Filling for a travel insurance claim is the last thing you would expect to do if you’re on a fun vacation or on a work trip. Although, it’s the only option you have to protect yourself from the inconvenience caused. To enable your insurers to protect you, you should know the process of filing for a claim so that nothing is missed out on from your end (If you are not well informed and make minor mistakes, your insurer might reject your claim!)
Here’s a guide for applying for a travel insurance claim (cashless or reimbursement) and some pointers that you’d want to keep in mind.
Always do your research to make this process as smooth as possible for you.
Travel Insurance Cashless Claim
1. A medical service provider with your insurance policy document.
To apply for cashless medical claims, head to the medical service providers with all the necessary documents (Travel insurance policy document, any pre-medical condition records, identity proofs, etc.)
2. Intimate your insurer
This is the most important part of this process, informing your insurer about your situation is the way to a smooth claim settlement. Make sure you don’t miss out on any details.
File for a claim online (forms are on the website of your insurer) once you have informed your insurer on the phone.
3. The insurer settles invoices directly with the medical service providers.
Once the insurer has evaluated your application, your medical receipts will be paid directly to the medical service providers by the insurer.
Just make sure that you have collected all the receipts and medical records from the hospital. (keep them safely)
Reimbursement Claim Process
1. Intimate your insurer about the incident
For any kind of insurance claim, informing your insurance company at the earliest is extremely imperative. As soon as a tragic incident strikes, intimate your travel insurance company with all the relevant details about the incident and also the expenses that you might have to incur.
Once you have informed your insurer, make sure you file for a claim online by filling a form on your insurer’s website.
2. File an FIR
If the tragedy that struck was theft or you were a victim of any criminal activity, the next thing you need to do immediately is, file for an FIR with the nearest police station.
To authenticate your claim, your insurer will need a copy of the FIR so make sure you file for it!
3. Submit documents once you’re back
Once your back from your trip, collect all the relevant documents that you need (travel insurance policy, medical record/receipts, bills of meals/medicines/hotel accommodation/ transportation, identification document, trip tickets, see the full document list below) and submit all of them with your insurer at the earliest.
4. The insurer reimburses as per your coverage
Once your application has been submitted, your insurer will start its process of evaluating your request. Sometimes, your insurer might ask you for additional information for further investigation which you must provide at the earliest.
Usually, a claim request should be adhered to within 15 days from the date you applied.
Once everything looks authentic to the insurer, your claim benefits should be transferred to you within 7 to 10 working days.
Things to keep in mind in Travel Insurance Claim
Always keep important documents handy while you’re traveling (copy of your travel insurance policy, passport, medical receipts, etc) you never know when you might need it.
2. Read your travel insurance policy carefully! Understand what is covered and what is not, while filing for a claim, it’s important to know what you are entitled to so that any kind of insurance swindling is avoided. (Look for any kind of exclusions)
3. Collect all receipts – Meals, hotel accommodation, transportation, medicines, etc. (if your flight was canceled or delayed) and medical records and receipts if it was a medical emergency.
4. Date every receipt/record; it’s important to know what happened when so that your claim process is settled smoothly.
5. If you have a medical/health insurance policy also, inform your health insurance providers about the situation as you never know, maybe your domestic health insurance policy might cover the situation you are in (There’s no harm in asking)
6. Keep your insurer informed about your medical situation, update them at every stage of your treatment, the more information they, the easier your claim settlement process will be.
7. Inform your insurance provider immediately; Some insurers have a time limit to file for a claim and some may even give you a grace period, however it’s always better to inform them at the earliest possible time.
8. Make sure you fill the claim form yourself and correctly, if any information provided by you proves to be inauthentic, your claim might get rejected.
9. To claim the reimbursement of your lost baggage, your luggage must be misplaced for more than 24 hours, most insurance companies will compensate only if the checked-in bag is missing for more than 24 hours.
10. If your travel claim gets rejected, don’t just accept the denial if you think they weren’t, as their decision is not the final ultimatum. You can file a complaint against your insurance provider if you think you deserve more. Register with us and we will be right there with you fighting for what you deserve!
Documents required to Apply for a Claim-
- Travel insurance policy
- All kinds of receipts that need to be reimbursed by the insurer (Meals, medicine, hospital bills, hotel accommodation, transportation, hospital discharge card, etc)
- If your trip has been canceled due to a medical reason, your insurer would require this in writing from your doctor stating the reasons.
- If your trip was canceled due to a family member’s death, submit their death certificate too.
- If your checked-in bags have been lost or stolen, you would need a document stating the same from the airport authorities.
- An FIR if you were a victim of a crime. (Some photographic evidence would strengthen your case)
- Photocopy of your passport if that’s lost.
Applicability of Travel Insurance Policy
Here is a list of unforeseen circumstances that traveling might put you through and your travel insurance company should protect you from.
- Loss/theft/damage to personal belongings
- Lost or delayed baggage
- Delayed flights/missed connection flight and canceled flights or trips
- Loss of passport
- Medical Emergencies/Death
- Death and funeral expenses overseas
We at Insurance Samadhan are experts at handling all kinds of travel mishaps as we understand that filing for a claim and going through the claim settlement procedure, while you’re not in your hometown can be quite overwhelming. But you’re at the right place right now! Register here and let us know how we can help you access your travel insurance benefits!
To reach us at InsuranceSamadhan.com –
Call us at – 844 844 0626
Mail us at – corporate@insurancesamadhan.com
Register your insurance complaint here
