Any unexpected expenses during your travel abroad need to be preplanned well in advance. Travel insurance is indispensable when you are traveling to a foreign country, sometimes you are on your own and any unforeseen incidents such as accidents or illnesses will be borne by you wholly. With Travel insurance your medical expenses or any other unforeseen expenses will be covered.

It’s basically an agreement between a traveller and an insurance company by which an insurance company is obliged to cover all the losses that you may incur during the trip abroad. An insured person pays the premium either in single or multiple installments.

Which is the right time to get the travel insurance?

For frequent travelers there are more broad permanent travel insurances that protect you during all your trips that meet certain requirements. Such online travel insurance can be purchased directly from insurance companies but also from travel agents or travel companies.

What happens in case of pre-existing medical conditions?

Anyone with a serious pre-existing medical condition would find it tricky to attain a travel insurance. However, it’s not impossible, travel insurance companies exclude all claims related to pre-existing medical conditions. Some insurers will cover for pre-existing conditions without any additional premium. Other travel insurance companies may have a medical screening system, usually carried out over the telephone or online. You are asked a series of questions in order to assess the risk involved and to determine whether you can be given insurance, in such case you may have to pay an additional premium to cover the risk of pre-existing condition, or exclude any claims relating to risk.

What all am I covered for in such insurance?

The most common risks that are covered by travel insurance are flight delays, cancellations, limitations. Theft of luggage, delay or loss of personal possessions up to a certain amount when undeclared and up to any amount when declared and included in the policy is covered under such travel insurance. It will also cover for medical expenses whether due to illness or accident. This includes transportation to and from hospitals and clinics, physicians' fees, medications, etc.

In case of death, all funeral expenses, benefits of accidental death, will be covered by the insurance. Legal coverage such as legal fees, personal liability for accidents in case you are responsible for the accident and have to bear the injured person’s medical expense. Moreover, there are other risks for which insurance can be purchased jointly or separately from a regular travel insurance contract.

If you buy a travel package to a high risk destination, chances are that the policy will already contain those clauses, the same is applicable if you hire all the services needed to perform the high risk activities from the same agent. However, you should carefully read the policy before committing to anything and make sure that you are sufficiently protected.