5 Mistakes to Avoid when Buying Travel Insurance: Post-COVID Travel

5 Mistakes to Avoid when Buying Travel Insurance: Post-COVID Travel

COVID has brought some seismic changes in travel insurance policies, and travelers are finding it difficult to choose a policy for a post-pandemic environment. There’s plenty of confusion and lots of questions about which insurance to buy now!

Travel insurance acts as your backup when situations go against you. Your safest bet is to choose an insurer that has clear terms and conditions and flexible plans. So, what are the common mistakes made?

Not getting insured

By far the biggest mistake one can make is not getting insured at this volatile time. For international travel, visitors are asked to show proof of medical coverage before entering the country. It would help if you carried a visitor health insurance policy, covering medical benefits, trip cancellation, baggage loss, medical evacuation, emergencies, and more, no matter where you’re going.

Not purchasing a plan that covers COVID

Many plans might not cover the virus outbreak, but there are still some that do. If you’re planning a trip soon, you need to get a plan that covers COVID along with other quarantine costs. Getting prepared for COVID in a foreign country is something that shouldn’t be skipped. Are you looking for similar plans? It is recommended to take a look at our travel insurance plans with Covid coverage.

Not paying attention to coverage limits

Just because the plan says it covers COVID, that doesn’t mean it will cover everything you want. Some cover the virus testing as a part of the diagnostic for an illness and will not cover testing for a PSR test needed for flights before you travel. Some cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions but not necessarily if you buy the plan on contracting the virus.

In addition to this, some travel insurance policies can be extended for 3 years, while some cover only 364 days. Read the plans review and ask the insurer to recommend a suitable policy that covers your needs.

Waiting last minute to get insured

Waiting till the last minute to finalize a plan and then getting insured is nothing but welcoming risks and confusion. When you buy insurance, the company bets on you that you’re going ahead with the travel plan.

You shouldn’t purchase a policy if you aren’t sure about your trip or you’re about to cancel it. What you can do in such cases is that you can get an annual travel insurance plan and opt for multiple trips in a year.

Getting insured from a wrong place

Honestly, there’re many places that offer travel insurance like, travel companies, an airline, cruise line, insurance provider, and more. Pay attention if the company is offering you its products or marketing products from other insurance companies.

Does it have 24*7 customer care services? Does it have flexible plans? Can you cancel the policy? Clear your doubts so that you can buy a plan with confidence. Moreover, every plan comes with an exclusion list that describes what isn’t covered. Read those, too, before making a final call.

Not understanding the ‘Cancel For Any Reason’ rule

Many people make the mistake of getting a policy but not understanding the rules at all. For example, ‘Cancel for any Reason’ should be purchased within  10 to 21 days of making the initial deposit and the entire value of your trip needs to be insured. Plus, Cancel for any reason requires you to cancel the trip 48 hours before departure to be eligible for reimbursement under ‘Cancel for any Reason’ coverage.

People often assume that they will get the full refund, but insurance doesn’t work that way! The coverage usually provides you up to  75% of your total insured, prepaid, non-refundable trip cost. Again, if you cancel the trip at the last minute, you may never get a full refund. Hence, before getting disappointed in a policy, understand the rules and then signing up for it.

Conclusion

So, how should you avoid such mistakes for post-COVID travel? Read thoroughly and assume nothing! Also, make sure to get a travel insurance policy from a reputable company like Visitor Guard®. For any doubts and confusion, call the customer service executive and learn about the plans.