Don't know if you need Travel Insurance? Read more to find out the essential cover that everyone should have.
The common reasons that people purchase travel insurance is to protect their luggage against theft or incase it is lost during trasnit. What people often neglect is the necessity of having a travel insurance policy that extensively covers them for medical emergencies.
The Australian government travel advisory website, Smartraveller.gov.au, provides some examples of costs: hospital stays in South East Asia have exceeded $800 per day; return of remains from Europe can cost $10,000; medical evacuations from the USA can cost up to $300,000 and from nearby Bali has exceeded $60,000.
These figures are painful because if you had to pay them without travel insurance you may end up financially crippled. It is fairly easy to find a good insurance policy that will cover you in the event of a medical emergency. In Australia it is mandatory for travel insurance companies to supply you with a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before you purchase. A PDS details what the policy covers including what they will pay for certain incidents and any if there are any particular terms and conditions attached. If you are suffering a pre-existing medical condition then make sure you are still eligible.
In Australia all the major travel insurance companies have websites so it is easy to compare their price and cover. Some of the main companies are: Travel Insurance Direct, 1 Cover, Insure4Less, Columbus Direct, iTrek, World Nomads, AAMI, and Allianz. Just search for them and others using your favorite search engine.
Once you are at their website just look for the PDS. It will usually be on the quote and product pages. Open it up and don't be worried at how confusing it can look, scroll down to the Schedule of Benefits, a large take with lots of dollar values in it. Make sure the sections labeled Medical Expenses and Medical Evacuation or similar are unlimited or in the millions.
Get a quote for those that offer the cover you want. Choose the company offering the lowest premium that you trust. Reading online reviews can be very helpful at this stage to make the final decision.
Jackson Taylor is employed as a writer for Travel Insurance Reviews. he has backpacked the world extensively and enjoys sharing hints and tips about all the things he has learnt while travelling. Read of his latest reviews on Australian Travel Insurance - iTrek Travel Insurance review.
