There are places where to travel to them, it is mandatory to have travel insurance. In other cases, it is simply advisable in the event of possible incidents that we may suffer, whether of a medical nature, such as accidents or illnesses during the trip, problems with luggage, cancellations, etc.
However, when hiring travel insurance we must take into account some aspects to choose the one that best suits our trip.
Travel insurance What are the keys to contracting it?
1. Duration of trip and duration of insurance
First of all, the first thing you need to know when purchasing travel insurance is to know the dates on which you will be away: the day of departure and the day of return. Well, many insurance policies vary their prices and coverage depending on the number of days the trip lasts or even have a limit of days. If we do not know exactly what day we are going to return, it is better to choose insurance that can be extended for a few more days, since buying another insurance once the trip has started can be a problem since they do not cover incidents that occurred before contracting.
2. The destination of the trip also matters
The next thing is to indicate the scope of coverage, that is, the place where you will travel, normally simplified into three categories: Spain, Europe (along with coastal countries), and the World. If we have different destinations, the one that is furthest away should always be taken as a reference, since each one includes the previous one.
There are destinations for which it is mandatory to take out travel insurance with specific coverage for medical assistance or repatriation, such as Russia, Cuba, or the Schengen area.
3. Limit of days for contracting insurance
In some cases, it is necessary to keep in mind the day of the trip reservation or, at least, the first reservation, as there are insurance policies, such as cancellation insurance, that can only be contracted within seven days following the first trip reservation made. , although you can continue to reserve other aspects after contracting the insurance. For example, if we have purchased the plane tickets but do not want to reserve the accommodation at the moment, before seven days have passed we must take out our cancellation insurance and this will also cover all reservations made subsequently. Learn more about when to purchase travel insurance.
4. Travel insurance for one year vs. One-year travel insurance
In some insurance policies, during the contract, when you reach a certain number of travel days, you will automatically switch to the annual mode. With it you will be able to enjoy all the trips that you take during a year, taking into account the number of limit days for each one (in the case of InterMundial insurance, it is 60 consecutive days). If you only want to take one trip, keep this duration limit in mind, because in that case, you would need long-stay travel insurance.
5. A policy for several travelers
If the trip is going to be made by several people, instead of taking out several policies, you can choose to include several travelers in one, as is the case with group travel insurance. Simply, when hiring, some information about the companions will be requested: Name and surname, NIF, date of birth, and email.
6. Insurance for family travel
If you usually travel with your children, the ideal is to purchase family travel insurance that covers the policyholder, spouse, and insured children under 18 years of age. One of the main advantages of family travel insurance like our Totaltravel annual family is the saving since you will pay the same regardless of the number of insured children. In addition, you will not have to take out insurance every time you travel as a family, since this policy is valid for all the trips you make during the year, whether together or separately.
7. The amount of expenses covered
Carefully reviewing the limit of expenses covered by each of the travel insurance coverages is essential when choosing one policy or another if we look at key issues such as, for example, the cost of healthcare at the destination. to which we are going to travel, which in countries like the United States or Canada is usually high. Therefore, to travel to these countries we must purchase travel insurance that includes extensive health coverage, both in services and expenses.
8. Cancellation of your plane ticket, accommodation or both
If we want to take out trip cancellation insurance, we can have the option of covering the entire trip, just transportation or accommodation. The cost of the insurance will be cheaper if it only covers the accommodation because it is common that when canceling a stay at a hotel, it charges a percentage of the price of the room, or even that there is a period during which can be canceled without penalty; while if a flight is canceled, the cancellation cost is usually the entire price of the ticket. On the other hand, we must indicate the total cost of what we want to insure and never choose a lower insured capital figure.
9. Insurance for practicing sports
We must take into account if we are going to carry out any type of outdoor activity during our trip: trekking, surfing, skiing… Insurance normally does not include incidents that occur during the practice of these. Many times these are optional extensions or coverage for their sporadic exercise. If sport is going to be an important part of the trip, it may be necessary to take out sports insurance that covers search and rescue, medical expenses, rehabilitation, accident,s, and other coverage typical of travel insurance.
10. Type of trip Insurance for cruises or studies abroad
There are trips with such particularities that it is advisable to insure them with a specific policy, the most suitable. If the trip is a cruise it is recommended to read the insurance conditions, as some exclude this type of trip, since there is specific insurance for cruises with coverage throughout the trip, whether you are sailing or on a stopover.
If the reason for travel is a stay to study abroad, we will consider taking out travel insurance for students to resolve complex situations that students may face during their trip (hospitalization, return, etc.)
To know if the insurance fully meets our needs, it is always advisable to read the general conditions and understand the coverage and exclusions of each policy. Therefore, study and evaluate the conditions before contracting any insurance.
Once insured with InterMundial, you will be interested to know that we have a digital claims processing platform that allows insured travelers to manage incidents online, controlling the entire processing process. The platform is accessible through any device from the insured’s private area. If you suffer an accident before or during your trip, by entering your customer area you can describe your incident in just 3 clicks. Automatically, the tool will indicate the documentation to provide so that you can attach your files. Without calls, without traditional sending of documentation, and without depending on a travel agent. After receiving your communication, InterMundial will give you a first response within 24 hours.
