Traveller insurance is a policy that offers financial coverage for a covered unforeseen accident or event that costs you money when you are travelling. These expenses or costs include incidents such as lost baggage, flight cancellation, delayed baggage, passport loss and medical emergencies.
Sometimes, plans change, are rescheduled or postponed. In such cases, you need active traveller insurance, but your existing traveller insurance has expired. You can always buy a new online travel insurance. However, is it possible to extend travel insurance in such cases?
Certainly! Extension of travel insurance and your current coverage is possible. Here is all you need to know about it.
Travel Insurance Extension
Your travel plans can be altered due to multiple reasons, such as flight cancellation or delay. One feature of a travel insurance policy is that its expiry depends on your trip and the timespan you spend while travelling. Trip cancellation can disrupt security in such situations.
Extending travel insurance is possible, straightforward and profitable. Insurance companies offer benefits that extend travel insurance for days and months to offer traveller coverage. However, for this, buy your travel insurance policy from a trusted provider, like Tata AIG, whether it is travel insurance for senior citizens or student travel.
Note that different insurance companies offer extension benefits to a definite number of travel insurance policies. For example, you can only extend Tata AIG travel insurance if you have a travel guard policy or student guard policy.
Extension of Travel Insurance: The Process
Process for Extensions Before the Policy Expires
- Check whether your travel insurance policy can be extended. This information is in your policy documents. You can also verify the information by visiting your insurance provider’s official website.
- Get to know about all the rules and regulations you need to follow during this extension of the travel insurance process. You can read these rules on the policy provider’s website or your policy papers.
- Contact the insurance company that provides you traveller insurance. Submit all the necessary documents online or by visiting the nearest office.
- You will have to submit the “Good Health Assessment” certificate in order to prove that you are in better health. This is needed to assure the provider that you will not raise a claim for worsened health conditions on your prolonged trip.
- Once you have submitted the documents and applied for the extension of travel insurance, you will be referred to a surveyor for your details, documents and policy.
- The surveyor determines whether your extension of travel insurance is approved or not. Pay the quoted premium and the policy will be extended.
Process for Extensions After the Policy Expires
If you are applying to extend travel insurance after the expiry date of your existing policy, you will have to follow the same procedure. However, you will have to be a little more precise and definite.
- You will be asked different questions regarding the reasons for the extension.
- You will also have to submit your medical assessment certificate, stating that you are in great health and can extend the stay.
- Once your policy extension case passes the scrutiny and evaluation, your traveller insurance will be extended according to your will.
Note that extending travel insurance when abroad is also possible, and you will have to follow the same process for that.
Documents Required for Extension of Travel Insurance
- A duly filled application form to extend travel insurance. You can send this form through email (a scanned copy of the physical form) or a hard copy, for which, you will have to visit the nearest office.
- This form includes your “Good Health Declaration” and claims history.
- Write or enter accurate policy numbers. Mention any previous extension of travel insurance before this.
- Submit travel proof, such as a passport page with a stamp or something similar to that.
- Fill out the personal information and submit a personal identification card as well.
Things to Remember When You Extend Travel Insurance
- The rules and regulations for the extension of travel insurance will change from one insurance provider to another.
- It is extremely crucial for you, the policyholder, to read the policy thoroughly to understand the nuanced requirements of your policy provider in case of an extension of travel insurance.
- Your policy can be extended for a few weeks.
- The duration of the extended time is different for every insurance company.
Summing It Up!
Having a travel insurance policy is as essential as it gets. Be it a short trip or a long one, you need to have your traveller insurance with you to protect you from unforeseen circumstances. However, extending the existing policy will offer continuous coverage in case of trip postponement, cancellation or rescheduling.
