Filing Travel Insurance Claims In Different Situations
If you are planning to go abroad on a trip and have invested in travel insurance, you are not alone. Thousands of families acquire travel insurance for their safety. Around millions of dollars are transferred in the travel insurance industry on an annual basis, whether as reimbursement or purchase. However, what you need to understand about travel insurance is, you cannot ask for a claim if you do not prepare early. Before going to your trip, you need to adhere to the insurer's rules so that you can get your reimbursement.
If you are planning to go abroad on a trip and have invested in travel insurance, you are not alone. Thousands of families acquire travel insurance for their safety. Around millions of dollars are transferred in the travel insurance industry on an annual basis, whether as reimbursement or purchase. However, what you need to understand about travel insurance is, you cannot ask for a claim if you do not prepare early. Before going to your trip, you need to adhere to the insurer's rules so that you can get your reimbursement.
In this article, we spread some light on the different claims processing experiences for which you should prepare if you intend to make use of your travel insurance.
Don't Delay Your Claim
In every travel insurance policy, the insurer provides a deadline in which you can file a claim for reimbursement. To know the time provided in your insurance policy, check your policy details or contact your insurance advisor before leaving for your trip. If you delay in filing a claim within the given time frame, the insurance company can refuse to pay any incurred expenses.
After filing a claim, you will be given a claims form that you need to fill within a specific time. Be sure to submit this form before the deadline.
Collect Every Invoice
You need to submit proof of your every expenditure that your insurance policy is supposed to cover. Without proof, no insurance agency processes a claim. The invoice for every hotel, medical agency, or travel ticket you purchase is the proof of your expenditure that travel insurance agencies require.
What To Do In Case If Your Trip Gets Cancelled?
There is no need to panic in any such incident. Contact your insurance agent to inform him of the trip cancellation as soon as possible. Most of the insurance policies have terms on trip cancellation that you can find on the policy certificate. If any terms or conditions are present, proceed accordingly to the given clauses. The insurance company can deduct your reimbursement amount if you don't notify it of the trip cancellation on time.
In Case of Identity Theft
You are advised to keep your ID cards, credit cards, debit cards, and any other identity documents secure in your journey. Any identity theft can create difficulties in the claiming process. However, many insurance agencies also provide insurance for identity theft or cover it in some other policy. The identity theft protection clause does not provide any reimbursement for monetary losses due to theft or illegal use of your identity. However, it can help you in reporting the respective law enforcement authorities and issuing paperwork.
In Case of Baggage Loss
In case if you forget or lose your luggage while traveling, insurance policies require you to report the loss to the local authority of the area. If access to the local police is not available, you can contact your hotel manager or trip supervisor to report the loss. In any such scenario, the insurance agency will process the reimbursement for the lost objects only after you submit a copy of the police report.
In Case of Loss of Policy Documents
For the settlement of claims, you require the original policy documents and the documents of your expenses that the insurance policy covers. If you have lost an invoice or receipt on your journey, you can contact the respective authority, like the hotel manager or medical agency to receive a copy of your invoice. However, the matter can get complicated if you have lost the original policy documents. You are required to do the following to file a claim after losing the policy certificate.
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If the documents are misplaced or you are sure of their theft, file a police report. You may also be required to declare the same in the newspaper.
- If the documents got damaged in an accident or natural disaster, immediately contact your insurance agent to know your alternate options.
- File for an indemnity bond for your insurance policy, This procedure can take time, and you will be required to pay the stamp and notary fees.
Travel Insurance Master helps you in purchasing the best travel policy across a network of the country's most renowned insurance companies. You can count on us for any travel insurance related queries and details.