvenience to say the least. People in Havelock were told to stay put in their hotels for their safety. They were lucky that things were managed well by the local authorities. From loss of baggage and documents to reimbursement for emergency purchase of clothing and toiletries, your travel insurance can ensure that you are at least compensated for the trouble you have undergone

Home insurance: In a unique twist, this term in the insurance policy insures your home from a house break, fire or related incidents while you are away on a vacation.

Automatic extension: Your insurance period will be automatically extended for a period of 7 days when you have an unexpected delay in your holiday

Personal liability: Your will be covered to a certain limit if you become a legal liability to a third party during the vacation

Personal accident: The one scenario that we never want to think – You will be covered if you meet with an accident during the vacation

Repatriation of remains: Again, this is an extreme case insurance but it is there in the policy because there have been cases that have needed it.

In India, you can see quite a bit of these requirements covered by standard travel insurance policies from Royal Sundaram and ICICI Lombard . As always, it’s best to read the fine print on what’s covered and what’s not before you buy.

Thinking about buying a travel insurance for your Andaman vacation? Contact an Andaman Holidays expert today who can guide you on the best policies.