Studies have shown that 1/3 of people buy travel insurance without reading the small print terms at the bottom of the page, which experts say is unwise.
When I was 20 years old, I was bitten by a monkey in Bali, when my first thought was: I *, my mother specifically told me to stay away from the animals. My second idea is: if I go to see a doctor, can travel insurance be reimbursed?
Fortunately, I found a hospital with English-speaking employees injected with rabies vaccine, the needle is very thick, the injection process is very painful, but I finally got the answer to the question: reimbursable.
For many people, buying travel insurance is a last-minute thing to do. Studies have shown that 1/3 of people choose the cheapest insurance without reading the small print clause.
As a result, there is a problem that more than half of the passengers are not actually "protected" by the right insurance. In general, the problem is partly due to undisclosed medical problems or specific behaviors that may prevent passengers from being reimbursed through travel insurance.
Jen Lewis, a senior lawer at the financial rights law center that provides insurance law services, said: "people think they can reimburse anything as long as they take out insurance."
"in fact, only certain insured cases are covered by the policy."
So what considerations do you have to make to get an insurance policy that suits you when you buy travel insurance?
Read the printing terms of small words
With the right travel insurance, you can enjoy your vacation without worrying anymore.
The first piece of advice from all the experts I`ve consulted is: be sure to read the policy carefully before you buy insurance.
Speaker Abigail Koch, of a large insurance price comparison site, said that while the process was boring, it was only by reading the product disclosure statement (product disclosure statement, or PDS that you could find out if you had the best insurance for yourself.
When choosing an insurance policy, she said, "the price is clearly worth considering, but it should not be the primary consideration."
"think about all your tourist destinations, what you will do there and where you may need insurance. Think about your personal health and what you want to carry with you."
Then read PDS, carefully, including a careful look at the word definition table to ensure that the policy meets all your needs.
Can travel insurance cover mental illness? In the past, many insurance companies did not cover mental illness (mental illness), even if it appeared for the first time on the road.
However, after a law lawsuit that won on the grounds of discrimination, insurance companies are dealing with mental illness in change.
Melanie Schleiger, an equal law project manager at Victoria law Aid, which won an unprecedented discrimination case in 2015, says some policies now cover mental illness for the first time.
But note that if you apply for optional additional insurance for mental illness, some policies cover mental illness only for the first time, Ms. Lewis said.
The best way to do this is to read the terms of the policy carefully to see if it will cover the first mental illness during a trip.
Make sure that all your needs on the road are insured
One of the main items to be verified in the policy is the "exception clause (Exlusions, here means that the insurance company can not pay when these circumstances occur)"-and more than half (58 per cent) of Australian adults have not been checked!
Some policies do not cover certain conditions that already exist before the date of purchase of the policy, whether mental or physical.
Insuring for existing conditions is not easy: according to CHOICE, an Australian consumer rights group, some insurers only charge extra fees to cover them, and sometimes even need you to provide a medical assessment.
If you`re not sure if you can cover an existing condition, "the best option is to call the insurance company directly before you leave to find out what their coverage is," Ms. Koch said.
You may be surprised to find that, basically, the coverage of most policies does not include the following:
- Outdoor activities with certain risks, such as skiing, water skiing or skydiving
- To ride a variety of motor vehicles or motorcycles without the legal permission of the country in which they are located.
- Loss or theft of luggage without supervision
- Operation terrorism, disappearance or injury caused by national unrest or natural disaste
- Travel destination is a country where the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued a high-risk travel warning (it is recommended that you pay close attention to Australia`s "Smart Travel" Smart Traveller website)
- A condition known to a relative before he or she leaves (for example, because of a relative`s illness or death, you need to stop your trip and fly home, but you actually know something about the relative`s condition or poor health before you leave).
If you need travel insurance to cover any of the above, you can choose to pay additional fees to buy optional additional items. Of course, this means you have to pay a higher premium, but it usually also has a higher deductible amount so that you can claim for all kinds of winter outdoor sports, known illness or special valuables.
Can travel insurance reimburse medical expenses related to pregnancy?
Would you like to take a honeymoon trip during pregnancy? Be sure to read product disclosure statements about insurance to ensure that pregnancy-related treatments or complications are covered.
Some insurers do not provide pregnancy insurance, but others will cover a single pregnancy of up to 20 to 30 weeks (23 or 28 weeks is generally the critical point). Travel insurance usually does not cover fertility during travel.
If you have more than one child or conceive through an assisted reproductive program, some insurance companies do not cover pregnancy, Ms. Koch said. If your baby gives birth prematurely during the trip, it may not be covered.
Ms. Koch added that some insurance companies would require a doctor`s certificate before signing an insurance policy for you.
Will travel insurance cover valuable jewelry?
Family property insurance may cover shiny rings, but don`t expect travel insurance to do the same.
Some policies limit claims for certain valuables to just a few hundred Australian dollars. Many of the policies (ABC Life has reviewed limit claims for each item to A $750. )
"I`ve never seen an insurance policy cover an engagement ring worth A $10, 000, but that doesn`t mean it doesn`t exist at all," Ms. Koch said.
Watch out for free free travel insurance for credit cards.
You may sometimes see promotions that offer travel insurance with credit cards.
While this may be a convenient option, Ms. Lewis said, "you need to take a little more time" before you get the protection of these policies.
For example, you may have to call an insurance company before you travel to activate your travel insurance.
In general, Ms. Lewis said, you``have to buy a ticket with that credit card and reach a certain amount to get this travel insurance. `` And many times, you have to book a return ticket before your free credit card insurance can be activated.
Unlike many independently purchased policies, CHOICE points out, they do not offer options that can be insured against existing conditions by paying additional premiums.
Travel insurance by credit card may be convenient, but before you get the details of the policy, "you need to take a little more time," experts said.
Pay attention to all kinds of travel activities related to drinking
Safety accidents caused by excessive drinking are not covered by insurance.
"No travel insurance company is going to mess with you because you have a drink," Ms. Koch said.
"however, if you fall down the stairs after drinking too much, most insurance companies will reject your claim because you are affected by alcohol."
The same is true of illegal drug use (if you`re taking a drug prescribed by a medical consultant and taking it on their instructions, then there`s no problem, Ms. Koch said).
Don`t get away with thinking that insurance companies can`t find out you drank: insurers can check police and hospital records, hotel and flight reports, and insurance investigators even frequently use social media sites to verify your claims, Ms. Koch said.
When should you take out insurance?
The experts I consulted said it would be better to order travel insurance as soon as the holiday plan is determined.
"the advantage of buying travel insurance as soon as possible is that some insurance packages may cover accidents that occurred before your leave," Ms. Lewis said.
Ms. Koch said: "generally speaking, the cost of taking out travel insurance on the day of the holiday determination is not much worse than the cost of buying on the day of leave. Even if something goes wrong, you already have more guarantee."?
Finally, keep in mind that only a few insurance companies will allow you to take out insurance if you already have leave Australia.
