While you are on a trip, incidents like loss of passport or baggage, medical emergencies, sudden cancellations, etc., can jeopardise your vacation. These unforeseen circumstances can occur regardless of how well you plan or prepare. This is where it becomes important to buy travel insurance online and understand its claims settlement procedure carefully.
Let’s say you are visiting Vietnam. You have got a Vietnam visa for Indians, booked your flights and accommodations, planned your trip itinerary, and even purchased a good travel insurance policy. Suppose you lost one of your valuables during your stay in Vietnam. What will you do to get compensated by your insurer? Do you know how the travel insurance claim procedure works?
Note that most insurance schemes come with a certain time limit within which you need to make your claims during your trip. With that in mind, we have prepared this guide to help you settle your claims with international traveller insurance.
What is Travel Insured International Claims Procedure?
Travel insurance claims settlement is one of the most important facilities offered by insurance providers to their policyholders. With this facility, you can raise claims to get reimbursed or compensated in case you encounter any unforeseen circumstances listed in your travel insurance policy.
Moreover, it is advisable to consider the claims settlement process of the insurance provider when selecting the right insurance policy. This is because a hectic and time-consuming claims process is the last thing you want to deal with during your emergency.
Therefore, at the time of purchasing travel insurance, make sure that the claims settlement process provided by your insurer is easy and hassle-free. Also, make sure to read and understand the travel insurance terms carefully before making any final decision.
How to Make an International Travel Insurance Claim?
While the exact claims settlement procedure varies from one insurance provider to another, the standard steps remain the same for all insurance providers. These are as follows:
- Step 1: Notifying the Insurance Provider :
As soon as you meet with an unexpected event requiring a claim raise, inform your insurance provider. This can be easily done online through the insurer’s website. You simply need to visit the official website and fill out the claims forms mentioning all the details and reasons behind filing the claim. Alternatively, you can also inform your insurance provider via phone or email.
- Step 2: Submitting Required Documents :
The next step you need to do is submit the supporting documents for your claim. For example: in case you have lost your baggage, you will need to provide documents like a copy of your flight tickets and hotel receipts, a copy of an FIR, etc.
You can always contact your insurance provider to learn about all the documents you need to raise the claim.
- Step 3: Verification of Raised Claim :
Once you submit the claims forms and raise the claim, the insurance provider checks its authenticity. This step ensures that you are raising a legitimate claim that lies within the terms of your insurance policy.
- Step 4: Reimbursement :
As soon as the claim is approved, your insurance provider will compensate you with cash reimbursement or via cashless claims settlement.
Important Things to Keep in Mind When Raising Travel Insurance Claims
- Read and understand all the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy before purchasing it. This will help you understand how efficient the claims settlement procedure is.
- File the claim as early as possible because the insurance policies come with a deadline. If you make a claim outside the given time, it may not get settled. Thus, make a claim as soon as you face a crisis and don’t wait till you return from the trip.
- Prefer the travel policy that comes with a cashless claims settlement process. It is a lot easier, more convenient and faster as compared to reimbursement claim settlement. Moreover, with cashless claim settlement, you can get treated in international network hospitals of your insurer without paying anything in cash.
- Never throw away any receipts and tickets you purchase during your trip. These will act as proof at the time of filing the claim.
Conclusion
To reap the benefits of travel insurance India, it is very important to be familiar with its claims settlement procedure. It is the only way in which you receive compensation from your insurance provider. Follow the step-by-step guide and filing claims for settlement can become very straightforward. We hope it helps.
