Invariably the travel insurance cover offered by
insurance companies are a
combination of health cover and cover against other miscellaneous risks. In India both the public and private sector
non-llife insurance companies market travel
insurance plans as generic products or under different brand names. The benefits and the premium may vary marginally from company to company
depending upon the package. The
claim are subject to deductibles as
shown in the schedule , and wherever the
claim is less than the deductible , no
claim is payable. A standard travel
insurance plan offers the following benefits. FLIGHT RISKS: The plan
covers death and dismemberment in the
event of an air transport accident . It
may also include coverage for delayed or
cancelled flights. It is a
advisable that the insured should
carefully read the details and ascertain
what constitutes a “ cancelled” or “ delayed” flight.
LOSS OF CHECKED IN BAGGAGE: The plan covers
the cost of replacing luggage and all
its contents. A traveller should be
aware that airlines are usually not obligated to provide any compensations exceeding
the amount agreed up to by the international air carries in various
conventions , the latest being the Montreal
Protocol. The present limit is US $ 20 per kilogram and the total compensations is limited to $ 300.
International carries do not settle
the claims straight away. It
involves a lot of procedures and is a
time-consuming process. A travel insurance package covers losses exceeding what is a
payable by the international carriers.
DELAY OF CHECKED BAGGAGE.: The plan covers delays exceeding twelve hours in the
arrival of the checked in luggage. It covers expenses towards the purchase of essentials to replace
the delayed items to the extent
specified in the schedule . LOSS OF
PASSPORT: The insurance covers the expenses
the insured had to essentially
incur to obtain a new passport in the event of loss of the old
passport. PERSONAL LIABILITY: Wherever
the insured in his/her private
capacity becomes legally liable for paying compensations due to bodily injuries suffered by a third party or losses to third
properties, the policy indemnifies the liability according to the terms set in
the schedule of insurance.
EVACUATION FOR MEDICAL
TREATMENT: The plan provides reimbursement for costs associated with
evacuation from a remote site for medical treatment,. It also provides
reimbursement for actual treatment while
away from home as per the terms of the contract. In additional to the above , there are
policies that are designed to
provide indemnifications for the cancellations of vacations , delayed flights, damages to
rented cars, etc., Some of the policies
are yet to be marketed in India. Indian
private insurance companies vie with
each other to offer innovative travel insurance policies.
Some of the innovative features of the insurance covers offered by
the companies like Bajaj Allianz , Tata AIG, and ICICI Lombard , In addition to
the regular benefits include. Meeting
the travel expenses of one of the
parents or an immediate member of the family in the event that their presence
is required abroad due to the ward falling sick and being hospitalized for seven consecutive days. The travel cost is provided by a round -trip economy -class air ticket
and accommodation expenses. Facility for the reimbursement of the term
fee paid in advance if the student falls
sick and is not in a position to attend classes and has to discontinue the studies.
Provision for the payment of future fees if the sponsor is
permanently disabled due to an accident
or dies in an accident or due to some diseases
. the insurance company then pays
all the future fees and relieves the
student of his financial worries.
Provision to bail out the insured in case he or she is imprisoned for any reason. Policies like that Corporate
Frequent Travellers Policy. Globetrotter Overseas Corporate
(Group) Travel insurance by ICICI
Lombard, and the International Business Travel Policy of HDFC Chubb are some of
the annual policies issued to companies to cover executives who frequently fly abroad in connection with
their company work. The Executive Travel
Policy, the Annual Multi-Trip Business Travel Policy, Executive Guard etc., are
policies that offer round the clock cover to executives against
loss of baggage passport, etc.,
irrespective of the fact whether
they are in India or abroad. Some
of the travel insurance policies, like the Suhana Safar Policy, cover personal
accident and baggage for any family for travel within India for a maximum
period of 60 days by any mode of transport. The insurance cover is
available for periods ranging from 30
days to one year (comprising 365 days.
). The rate of premium varies from
company . Even within the same company, the premium depends upon the
type of the plan chosen. Tata AIG
has three types of plans covering travel
insurance, and ICICI Lombard has two types. The benefits also depends upon the
type of plan chosen
