siliconindia | | July 20189website and buy the cheapest one. But there is a catch. Price-comparison sites seem to be having afascinating effect. Because they are so powerful and used by so many people, there is an intense competition between companies to keep the price of their policies as low as possible to try to ensure that they appear close to the top results.An important point to bear in mind about insurance is that travellers have different kinds of needs, depending not only on their age, but also on the value of their luggage, the type of travelling they do (there are endless limitations and exclusions and relat-ing to outdoor activities), how risk-averse they are, how often they like to travel and so on.Because of these variations, it is not possible to make a recommen-dation for one policy that will be a good purchase for all travellers. In-stead, please find below the factors one should consider when buying any policy.1. Multi-TripMulti-trip policies cover all the trips you do in a calendar year, with limits on the length of each trip. Whether it is cheaper to buy separate policies for each trip or one of these depends how much travelling you do in a year ­ 3 or 4 trips will usually mean you save with multi-trip cover. The other sig-nificant advantage of a multi-trip in-surance policy is that you are covered continuously throughout the year and don't have to shop for a new policy each time you travel2. Medical HistoryIf you have a medical history in terms of a serious disease or condition, or if you smoke or consume alcohol on a regular basis, the premium goes up. A life threatening pre-existing illness is mostly not cov-ered under a regular travel insurance policy provided you buy an add-on for the same policy. In most of the cases, policy for elderly peo-ple attracts higher premium due to the age factor.3. DestinationIf your trip destination is known to be a high-risk zone or is famous for vari-ous adventure activities, the premium of your insurance policy goes up as you are perceived to be in a risky area.4. Covering Expensive GearThese days, everyone travels with so many gadgets such as cameras, laptops, and smart-phones. Keep in mind that most travel policies have a per-item value limit ­ make sure it's high enough to cover all your gear, or choose an insurance policy that al-lows you to increase the limit. If one is travelling domestically, another op-tion for getting travel insurance on your electronic goods is to contact your home contents insurance com-pany and check if you can get them insured as portable valuable goods.5. Cancellation PolicyIt's no fun if you fall ill just before you leave and can't go on your trip. Many unexpected problems can come up. Not all insurance policies cover cancellation of accommodation and flights, so please read the policy word-ing relevant to you very carefully. Though travel insurance can seem like another expense, without it, an unforeseen circumstance could end up causing havoc both financially and psychologically
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