What do You Need Domestic Travel Insurance While Travelling within India?

Usually, when people travel abroad, they consider taking a travel insurance policy. Many of us tend to forget the importance and need to buy domestic travel insurance policy while traveling within India. Often it is the last step on our mind. Common problems that can ruin your trip are trip cancellation, delay or curtailment, loss of baggage, flight cancellation or any other medical exigencies including loss of life - all of it is covered under a domestic travel insurance plan. How Can You Enjoy Your Trip with a Domestic Travel Insurance Policy? A travel insurance policy enhances your entire journey by offering assistance under the following circumstances –

1. Medical Emergency- The travel insurer will arrange medical help for you so that you get the required treatment at the earliest. The company will either contact a local physician or hospital which falls under their panel, to assist the insured as soon as possible.
2. Coverage for Lost Luggage – The travel insurance company will offer assistance to recover your lost checked baggage during your domestic trip. Please ensure to inform the concerned authorities within 24 hours of the event.
3. Emergency Travel Assistance - In case of any medical emergency your travel insurer would compensate for travel tickets or ticket replacement. It would also provide emergency hotel accommodation amid any unforeseen circumstances.
4. Legal Cover - If you are detained by the local police authorities for any non-criminal activity, which may result in unintentional breaking of law from your end. In such cases, the travel insurance company would assist you by providing the details of the legal representative.
5. An Arrangement of Bail Bond - For any domestic trip, the insured person would get bail bond cover, if the act of breaking the law was not intended for.
6. Medical Evacuation - If the medical practitioner and hospital under the policy panel advise emergency movement of the insured person from one place to another for medical treatment, then the insurance company would arrange the means of transportation to carry out the evacuation.

It can be via airplane, air ambulance, and train or by road, based on the seriousness of the insured person who has fallen ill. All decisions regarding the transportation and final destination will be taken by the Travel insurance company.

1. Loss of Document/Credit Card - Similarly, in the event of losing or misplacing your travel documents, your travel insurer would assist in acquiring the same or recovering the loss.
2. Repatriation of Mortal Remains - Your insurer would assist you in making the necessary arrangements to facilitate transportation of mortal remains of the insured, in case of sudden accidental death during the trip. The body would be repatriated to the hometown or residence of the policyholder.
3. Emergency communication – In case of any medical emergency, the travel insurance company would assist in message transformation to your friends, family, and relatives after your consent.
4. Medical Assistance – In a new city, if you would need any medical referral, your domestic travel insurance provider would share the relevant information about the hospitals, nursing homes, physicians and dentists that are there in your vicinity.
5. Medical and Hospitalization Cover - Your domestic travel insurance policy would cover medical and hospitalization expenses on your behalf. This would not include any pre-existing illnesses like asthma, blood pressure etc. if not declared earlier. It would also cover daily hospital expenses in case of medical treatment as covered under the domestic travel insurance plan.

Circumstances under Which You Will Not Be Offered Assistance Please note that the domestic travel insurance plan would not compensate under the following circumstances -

1. Pre-existing illness or diseases that have not been informed to the insurer.
2. If the policyholder happens to be traveling against the counsel of the doctor; or is undergoing a specified medical treatment. Any claim for the treatment of ongoing medical treatment will not be accepted. Also, any terminal diagnosis OR pre-existing complications would not be covered.
3. Suicidal attempt or self-inflicted injuries would not be included. Any mental inabilities, STDs, HIV OR AIDS are excluded from the policy.
4. Military and army personnel are generally not given a cover under the policy.
5. Any loss or damage caused under the influence of alcohol or drugs or any other intoxicants would not be recompensed by the domestic travel insurance company.
6. The insured person’s involvement in an actual or attempted misdemeanor, riot, criminal act, or civil uproar would not be included under the policy.
7. Involvement in any life-threatening activity or hazardous occupation is not covered.
8. Any loss or damage incurred due to terrorism, civil war, incursion, revolt, rebellion, an act of foreign enemy, warfare, mutiny, or use of military weapons would not be given a cover by your insurer.
9. Any use, discharge or break out of nuclear materials which may result in nuclear radiation or radioactive contagion is excluded from the policy coverage.

What if I Get Stuck During My Trip? Notify the insurer about the loss or claim - It is a prerequisite to send a written notice to the travel insurance company within the stipulated time. You need to sign and complete the claim form given by the Travel Insurance Company -

• Provide the original copy of bills, including pharmacy, doctor consultation receipts, medical tests, and any other prescription taken for the treatment
• Provide all the medical reports, treatment documents, case summary, diagnosis report, and discharge papers
• Diagnosis papers of the medical treatment for which the claim is made
• A comprehensive list of all the medical treatments or services taken along with the bill
• Submit the doctor’s prescription with the name of the medicines, name of the insured person and payment receipt
• Please provide all the necessary or required documents which the travel insurance company has mentioned under the policy

If there is any loss or damage to your property covered under this plan –

• It should be notified as soon as possible
• Immediate action should be taken to safeguard or recover the property that is covered under the domestic travel insurance plan
• Immediately notify the transporter who is accountable for the loss

Inform the police or local authorities about the theft or robbery concerning the loss or damage within 24 hours of the event. The travel insurance company would settle the claim amount within 30 days against the documents that you have submitted in adherence to the policy statement.  Please check with your insurer for any other formality required for claim settlement. In a Nutshell! You might have now realized how important it is to buy a domestic travel insurance policy and what all risks it may impose if you ignore it. Now, stay secured and enjoy your trip by keeping all your travel concerns at bay.