Understanding medical risks covered by travel insurance and claiming hospitalisation cost
Travel insurance is of utmost importance if you are travelling abroad. While visiting a foreign country you are always exposed to vulnerabilities like luggage loss, trip delays or cancellations, accidents etc. Under all such circumstances, travel insurance is your only saviour. Some insurers provide multiple features in a single plan itself, whereas others provide separate policies for mediclaim during travel.
Medical Risks Covered by Travel Insurance
Most travel insurance policies cover medical expenses such as sickness, injuries, or minor ailments during foreign travel. While most of them do not cover pre-existing diseases, expenses for x-rays, blood tests and other pathological tests are usually covered. Depending on the insurer’s network of hospitals in that country, you can also avail cashless hospitalisation facilities.
How to Claim the Overseas Hospitalisation Cost
If the disease or injury cannot be left untreated until you return to your homeland, you must inform your insurance provider and seek their response. If they have a network hospital nearby, they would most likely suggest you to be treated there to avail cashless facilities. There is always a time limit between your hospitalisation and informing the insurer, strictly adhere to that otherwise it may result in your claim rejection.
However, most insurers have a list of exclusions, which are not covered in the medical treatment. These include:
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Beauty treatment
- Routine check-ups
- Injuries incurred intentionally
- Pregnancy related treatment with a few exceptions
- Travelling to get medical treatment
- Injuries incurred while participating in adventure sports
Besides these there could be several other exclusions based on your insurer, which you must go through your policy document.
Once your treatment is complete, you need to submit the complete medical report including pre-treatment check-ups, treatment details, and discharge information to make a successful claim. Apart from this, the insurer may ask for other bills including medicine bills, nursing bills, hospital stay etc. These documents will allow you to make a prompt and successful claim.
What About the Illness I Already Have
Most travel insurance policies do not cover pre-existing diseases. If you get injured or sick while travelling, you get the expenses covered. However, if you know of a medical condition before buying the policy itself, you will not be covered for that. Apart from these, several other diseases including venereal diseases, mental disorders, HIV etc. are also excluded from the policy.
What to Check While Buying Travel Insurance Policy
Before you travel insurance policy, ensure that it covers medical bills. Always opt for a travel insurance that provide medical coverage abroad. Ensure that the insurer has a good network of cashless hospitals in the country you are visiting and has a good claim settlement ratio. Look out for the list of exclusions, and compare policies before buying the one that suits your needs.
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