Why insure when travelling?
If you travel without travel insurance, you open yourself up to amassing crippling medical expenses.
It is important to be aware of the fact that while you purchase your policy in local currency, any medical expenses you may incur would be paid in foreign currencies, and this could lead to financial ruin if you are travelling to a country with a stronger currency.
Buying a TIC travel insurance policy will provide you with financial security and travel assistance and protect you from potentially enormous financial costs.
For example, in th UK, just a routine visit to the GP may cost you between 150GBP and 200GBP.
Hospitalisation costs for serious medical conditions such as injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents, or illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes and bowel obstructions could result in exorbitant bills.
TIC provides a financial safety net for our policyholders while they are travelling as well as 24 hour international assistance, which means that help, when needed, is only a phone call away.
To better understand travel insurance you may find the answers to the following questions helpful. Please use this information to assist you in choosing the most appropriate travel insurance cover for you.
- What does a travel insurance policy usually cover you for?
- The most important benefit of your travel insurance policy is your
Emergency Medical and Related Expenses for claims paid in foreign currencies.
Some of the other benefits of your travel insurance policy include:
- Cover for losses incurred due to unforeseen Cancellation or Curtailment of your trip
- Accidental Death and Disability cover
- Personal Liability cover
- Luggage cover
- Various other Inconveniences cover
- What is Emergency Medical and Related Expenses cover?
- If you require emergency medical treatment as a result of accidental bodily
injury, illness or disease, TIC will insure you for any medical expenses you incur.
This includes hospital and out-patient treatment and prescription medication, as well
as emergency dental expenses as per the schedule of benefits.
- I have free cover on my credit card. Is this enough?
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If you purchase your full airfare on your credit card, most banks provide some complimentary cover.
This is restricted mainly to limited medical cover.
You will need to check exactly what you are covered for and then consider boosting your cover to ensure you have adequate cover for medical expenses as well as cover for the reimbursement of cancellation costs and lost luggage.
There are several top up options available on the market.
Ensure you have adequate medical cover.
Ensure the cover also provides for the reimbursement of cancellation costs and lost luggage.
- What is typically excluded in your medical cover?
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Unlike your monthly contribution to medical aid, your travel insurance is usually a once off premium for the duration of a trip;
therefore your travel insurance policy will normally cover the unforeseen and unexpected illness or accident.
Pre-existing means conditions that are usually not covered. However, limited cover for pre-existing conditions is
available with certain policies for hospitalisation costs only. There will, however, be age restrictions that apply.
Your travel insurance policy will cover you for regular travel activities but will exclude cover if:
- You are participating in hazardous pursuits
- Playing professional sports
- Wilful exposure to dangerous pursuits
You can,however, add a Sports Extension to your TIC policy at an additional premium.
Leisure skiing is covered with your TIC policy as well as scuba diving,
provided you are licensed or accompanied by a licensed instructor.
When purchasing or deciding to purchase a policy, familiarise yourself with the exclusions on your medical cover. This information is located in the policy wording.
In the TIC system the policy wording can be downloaded or viewed at the cover stage.
- A client relates her experience of our 24 hour assistance:
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"I would like to thank you and your team for your excellent service, efficiency, and
friendly professional help.
Many people, I suspect, do not have a lot of trust in insurance companies. Then there
is the factor that one doesn’t really think anything will happen, so why does it
matter from whom you buy travel insurance?
I have had a change of heart.
My son had an accident (luckily, not a serious one) in a country where English
is not really spoken. When I phoned to report the accident, Miss Lungile (Assistance
Centre for TIC) and Angelique (Case Manager) were very helpful, calm, professional,
patient, and caring throughout the process.
They jumped between me and the German office without any stress, organising contacts,
guaranteeing payments and feedback.
This accident was an eye opener for me. You just don’t expect something to
happen, and the last thing you want to worry about is money. I am so
thankful and pleased that my son chose to insure with TIC.
I know that whenever my family and I travel again we will use TIC. I will
share my story, and recommend your insurance company to all my friends. Once again,
thank you very much!"