My name is Sijoy aged 31. I have been working for a multinational company. My work commitment needs me to travel internationally for about 3 months; my concern is will my retail health insurance policy which I have in India, cover me if I need a medical emergency overseas? What are the insurance coverages I must consider for this travel?

Sijoy

Being outside of your home country can be a little daunting, especially going into a scenario where we are emerging out of the pandemic. It is commendable that you are considering insurance coverage to protect yourself in the event of any medical emergency or any other unforeseen circumstances and have shown an interest in learning more about what measures could be feasible. It is the first step towards being risk-free and worry-free.

Sijoy, since your travel is for a short duration, you can opt for a travel insurance policy, which will provide you with the safety that is crucial to your trip’s financial preparation. Travel insurance covers trip cancellation, baggage loss and delay, personal accident cover, passport and mobile device loss, flight contingencies, and emergency medical care, among others. With travel insurance, many insurers cover COVID-19-related expenses as well, including medical care, quarantine, emergency evacuation, travel cancellation, interruption, or prolongation. Typically, a travel insurance plan is opted for by policyholders meant for short-term trips. However, if you travel frequently for personal or professional reasons and want total protection for your multiple trips, we advise you to purchase an annual multi-trip overseas travel insurance policy. Annual multi-trip overseas travel insurance will cover you in the event that you need medical care while traveling overseas. This policy will be valid for one year, covering your multiple trips in that year, during which you can undertake multiple trips under the same policy. An additional benefit of taking a multi-trip travel insurance policy is the reduction in overall premium compared to taking travel insurance policies for each of your individual international trips.

Considering that you are going to be in another country for primarily three months, you might want to opt for travel insurance, which provides protection for your trip as well as takes care of your medical contingencies. It also depends on how often you travel and whether you want a single-trip policy or a plan that covers you for the whole year in case you foresee that you will need to travel more frequently. Sijoy, you might already have a health insurance policy in place, but you will be surprised to learn that insurers also offer global health insurance policies. This is a product people should opt for, especially keeping in mind that treatments are coming from all over the world. Why should one limit themselves to the medical infrastructure in India when one can opt for best in class treatment across the world? Global health insurance includes medical treatment, hospitalisation, day-care procedures, medical repatriation, air ambulance, palliative care, and mental disease. This plan is a fantastic option for medical emergencies when traveling overseas in the long run.

As you get ready for your trip, think about all the insurance options that will give you the right level of coverage so that you can have a peaceful and enjoyable trip. Ensure that you are adequately protected with the right sum insured. Ask the insurer or your advisor to suggest the best plan suitable for you. Also, ensure that the country you are traveling to is covered in your travel plan. Many times, travel plans are specific to certain regions, like Asia Pacific, or exclude regions like the US, Canada, etc. to ensure that you are aware of these details before you buy the policy and choose the insurance that fits your travel needs the best.

The author is MD & CEO Bajaj Allianz General Insurance

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