Filing a travel insurance claim means you’ve had an unfortunate experience that you’re going to have to pay out of pocket. A claim for travel insurance means that something has gone wrong on your trip, maybe the trip you’ve been waiting for a long time. These steps will simplify the travel insurance claim process and increase your chances of receiving a prompt reimbursement.
The Proper Way To File a Travel Insurance Claim
Documentation is critical to ensuring that your travel insurance claim is processed efficiently. Most claim processing delays are caused by a policyholder’s failure to provide the necessary documents to prove their actual financial loss, allowing the insurer to assess the claim entirely. There is a chance of a travel insurance policy if you purchase comprehensive coverage consisting of a trip delay benefit. Let’s say you get to the airport the morning of your trip and find out that your flight was delayed. According to your policy, ensure you know the delay time required to get reimbursement. The length of time can range between three and twelve hours, depending on the plan. At this point, any extra expenses you incur, such as food or hotel stays, can be covered by insurance, says Page. The capped amount of that benefit may be reimbursed if you provide documentation for those covered expenses. If you lose money due to prepaid or non-refundable expenses, your travel insurance will reimburse you for that amount.
In addition to the types of coverage contained in a travel insurance policy, you will need documentation for claims on medical expenses, lost baggage, and lost or damaged belongings. You must keep all receipts so that you can submit an appropriate claim. You may also need to file a loss report with the airline or local authority in cases such as lost luggage. You can expedite the claim process by submitting your claim documentation online.
Supporting Documentation You Will Need:
- Receipts and itemized bills are required for all expenses (trip cancellation).
- Tickets that have not been used, proof of payment (trip cancellation)
- “Physician’s Statement” or the explanation of diagnosis of the doctor
- Theft of luggage or car accidents: police reports
- Airline proof of delayed baggage
What To Do If You Need To Claim Travel Insurance
You should check the following things before you send off your claim for a travel insurance policy:
- Check if they claimed within the time limits.
- The claim you’re making is covered.
- The amount of the excess. Essentially, the lot is the amount taken off the claim by your insurance company. If you claim an amount less than this, it will not be worth making a claim.
- Details. Check that the terms and conditions do not prevent you from claiming.
Check the above to see if there’s anything you’ve overlooked, and contact your insurer right away. Insurers can email this to you to expedite the process. You should carefully complete the form and retain a copy for your records. Include documents such as receipts and medical certificates in your claim. Keeping copies of the original documents is advisable if your claim is questioned or denied. Your insurer may ask if you have any other insurance plans to cover the claim. Any other insurance coverage you may have, like home contents coverage, needs to be disclosed to them.
Travel Insurance Claim Do’s
To ensure that your travel insurance claims are successful, be sure to consider the following factors:
- Fill out the claim form with complete and relevant information about the incident. It will help understand the scenario and speed up the processing of claims.
- Ensure you retain and collect all the original receipts of purchases you made abroad. These will be needed when filing a claim with your travel insurance.
- Get discounts on hospitalizations or medical consultations because it will be required when claiming reimbursement.
- If you are hospitalized or experience a medical emergency, inform your insurer.
- Send the insurer an email as soon as you receive payment emails from overseas hospitals or recovery agencies.
- Please inform the insurer immediately if you need to be repatriated or evacuated for medical reasons. That way, they can assist promptly.
- Your insurer should always have an alternative contact number of a friend or family member in case of an emergency.
Travel Insurance Claims Don’ts
- If the recovery agency emails you, do not ignore them
- Avoid direct negotiations with service providers.
- Do not do medical evacuation and repatriation without notifying the travel insurance company.
