AXA, one of the largest international insurers in the GCC and the world’s no. 1 global insurance brand for the 10th consecutive year*, is offering some helpful advice for people looking to travel over the coming weeks and months.
Passport, tickets and money are the three things on most travellers’ checklist, but the need for travel insurance is regularly overlooked and is probably one of the most important things to consider before you set off.
Investing in travel insurance ensures peace of mind amongst travellers, and can help you recover from travel’s most common but unexpected complications, such as cancelled flights and lost baggage. AXA is keen to encourage more transparency across the insurance market and is encouraging potential customers to do a little homework to ensure they secure the most appropriate level of cover ahead of their trip.
The following are AXA’s top 5 reasons for taking out travel insurance:
- MEDICAL EMERGENCY: The most important reason to have good travel insurance is that it can help you cover your emergency medical expenses. It can also cover your transportation costs if you need to be relocated to a better-equipped hospital. The costs of these medical claims vary from country to country but in the US, for example, it is not unusual to pay more than $6,000 a night if you find yourself in intensive care with treatment for a broken arm potentially setting you back $90,000.
- BAGGAGE LOSS OR DAMAGE: One of the most common complications of travel is experiencing lost or damaged baggage. More specifically, travel insurance compensates for your baggage failing to reach your destination on time, which could result in a loss of money, your passport, and other personal belongings.
- FLIGHT DELAYS: Globally last month, over 450,000 flights were late and more than 33,000 flights were cancelled. Although it is the airlines’ responsibility to get you to your destination, your travel insurance can help cover the costs of delayed or cancelled flights, unused travel and accommodation costs, and other prepaid charges that can result from these unplanned situations.
- LAST MINUTE CANCELLATION: Travel insurance can cover non-refundable prepaid charges and charges you are contracted to pay if unexpected situations occur, such as the death or illness of the traveller, or the person you are travelling with.
- LOST OR STOLEN DOCUMENTS: If your passport, ticket and money are lost or stolen then your travel insurance can compensate you for the cost of replacing them. So, if you want to avoid the cost of obtaining emergency travel documents from your consulate or embassy, it’s a good idea to have a reputable insurer on hand to help you.
Franck Heimburger, Chief Personal Lines Officer at AXA in the Gulf, advises; “We recognise that people are trying to cut costs and save money, but not taking out travel insurance can lead to financial complications if you are the victim of a serious accident or illness whilst abroad.”
“We also recommend that customers be clear on what cover they are getting as not all travel insurance is the same. It’s important to distinguish between a one-star policy and a five-star policy in much the same way as you would when you choose the accommodation for your vacation. Getting cover from an internationally recognised brand that has a global presence at a competitive price is a more sensible solution than choosing the lowest premium or the most basic cover.”