When you buy travel insurance, one of the most important factors in this policy is travel insurance coverage. Coverage refers to the events that the policy covers or includes in their benefits and services. Hence, it is advisable to compare travel insurance and buy the one that offers great coverage.
Travel insurance policies are financial instruments that provide financial protection to the insured in unfortunate circumstances. However, these policies have limitations to their coverage.
This is where travel insurance exclusions enter the conversation. Let us understand this better!
Travel Insurance Policy Exclusions: Definition
Exclusions in travel insurance refer to events or scenarios that are not included in the coverage. These exclusions vary from one policy provider to another; however, every policy has some or other exclusions.
These events are certain and predictable risks. Since travel insurance offers protection against unforeseen and unpredictable emergencies and accidents, these predictable events cannot be covered. Every type of policy, be it business travel insurance, senior citizen travel insurance, family travel policy or student education travel policy, has exclusions.
Let us discuss a few travel insurance exclusions to understand this policy type better.
8 Common Travel Insurance Policy Exclusions
1. Travelling for Medical Treatment
Travel insurance offers medical coverage that compensates you for your treatments, hospitalisation, medications and doctor’s consultation. However, if you are travelling, especially to get yourself treated by a specialist of your choice, you will not receive the coverage. In that case, you will need international or domestic medical insurance.
2. Travelling for Childbirth
This travel insurance exclusion works in the same way. If you are specially travelling to give birth to your child, you will not be covered by a travel policy but by a medical insurance policy.
If a traveller is pregnant and in their third trimester, they probably know that they might give birth while travelling. Even in this case, the expenses are excluded from the travel insurance coverage.
3. Pre-Existing Illnesses
Pre-existing illnesses are the most common exclusions from a travel insurance policy. You cannot raise a claim, or your claim will be rejected if you have a pre-existing illness and want to get treated for the same while travelling.
This means if you had a particular illness or health condition before you purchased the travel policy, the treatment for that condition or illness will not be covered if it comes up during your travel.
If you do not want travel insurance that excludes pre-existing conditions, you can opt to buy health insurance or look for a travel policy that covers pre-existing conditions. In this case, you will have to pay a significantly higher premium.
4. Mental Illnesses
Mental illnesses can lead to self-harm attempts, suicide attempts, hysteria, panic attacks, anxiety attacks and other specific disorder-related attacks. Such incidents require medical attention.
Since mental illnesses come under the umbrella of medical attention, they are not the same. Hence, mental illnesses are excluded from the medical coverage of your travel policy.
5. Dental Treatments
Another common exclusion in travel insurance is dental treatments. Dental procedures and treatments are not covered by travel insurance. Your travel policy will offer coverage if the dental procedure was a result of an accident caused during your travel.
6. Adventure Sports
Adventure sports refer to adventurous activities such as skiing, rock climbing, mountaineering, bungee jumping, snowboarding, diving, river rafting and more. These activities or sports are very risky and prone to accidents.
Since accidents and risks are predictable and foreseen, travel insurance will not approve the claim you raise for adventurous sports accidents.
7. War or Terrorism Situation
War, war-like situations, terrorist attacks and riots are all highly risky, unforeseen and unpredictable. However, accidents arising from these events are still not covered under travel insurance policies.
Some policies offer coverage against terrorist attacks, while others do not. Knowing your policy’s limitations is essential to saving time and energy in times of chaos.
8. Extreme Weather Conditions
Extreme weather conditions refer to situations like heavy rains, storms, hailstorms, cyclones and floods. If your plans have been cancelled due to such weather conditions, you will have to manage your finances and expenses yourself.
This is because your travel policy does not offer coverage for trip cancellation due to weather conditions. However, if your flight was cancelled due to these weather conditions, you will receive your rightful compensation.
Conclusion
Your policy provider determines your travel insurance exclusions. It is highly recommended that you always double-read the list of travel insurance policy exclusions. If you want to enjoy a wide range of inclusions, you need to buy your policy from a reputed provider, such as Tata AIG.
