Travel Insurance Policy Does Not Cover

Most insurance seekers tend to focus on the inclusions of their travel insurance and forget to check under what circumstances they will not be coveredThis rookie mistake can be both shocking and costly and so it is best to avoid it by knowing both the inclusions and the exclusions to your travel insurance planIn fact, one of the major reasons for a lot of claim rejections is not knowing what the policy exclusions areTo ensure this is not your fate, here is a list of what does travel insurance not cover:

1. Pre-Existing Health Conditions

Most pre-existing health conditions are excluded from travelling insuranceHowever, this rule considers the correlation between when you purchase a cover and when you are diagnosed with an illnessIn simpler terms, any expense arising from your pre-existing health condition will not be reimbursed by your insurance providerSome common pre-existing health conditions that will not be covered by a travel insurance plan include diabetes, asthma, cancer, and even pregnancyThe insurer will only cover the policyholder if the latter has a stable health condition that does not need any altercations in treatment or the symptoms have not occurred.

To illustrate with an example, consider that an arthritis patient has not experienced any major fluctuations or medication changes over a few years and seeks travel insuranceIn such a situation if he/she experiences an intense flare-up during the trip, the insurance provider may then cover the cost of treatmentHowever, if the symptoms arise in the months leading up to the trip, it is unlikely that the insurer will cover the expenses of your emergency treatment overseas.

2. Dental Treatment

Dental procedures are one of the most common travel insurance exclusionsThe insurance holder will not be able to raise a claim against routine dental check-upsInsurance providers only cover dental treatment in circumstances such as acute dental pain or any dental injury owing to an accidentYour insurance provider will have a clause defining the exact scope of coverage in this regardIt is advised that the policyholder carefully reads the rules outlined to avoid being unpleasantly surprised at the time of raising a claim.

3. Mental Illnesses

Most insurance providers will not offer coverage for mental disordersAny self-inflicted damage or suicide attempts on part of the policyholder will not be covered under the travel insurance policyInjury or loss arising from psychiatric or mental illnesses such as emotional breakdowns, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etcwill not be processed for claims by your insurance providerHowever, certain insurance covers may reimburse the policyholder in case of emergency hospitalisationIt is important to get this checked before opting for a suitable cover.

4. Travelling for Medical Treatment

There are several occasions wherein a patient might have to travel overseas because they require specialised medical attentionHowever, while undertaking a trip to avail of medical treatment you must bear in mind that your travel insurance plan will not take care of these medical expensesThis is because your travel insurance is only meant to cover emergencies and so planned hospitalisation is excluded from the policy coverage

5. and Childbirth

Most travel insurance policies will not cover medical complications related to pregnancy and childbirthIf expecting mothers are seeking insurance cover for their pregnancy, they might either have to rely on their health insurance or invest in a very specific travel insurance policyWith these policies, the policyholder can expect to be compensated for the complications arising due to pregnancyYou must check this with your insurance provider before making a trip so you don’t find yourself in a fix while travelling.

6. Adventure Sports

Thrill seekers need to particularly make a note of this: most insurance providers will not cover you for the losses sustained while indulging in adventure sportsAll activities such as rafting, scuba diving, skiing, mountaineering, bungee jumping, etcare considered a threat to life in the eyes of your insurer and so, an individual will have to indulge in these activities at their own risk

That being said, some travelling insurance plans will cover adventure sports as an add-on cover at an additional premium.

7. Poor Weather Conditions

If poor weather conditions such as heavy rains keep you from going ahead with your travelling plans, then your insurer will not compensate you for the sameOnly if the weather leads to a cancellation of your flight will you be compensated for the expenses you incurred

This is why flight cancellation insurance is such an important travel documentThe flight cancellation insurance by Tata AIG secures the insured member against a host of carrier issues right from poor weather and natural disasters to political or personal issues

8. Not Presenting the Necessary Documents or Bills

While raising an insurance claim, the policyholder needs to ensure that he/she presents all the necessary documents to the insurance providerIf these documents are not provided to the insurance company, they cannot verify your claim and therefore cannot process itWithout these documents, there is a high possibility of claim rejection.

9. Personal Belongings in a Misplaced Baggage

You may have heard that with comprehensive travelling insurance, you are also covered for the loss of baggage during your journeyHowever, the insurance company will not compensate you for every item in your baggageTypically, the exclusions list will comprise items such as jewellery, cash, hearing aids, etcAnd so, it is advised to be very careful if you are travelling with the possession of expensive items as you will not be fully compensated for their loss.

10.War or War-Like Situations

Although your travelling insurance will secure you against terrorist attacks, it will not cover you under an act of war or mass chaosIt is therefore advised to check with your insurance provider about such situations so you are not taken by surprise at the time of raising a claim.

Insurance policies are subject to changeWith time, there may be some changes in the list of inclusions and exclusionsTherefore, we strongly recommend you read your policy document or speak with your insurance agent to have better clarity on all the inclusions and exclusions

Knowing what is not covered under travel insurance is taking a step toward ensuring your financial health remains stable and secure while you are travelling. In fact, travel insurance policy exclusions are an efficient comparison point while selecting an insurance cover. Knowing the exclusions of different policies can help you make an informed insurance decision.