Travel insurance - how to choose and where to compare prices

Going on a trip, we expect to get a lot of new impressions and emotions, but, unfortunately, sometimes our holidays can be overshadowed by unexpected illnesses and injuries. That is why it is very important with all responsibility to approach the choice of a tourist policy. Today, there are many companies on the market that provide insurance services, but not all of them are ready to provide quality service.

To help our readers, we decided to write a detailed article on a given topic and highlight the most important points. If you rely on luck and are looking for the cheapest travel insurance abroad, you can always compare prices at cherehapa.ru, a leader in your field.

How to choose travel insurance?

Before deciding what to choose travel insurance, you need to understand the basic concepts. The price of insurance and the package of services provided depend on them in many respects. And first of all, it is necessary to consider such a concept as assistance.

Assistance - a service organization that performs the main chain of actions in a situation when an insured event occurs. It is this service that establishes contact with hospitals, finds out information about the price of treatment and redirects the data received to the insurance company in which you were insured. Having studied the information received, the insurer can do the following:

• immediately give your consent to pay for the insured event
• start to bring down the price of medical services institutions

If the insurance company begins to bargain with the hospital, then the provision of medical care may take several hours. There are situations when victims had to wait for surgery for 8 hours or more. A considerable influence on the speed of entry of insurance into its own power is also exerted by the work of assistance. After all, it depends on the speed of his actions, such as calling a specialist, transferring data to an insurer, etc., how quickly medical services will begin to be provided to you.

Particular attention should be paid to how effectively the relationship between the assistant and the insurance company is built, and to compare the principles of work of different organizations. The quality of service delivery directly depends on this.

For example, some assistants have the right to make independent decisions on the insured event if its price does not exceed the amount agreed with the insurer. Thus, the service does not need to make additional requests for confirmation, which means that the speed of service will be much higher. However, there are many insurance institutions that require approval of each account with them, which, of course, delays the process of providing medical services. Therefore, before applying for travel insurance abroad, it is important to compare several companies and read reviews.

Travel insurance should be selected in accordance with the activities that you plan to engage in on vacation abroad. The companies offer a number of options that can expand the list of insurance claims related not only to health, but also to ticket, baggage, etc. It would be wise to compare firms according to these criteria before purchasing insurance. Let's look at all types of policies and options in order:

1. Standard travel insurance. This insurance is suitable for most tourists who plan a passive vacation on the beach and trips on excursions.

2. Insurance for skiers. If you go to a ski resort, then you can’t do the usual insurance, since this kind of sport implies high risks of injury. In this situation, the cost of travel insurance will be slightly higher.
3. Extended travel insurance. If you plan to go on extreme sports on vacation, such as surfing, diving, mountain biking, etc., or plan to ride a scooter, you will need an extended version of insurance.
4. Travel Insurance. It may be necessary when you are independently traveling to the country for which you need a visa to enter. An insured event will occur if you are denied a visa or you receive it late. In addition, travel insurance will work in a situation where you are taken to a hospital before a trip, you are summoned to court or your property is seriously damaged (fire, theft, earthquake, etc.).
5. Travel insurance. It is recommended to check in if you are not flying on a direct flight, and the time frame for a transfer is quite limited.

6. Baggage insurance. This additional option is often useful. Cases of baggage loss at airports are quite common, and if you bring with you not only clothes and sunblock, but also valuables, then you should definitely use this supplement.
7. Accident insurance. This option is practically useless abroad and guarantees payments only upon return to your home country. In case of serious bruises and fractures, you will be reimbursed 5-10%, in case of death the organization pays 100% of the sum insured. Moreover, such a policy does not contribute in any way to the return of money spent on medical services abroad.

As can be seen from our list, companies provide for various insurance claims, so initially it is worth comparing the prices of travel insurance in several companies and find out the cost of additional options.

The maximum amount that the insurance company is willing to spend on your treatment is called the amount of insurance coverage. For different insurers, these values ​​may vary. To obtain visas to many countries, it is enough that insurance covers $ 30,000. For a Schengen visa, this amount will be 30,000 €. If you go to countries that have expensive medical care, it is best to opt for $ 50,000 coverage.

A deductible is a certain amount that the policyholder pays out of pocket when an insured event occurs. As a rule, its value ranges from $ 50-200.

For example, on a trip you went to the hospital, where you were billed $ 250. Under your insurance contract, a deductible is set at a price of $ 200. Thus, for the treatment you will pay $ 200, and the insurer - the remaining $ 50. With a franchise, travel insurance abroad is cheap, but it always involves the risk that you will pay medical bills from your own pocket. And there will be a need to go to the hospital or not, no one can predict, so whether it is worth giving priority to the budget price, it's up to you to decide.

In which company to buy insurance?

Today, there are dozens of insurance companies on the market that promise high quality services at low prices, but, alas, not all of them are ready to meet the expectations of customers. You need to understand that there are negative reviews about any company. Some firms have a lot of negative reviews, although there are also organizations that have proven their worth.

