Common travel insurance FAQ

UK is not part of the Schengen Agreement and therefore a Schengen visa as such does not allow you to enter the UK. Some insurance companies offer a specific Schengen Insurance plan, which will not be valid for travel in UK and the insured must buy a separate policy for UK travel. However some insurance companies offer a Excluding Americas plan without sublimits and this plan is valid for travel through Schengen countries and UK. Please go through the terms and conditions prior to purchasing the ideal plan.

Some of the criteria include:

• Policy is available for all entry ages under different plans
• Travel insurance is available for the maximum of 180 days under a Single Trip plan
• Traveller should hold either an Indian passport, PIO Card (Persons of Indian Origin Card) or OCI Card (Overseas Citizen of India Card)
• Traveller should be traveling out from India to purchase the Policy

Travel insurance must be a priority when you’re travelling abroad, irrespective of whether you are travelling on business or leisure. Some business travellers could have an insurance coverage provided by their employer, and hence purchasing a separate plan may not be required. But these company business policies may not cover family members. It is important to note that the retail plans have a more comprehensive coverage, and hence it is recommended to purchase a separate policy even for your business travel.

Most insurance companies do not specifically provide the list of network hospitals across the world. It is recommended for the insured to call the Assistance Company (on the toll/toll free numbers provided on the policy certificate) who will direct them to the best available hospital facility depending on the nature of treatment to be availed. In case of an emergency the insured can be admitted to any hospital across the world, and the Assistance Company will ensured cashless coverage subject to admissibility of the claim.

Daily allowance is a reimbursement of all incidental expenses, upto the policy limit, that is payable to the insured during their period of hospitalisation (being an inpatient). The policy specifies a limit per day payable, and the deductible of 1 day is applicable.

If you have had the bypass surgery within 48 months prior to commencement of your travel/trip, then the same will be treated as a pre-existing condition under the policy and any claim/treatment occurring as a result of the surgery, will not be covered under the policy. Similarly if 48 months have elapsed since the surgery, but you are still under continuous medication for the bypass, the same will be treated as a pre-existing condition and excluded under the policy. Some insurance policies have a limited coverage for pre-existing conditions in life threatening conditions, this could provide some coverage subject to other terms and conditions of the policy.

If you are still under continuous medication for diabetes, the same will be treated as a pre-existing condition and excluded under the policy. Some insurance policies have a limited coverage for pre-existing conditions in life threatening conditions, this could provide some coverage subject to other terms and conditions of the policy, if the life threatening condition is a result of you being a diabetic.

Sublimits are extra limitations in an insurance policy's coverage of certain losses, primarily Sickness Medical expenses. They are part of the original limit, that is, they do not provide extra coverage, but set a maximum limit to cover a specific loss or for a specific medical expense. Sublimits can be expressed as a dollar amount or as a percentage of the coverage available. Typically they are part of the policy for insureds with advancing age.
For example, in a travel policy which has an Accident & Sickness Expense coverage of $100,000, it might have a sublimit of $10,000 to cover Surgery Expenses. This means that only $10,000 of the total coverage can go toward paying for Surgery Expenses. The insured cannot receive an insurance payout of an amount exceeding the sublimit for the types of loss specified.

You are free to visit to any doctor/medical practitioner/hospital, provided they are licensed by the local Medical Council and acting within the scope of his/her/their license. The practitioner should hold a degree of a recognized institution and be registered by the Authorized Medical Council of the respective country. It is however advisable to call the Assistance Company (on their toll/toll free number) and seek their direction regarding the same.

If the treatment, tests, medication are expenses that you have necessarily and actually incurred for medical treatment on account of Illness or Accident on the advice of a Medical Practitioner, the same would be covered under the policy. This is however subject to the fact that the expenses are incurred for a condition admissible under the policy.

Pregnancy and all related conditions, including services and supplies to the diagnosis or treatment of related conditions, including surgical procedures and devices are all excluded under the coverage of the policy.

The medical expenses incurred due to this accident will be covered under the policy, subject to you not being a professional sportsperson participating in a professional sport; or you participating in a professional sport for which you are untrained. It will also be covered subject to you not putting yourself in needless peril.