Common Travel Insurance Claims and How to Prevent Them

Accidents can happen, and as much as we try to prevent them, things can still go wrong. Without precautions, one setback can affect your entire trip, turning a relaxing and well-earned escape into something far more stressful.

While a travel insurance policy can make potential issues much easier to deal with, you can also prevent accidents in the first place by preparing ahead of time. 

To help you prepare for your next holiday, we’ve compiled a list of the most common travel insurance claims and how to prevent them.

It’s hard not to feel nervous when waiting for your luggage at the airport carousel. 

If you’re worried about losing your bag, here's how you can help prevent this from happening: 

• Tag your items and put your name and details inside and outside every bag. 

• Remove all older and unnecessary destination stickers from your luggage to prevent confusion. 

• Take photos of your luggage with your smartphone – both what is inside and the luggage itself. It may come in handy if you need to describe lost luggage. 

• Claim your bag quickly when you land.

If your luggage is missing, report it immediately to airport personnel. They’ll be able to supply you with a missing luggage report to attach to your insurance claim. A loss report can help you salvage the worst of the situation and allow you to be reimbursed for your belongings.

When you travel, managing your finances can be much more difficult when it comes to accidents or theft. 

Your wallet should be in a safe place, inside a zipped-up pocket close to your body. If you use public transport, make sure you secure all bags and purses on your lap and avoid areas where you feel uncomfortable or too crowded.

You should separate credit and debit cards and cash or lock them in a hotel safe while travelling. 

Ideally, you should carry at least three cards, two credit cards and one debit card. This way, you can hire a car using a credit card as security or check into a hotel without a hold on your debit card. You’ll also have at least one source of money to rely on if someone steals one of your cards or cash. 

You should have photocopies or photos of your credit card information and travel documents to support any travel insurance claims.

You’re always at risk of getting sick while travelling. And if uninsured, this can lead to unforeseen emergency medical or hospital expenses. However, it can help you stay healthy while travelling by being prepared ahead of time.

How to stay healthy while travelling: 

• Research where  you’re going ahead of time and follow recommended guidelines regarding water and food 

• Talk to your doctor about any vaccinations you may need and schedule them a few weeks in advance to allow for any adverse allergic reactions.

• Bottled water is always a better choice than tap water.

• Make sure to take the right amount of medication with you while travelling.

• Keep medication in its original packaging and be able to present authorities with a letter from your doctor explaining why you need it. 

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, accidents can still happen. This is when Comprehensive, Essential and Basic Travel Insurance can help, with coverage including unlimited overseas medical expenses instead of costly medical bills. T&Cs apply.

It may take a short (or much longer) time for your flight to be rescheduled if it’s cancelled.

You should check your flight status ahead of time. You can go online, use an app or contact the airline directly a few days before the departure date to be sure of any changes. And confirm again on the day to be sure that there have not been any last-minute cancellations.

Make sure you meet all packing restrictions and get to the airport well in advance so you don’t miss your flight.