Planning an upcoming vacation for many travelers is as much a pleasure as the trip itself. The anticipation of travel gives an instant burst of happiness and the only thing that can spoil the mood is the choice of travel insurance policy. There is an enormous choice of insurance policies that can confuse an inexperienced tourist.
So how do you choose a policy that’s right for you? Which is better: single or multi-trip travel insurance? The first thing to do is to calm down and rely on the help of professionals. This article will answer all your questions and more.
What do I need to know about travel insurance?
Planning a vacation is always associated with a lot of pleasant concerns: choosing a resort and hotel, selecting a tour, preparing for a trip. However, it is no less important to have an insurance policy in place to ensure timely assistance in the event of health problems during the vacation. It is important to know the basic differences between single trip and multiple trip (more than two) policies. Why is it important? Because this way you can either save a handsome sum of money or, on the contrary, spend extra money on something you don’t really need.
It should also be noted that the cost of insurance compared to the cost of treatment abroad is extremely small. For example, a policy for one trip is about 1 euro per day per person. It’s a great deal, isn’t it? And now it’s time to deal with the basic concepts regarding travel insurance: the term of the policy and its contents.
Policy Duration
Only trip (single trip travel insurance)
The validity of the policy depends on the duration of the trip. The minimum period is three days, the maximum is 180 days.
For several trips (multi-trip travel insurance)
This insurance is valid for one year, during which you can be insured for 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 or 180 days of your choice. This is the total number of days you plan to spend on all trips.
For one year.
This policy provides you with 365 days of coverage on one condition: each trip is no longer than 90 days.
All Inclusive
Depending on the country you are going to visit, you can choose insurance with coverage from $30,000 to $2 000 000,00 or EUR. All insurance options include these basic services:
✔️ Emergency medical and dental care;
✔️ Medications;
✔️ Use of necessary medical equipment;
✔️ Medical transportation;
✔️ Rehabilitation;
✔️ Transportation of remains;
✔️ Evacuation of children;
✔️ Exacerbation of chronic illnesses;
✔️ Returning from a trip.
The main differences between single and multi-trip travel insurance
Single trip travel insurance is designed for tourists who go on vacation once or twice a year. It could be a short trip to France or a three-week vacation in Thailand. Wherever you decide to go, it’s worth making sure the travel policy covers the full number of days of the trip.
Multi-trip travel insurance is designed for those who travel more than twice a year. Such policies are better value for money than buying single trip travel insurance for each individual trip. It allows tourists to take as many trips per year as they want. However, it is always best to check for restrictions before you buy. Informed means warned.
What else is worth knowing? Most travel insurance policies are limited to the length of each trip (usually 31 to 45 days). Therefore, tourists should carefully read all restrictions before buying a travel policy if they don’t want to be uninsured for half of their trip.
What should I consider before buying policies for one or more trips?
Whichever policy you choose, there are several things to consider before you buy travel insurance. First, what country are you going to visit? Most insurance companies have separate coverage for Europe and the rest of the world. For example, some worldwide travel insurance policies don’t even have Canada, the Caribbean or the United States. So if you don’t know what coverage you need, it’s best to contact your insurance company to find out all the necessary details.
There are a large number of levels of coverage. Tourists should be careful in choosing a policy, as it should meet their requirements and needs. While travelling, you may be engaged in business tasks, attend exhibitions or engage in active sports (surfing, rafting or skydiving). In the latter case, you will need a special type of coverage. Each policy offers basic medical insurance in case of unexpected injuries or illnesses.
Insurance coverage of at least $30,000 for medical emergencies and repatriation is a good option. However, it is still better to have six million dollars if you are traveling outside of the European Union. To make sure that you are insured for all medical emergencies, you should declare all of your current medical conditions before buying a policy. And it doesn’t even matter here whether the insurance is for one trip or multiple trips.
The most important thing is to check whether the policy covers your medical condition. Otherwise, you run the risk of spending a tidy sum on expensive treatment abroad. It is also worth making sure in advance that your insurance policy includes a trip cancellation service. It is not an uncommon occurrence for a tourist to have to cancel or terminate a trip for a variety of reasons. Non-departure insurance will protect your budget.