We tried to compare several insurance, primarily, based on customer reviews, and were able to identify the most worthy. Among them:

1. Sberbank First of all, this insurer attracts with its affordable prices. And if you compare it with other similar companies, then the list of its options is much wider. In addition, Sberbank has many positive reviews, and although you cannot name it ideal, the services provided and prices overlap other minor flaws.

2. Consent. This option is a good combination of price and quality. A distinctive feature of tourist policies issued by the organization is the point on exacerbation of chronic ailments in travel, the amount of coverage of which is $ 5000. If we compare the same criterion with others, then they are ready to pay in this case only $ 1000. However, the company has one big drawback: it does not include dengue fever in insurance, which can often catch tourists in tropical countries.

3. Tinkoff. A well-known banking institution has appeared on the insurance market relatively recently and so far has been steadily making all payments, which many associate with the company's desire to get as many positive reviews as possible. Nevertheless, the insurer is working properly, however, if you compare its prices for travel insurance to Asia with the prices of other organizations, they will be slightly higher. But in European countries, policies are issued at very attractive rates.

4. VTB. Although the institution is working with the GVA Assistant, considered one of the worst, there has not yet been a disruption in their collaboration. This is the only company that can arrange travel insurance starting from the current day, which is very convenient for unplanned travel. If we compare VTB in value with other companies, then it wins in price - one of the lowest in the insurance sector. The disadvantages include the lack of insurance for sunburn.

5. Zetta. When looking for travel insurance, we strongly recommend that you pay attention to this company. The quality of its services is at a high level, and processes with assistance occur efficiently and quickly. Although until recently this organization was offering affordable prices, now its tariffs have risen slightly. In addition, Zetta does not make insurance in Thailand for a period of more than 30 days. However, she is credible for her level of work.

Unfortunately, not all insurers provide quality services for the design of travel policies. Among the worst firms, we noted:

• RESO. The company has positive reviews, but also a lot of negative ones. RESO collaborates with a budget assistant, which strikes at the quality of their service. In addition, they suffer from technical support and a tourist policy for children up to 1 year old is not subject to registration. RESO also has restrictions for tourists traveling for a long period.

• Renaissance. The company works with several assistants, but its employees are not able to provide accurate information about which partner they will contact in your particular case. And, accordingly, such an organization does not inspire confidence. In addition, the Renaissance franchise is $ 50, which can be attributed to another drawback. When buying travel insurance online there are also difficulties, so it is best not to cooperate with this company.

What should I look for when buying insurance?

1. Most insurance companies do not have the option to apply for a travel policy today. Thus, companies exclude the risk that you will be insured while already on a trip. Therefore, it is best to take out insurance several days before the planned trip. If you decide to go abroad spontaneously, then you can buy a policy from very few companies, and this greatly narrows the choice.
2. Carefully read the information about what cases the company will consider insurance. For example, some organizations do not insure dengue fever, sunburn, etc. It is better to know in advance what you are willing to pay. Remember to compare this criterion.
3. If you plan to spend an active vacation or engage in extreme sports abroad, then you will need to supplement your travel insurance with the appropriate option. The cost will definitely increase, so you need to compare prices and decide where it is more profitable to take a policy.

4. It is better to know in advance whether your contract provides for a franchise. If provided, take an interest in its size and compare with the franchise of other insurers.
5. It is important to specify the number of days that your travel policy will cover. The fact is that insurance can be annual, but only the first 30, 60, 90, etc. are valid under the contract. days. It is also worth knowing how many trips a travel policy covers and compare their number with other organizations.
6. If you are traveling to a country with expensive medicine, then it is best to choose the amount of coverage equal to $ 50,000.
7. When you make out insurance for traveling abroad online, keep in mind that the document will only become effective if the policyholder is at home at the time of its acquisition.
8. Remember that companies do not recognize insurance claims when doctors detect alcohol in their blood.

9. Sometimes, when an insured event occurs, you have to pay for medical services on-site yourself, and the company returns funds only upon your arrival at your homeland. As a rule, this happens if the travel policy is issued by a budget insurer or if you went on a trip to remote places where there is no hospital with which the insurance has an agreement.
10. Be sure to include all the countries you plan to visit. If you are going to relax in several states at once, then it is easier to choose the option "Worldwide".

Where and how to buy insurance online?

Today it is quite simple to issue a policy online, and one of the leading Internet services in the sector is cherehapa.ru. On the site you can find out how much travel insurance costs for different organizations, compare the terms of the contract and choose the most suitable option for yourself. Here you have the opportunity to buy an electronic document valid in any visa center. At the same time, you can find very favorable prices on the site, which are either equal to those presented on the official portals of insurance companies, or even lower.

Herehapa.ru provides a lot of additional options for the policy, so this service is very convenient to use even for travelers with big requests.

Output

Travel insurance is useful to you or not, no one can predict, but you should not neglect it. Today you can find a decent insurance company that provides quality services at a very reasonable price. It is important not only to purchase a document, but also to clarify all of its points, as well as to think what options to supplement it in your particular case. And you can compare the prices of travel insurance abroad and find a company that suits you by using the form below.

Still have questions? Ask in the comments or tech support cherehapa.

Watch the video: Travel Insurance. Tips For Choosing Best Health Coverage For A Long Trip. Digital Nomad Series (November 2024).