Easter Insights: Five Guides to Buying your Travel Insurance
Holiday trips, however well planned and promising can play out in the worst unexpected. My previous experiences include luggage loading and flying off to Cape Town, while I blissfully headed for Durban! Away from this, cancelled flights, terrorist attacks, and illness can throw into total disarray even the most stitched-to-size itinerary. For both financial security and sanity of mind, it’s important to get yourself travel insurance anytime you set to explore and especially when you jaunt beyond border. Jumia Travel looks at some of the major guidelines to consider on policy, as you sign off for your Easter holiday short vacation.
A tourist relaxes at Cottar 1920s Camp; travel insurances assures you security over the unseen
#1 A stitch in time; timely purchase could save you
Just as we make preparations to get the best hotel deals, secure flights on time and reserve site visits, so should you put in time to shop around for the travel policy that fits your needs best. Doing this will allow you to gather all details and their implications as opposed to a last-minute browse through the internet and frantic calls to friends and family.
#2 Comb through the grey areas
Watch out for “tick” boxes, terms and conditions in fine print as well as disclaimers on the policy document. Demand for clearance and breakdown of areas that come through as ambiguous or seem to trample your consumer rights. For instance, failure to disclose that some claims can only be settled if communicated at the time of purchase could be an intentional oversight by the insurance company. In case of flight delays, be keen to understand what the term conveys and addresses to the other party; as some have the habit of attaching durations and conditions under which you can claim a recompense.
Safari drive atSerena Safari Lodge; check if your insurance expressly caters for wildlife attacks
#3 Having doubts? Involve a trusted broker
It’s worth every penny, especially when you look at the risk involved. If the terms do not make sense to you, or you do not have time enough to sit back, read and counter-read the document, then delegate this to a pro. The advent of online travel insurance has unfortunately led to a piling of appeals across policy makers’ boards, as travelers unknowingly append their signatures to unfavorable agreements.
#4 Benefits vs extras
Some insurers have the habit of maximumly filtering out (vital and needful) policy benefits, only to present the same back as “optional” benefits. This can be a little confusing, as the said benefits may also come attached with a little extra cost. Second, watch out for blanket exclusions such as defining interpretations of “natural calamities” , “terrorism activities” , “chronic illnesses” and so forth. For instance, if a policy cuts out any compensation on terrorism related activity, seek to understand what would happen if the same affects you indirectly; from cancelled flights, to hotel in the area cancelling reservations, robbery during the unrest etc.
Bungee jumping at Rapids Camp; check what your insurance defines as “extreme sporting”
#5 Your hour of need; open communication line is vital
Air evacuation, flight changes, foreign medical bills, natural calamities; it’s the grim side of travel that we all hope to never have to deal with. However, timely planning could draw the fine line between safe and sorry. While shopping for an insurer, find out their hours of operation, and match them to your holiday time zone; there’s nothing as desperate as calling your agent while in a tight fix, only to have an automated voice advise you on the official working hours.
