Travel Insurance Checklist: Coverage That Matters, Exclusions and How to Claim

Do you actually need travel insurance?

Travel insurance feels like wasted money when nothing goes wrong, but the maths changes once you look at medical bills abroad. Your home health coverage may pay little or nothing overseas, and in places like the United States a short emergency room visit can cost thousands of dollars, while a hospital stay or medical evacuation can reach tens of thousands.

For a typical one- or two-week trip, a policy often costs a small fraction of the trip price. It's especially worth having if you're travelling with children or older relatives, doing adventure activities, or visiting a country with high medical costs.

Some credit cards include travel coverage, but limits are often lower and conditions stricter, for example requiring the trip to be paid with that card. Read the card's benefit guide first and buy a policy to fill the gaps.

The coverage that matters most

Policies list dozens of benefits. Prioritise the ones that protect you from large, unexpected costs rather than small inconveniences.

• Emergency medical: the most important item. Choose high limits for the US, Canada and Western Europe
• Medical evacuation and repatriation: moving you to a better hospital or home. Can be extremely expensive
• Trip cancellation and interruption: reimburses prepaid, non-refundable costs for covered reasons
• Baggage loss and delay: theft, damage, and essentials bought while your bag is missing
• Personal liability: if you accidentally injure someone or damage their property
• Travel delay: meals and hotels after a delay of a set number of hours, which varies by policy

Adventure activities need a closer look

Scuba diving, skiing and snowboarding, bungee jumping, paragliding and riding motorbikes are often excluded from standard policies or covered only with an add-on. Search the policy wording for the exact activity you're planning, not just a general 'sports' clause, and check limits such as maximum diving depth or whether off-piste skiing is included.

Renting a scooter is a common trap, especially in Southeast Asia. If you don't hold a licence valid for that vehicle in that country, or you weren't wearing a helmet, a claim after an accident may be refused.

How to read the exclusions

What a policy doesn't cover matters more than the headline benefits. If you can't read the whole document, at least check the points below.

Pre-existing medical conditions are the biggest source of refused claims. If you have an ongoing condition, declare it when buying, ask the insurer in writing whether it's covered, and keep their reply.

• Pre-existing conditions and pregnancy-related care
• Incidents involving alcohol or drugs
• Hazardous activities and whether an add-on is available
• Per-item limits for valuables and the excess (deductible)
• Excluded items such as cash, some electronics, or rental car damage
• Which cancellation reasons count. Simply changing your mind is almost never covered

Documents to collect during your trip

Claims are won or lost on paperwork, and documents you didn't get on the spot are very hard to obtain later. If something goes wrong, ask for the paperwork immediately, and at least photograph anything you can't keep.

• Medical: doctor's report or diagnosis, itemised bills, receipts, prescriptions and pharmacy receipts
• Theft: a local police report. Wording matters, since 'stolen' and 'lost' are treated differently
• Baggage: the airline's Property Irregularity Report (PIR), boarding pass and bag tag
• Delays and cancellations: written confirmation from the airline plus receipts for extra costs
• Always: passport copy, bookings, and proof of payment

How the claims process works

For serious medical treatment, call your insurer's 24-hour emergency assistance line first. They can often point you to a suitable hospital and sometimes guarantee payment directly, so you don't have to cover a large bill upfront. Save that number in your phone before you leave.

For smaller costs, you'll usually pay locally and claim after the trip through the insurer's app or website. Claims have deadlines, so submit as soon as you're home and keep copies of everything you send.

Final checklist before you buy

Buy your policy soon after booking. Cancellation cover is most useful when it starts early, and buying at the last minute leaves fewer options.

• Does it cover every day from departure to return?
• Is the medical limit high enough for your destination?
• Are your planned activities covered?
• Is every traveller in your group named on the policy?
• Have you saved the emergency number and policy number?

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