BANGALORE: Even if you are fit and healthy, don’t travel without health insurance–accidents do happen. Declare any existing medical conditions you have–the insurance company will check if your problem is pre-existing and will not cover you if it is undeclared. You may require extra cover for adventure activities such as rock climbing and scuba diving. If your health insurance doesn’t cover you for medical expenses abroad, consider getting extra insurance.

It’s a good idea to find out in advance if your insurance plan will make payments directly to providers or if it will reimburse you later for overseas health expenditures. In many countries doctors expect payment in cash. Some policies offer lower and higher medical-expense options; the higher ones are chiefly for countries that have extremely high medical costs.

You may prefer a policy that pays doctors or hospitals directly rather than you having to pay on the spot and claim from your insurance company later. If you do have to claim later, make sure you keep all relevant documentation. Some policies ask that you telephone back to your home country where an immediate assessment of your problem will be made.

Some of the little benefits from these travel covers are as follows:

1. Medical Treatment

Costs incurred in treatment of a medical condition—in-patient or out-patient—and the costs of transportation to a medical facility are covered.

2.  Total Loss of Checked-in Baggage

In case your baggage is permanently lost by the airline, the costs involved in purchasing the new items would be covered by the policy.

3. Balance Treatment back in India

In case the insured person comes back to India and needs to treatment for the same medical condition, the costs are borne by the policy for a specified period of say 30 days.

4. Trip Cancellation and Curtailment

In case the trip is cancelled or curtailed for unavoidable reasons, which are listed in the policy, the travel and accommodation expenses are covered.