The purpose of travel insurance is to make sure that you get something in case of unfortunate events or emergencies that happen before or during your trip. If something goes wrong while on holiday, and you wish to obtain a travel insurance claim, it is ideal to have a smooth and straightforward process. You want to avoid unnecessary hassles and chances of getting your claims rejected.
It would be nice if we could get insurance claims easily, but that is not always the case. Not all claims are compensated, even though insurance providers spend crores of rupees in a year to pay for insurance claims. In the UK alone, insurance companies pay out £345 million a year to pay claims for their customers. But why are travel claims denied? Here are the most common reasons everyone should know.
insufficient supporting documents
Let’s start with the most typical reason for denial of insurance claims – you have incomplete supporting documents. When you are making a claim, you must present or provide sufficient evidence to support the events during your trip that caused your distress. This evidence may include carrier’s delay information, police reports for accidents or illegal acts, medical certificates or purchase receipts.
unobtainable items
Untraceable items are things you’ve lost or left behind at your destination, including cellphones, laptops, cameras, bags, watches, and wallets. Unless the items are securely locked inside a car or safe, you cannot make an insurance claim for items that you have accidentally or negligently lost. Insurance providers have policies regarding this matter, so make sure you are aware of them. And to avoid getting rejected, always take care or take care of your belongings while you’re on vacation.
Events before buying travel insurance
Of course, events that happened before you bought your travel insurance are not included in the coverage. Attempting to claim for such situations will not only result in rejection, but will also be considered an act of fraud, and you may be held liable for the same. The ideal time to buy travel insurance is as soon as you have booked your trip. This will be useful for future situations.
unacceptable travels
If you go against the travel advisory issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), your insurance provider will not cover your claims. If you travel to a place where WHO has advised everyone not to go, it becomes your decision, and you will be responsible for it. Always check the latest WHO travel advice to make sure your travels are safe.
illegal, dangerous and reckless activities
If you do anything illegal like fraud, theft, dishonest behavior, drug use, your insurance provider will not pay for your claims. The claim will also be rejected if you meet with an accident or miss a flight due to excessive alcohol consumption. It is your responsibility to drink in moderation, so you cannot expect to be covered by your travel insurance for your irresponsibility.
For hazardous activities, the terms depend on the insurance policies. Some companies do not cover for extreme sports and activities. However, if you pay an additional premium, there can be policy coverage for parasailing, bungee jumping, trekking and mountain climbing etc. It is best to read the terms and conditions of your chosen travel insurance policy.
undisclosed health conditions
Health protection is one of the reasons why people buy travel insurance. Knowing the fact that medical services are expensive, it is helpful to have insurance ready, especially if you are traveling. However, you should never forget to declare your pre-existing medical conditions along with supporting medical documents when you buy travel insurance. This will ensure that the medical expenses incurred by you during your trip will be covered, and will not cost you a huge amount of money.
If you fail to declare your health conditions, you cannot take advantage of your travel insurance. It is also advised not to travel unless advised by your doctor.
