The travel policy is a holiday insurance that it covers various types of unexpected events while you are in Italy and foreign countries, especially if there are cases of disease, accident, lost luggage o flight cancellation.
Furthermore, 24/7 assistance is very often included with qualified operators who know how to give any indication and help required, in case of need you can request a medical consultation and telephone consultation or an interpreter on site.
The panorama of holiday insurance is very vast and requires a base of information and knowledge in order to choose the most suitable type for each traveler or family unit and for each type of holiday.
Let's see what you need to know before taking out a travel insurance.
Type of policy: what you need to know
There are several travel insurance formulas that you can choose but it is not always a voluntary practice, in fact in many countries it is not only recommended but mandatory and not having it can lead to penalties and risks that it is better not to take. For this reason it is very important to check if this document is required at the place of destination a long time before leaving in order to be able to organize without haste.
Each type of insurance provides a coverage ceiling, this is written in the document which must be carefully read in its entirety.
Very often it is possible to customize and optimize the policy by inserting the options suitable for the type of trip and travelers.
These services fit into what is being said the ABC of tourist safety:
Assistance, Baggage, Cancellation.
How to choose thetravel insurance
First of all it is important to know that there are three main categories of policies, these are:
Travel health care insurance
Travel health care insurance that covers expenses due to illness and accidents occurred during the holiday within the limits of the maximum limit, if applicable, or without limitation if the policy is of this type.
This policy usually it also includes the return trip urgent in Italy and on-site treatment if it is not possible to return the traveler immediately.
Furthermore, in the event that the traveler has to stay on site for longer due to reasons related to the health emergency and precarious situations following accidents, extended stay expenses are covered by the policy.
If your insurance doesn't include all of this, change it.
In case of a health emergency what to do?
It is important to know that most insurance companies provide a telephone number to contact, be careful why it is essential to contact the call center before any medical service.
In case of no contact, the insurance may refuse reimbursement o Direct payment and expenses may be on you despite coverage.
Baggage policy
Baggage policy concerning the loss of suitcases, an unfortunate and unpleasant situation that occurs very frequently.
Sometimes it's not about loss but about theft of baggage, in any case, the insurance provides after 12 hours from the loss report, about 15 euros for urgent expenses and the purchase of basic necessities.
After 24 hours of being lost usually around 2000 euros are paid for further shopping of clothing, accessories and everything else people need on the go. Later after the wait necessary to see if the baggage is found or returned, we proceed with the reimbursement of the value established at the time of stipulation of the insurance.
Is cell phone theft included?
The theft of mobile phones, cameras and other accessories declared at the time of stipulation of the insurance contract, are reimbursed only according to the agreements present in the document.
Most often they are not included.
Flight cancellation policy
Cancellation policy, or the insurance that provides for the coverage of travel expenses incurred by the customer in case it is canceled due to force majeure.
Then it is refunded the cost of the plane ticket and the expenditure incurred for the hotel reservation already booked.
A guarantee for those who do not want to risk losing money unnecessarily due to a strike or a sudden trip cancellation that can occur for many reasons.
Why risk losing the sum invested when you can be sure of receiving the sum spent to be reused in a new fantastic journey?
Which insurance to choose
Having clarified the categories of insurance ABC, Assistance, Baggage and Cancellation, which can also be combined to have a complete service and total travel peace of mind, let's see how to choose and why.
In some cases it is sufficient to take out an insurance contract that only concerns health.
We are talking about basic health care especially if the trip takes place in a foreign country where there is no public health coverage and everything is paid for, even with very high costs.
If you carry valuables with you or technological equipment that you care a lot about and that could be stolen while traveling, better to add insurance to cover the theft establishing a ceiling according to the value of the objects transported. The baggage policy covers the theft and loss of suitcases and their contents, of course the sentimental value cannot be repaid with any amount but that in money can.
Better to secure yourself with an adequate policy to avoid nasty surprises and find yourself in difficulty without a mobile phone or without professional photographic equipment as well as computers and so on.
There are some insurance formulas for those who love to take adventurous trips out of the norm.
For long trips, those with the family or excursions
For very long journeys, the coverage of the policy may provide for a duration of 365 consecutive travel days.
In the case of trips to more dangerous destinations or trips in the name of climbing Mount Everest or Rafting on rapids never tried before, for example, personalized agreements can be stipulated that cover all types of risk.
For holidays as a couple, in a group or as a family, you can get discounts by taking advantage of special promotions designed specifically for the occasion.
Travel insurance in foreign countries, when it is mandatory and when recommended
If the trip takes place in the European countries it is not always necessary to have a policy that covers health care. This is because there are bilateral agreements, mostly in the european union, which allow you to present the EHIC, Health Insurance Card, to receive public medical assistance. In any case, it is advisable to have your own policy to avoid that the coverage is not sufficient in case of serious illness, surgery or stays in the clinic.
In all other countries it is essential, and often mandatory, to have health insurance in order not to risk having to pay large amounts even for small first aid operations, important operations or urgent returns to Italy. In some places in particular, you cannot enter without medical and insurance coverage it is required when entering the country not to be repatriated immediately.
The countries where the health insurance is not essential but always recommended are the EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichestein. The places where it is mandatory are, for example, Thailand, Cuba and Algeria. Health insurance, on the other hand, is recommended in all other countries.
How the ceilings for a travel insurance are established
The insurance for travelers which covers the theft and loss of suitcases provides for the calculation of the ceilings considering the value of the objects that have been lost or stolen.
This makes it clear how the maximum amount that is reimbursed once the theft is reported and after the time stipulated in the contract has elapsed for waiting for the possible finding of the stolen goods.
Speaking, on the other hand, of health care, the calculations become more complex as it is difficult to understand what amount may be sufficient to cover any urgent medication or return costs. The contact with the insurance operator it is practically mandatory, moreover it can be a valid help thanks to the experience of the professional.
In any case, it is important to establish the coverage of the days of hospitalization, for example 30 days in hospital for any treatment, always including the return flight with medical urgency in Italy.
Don't forget the deductible
The deductible consists of the amount up to which it is mandatory for the insured to pay and not the insurance.
For example, on an expense of € 1000 and a deductible of € 200, the insured will pay € 200 while the insurance will cover the remaining 800.
In that case an expense, for example, of € 150, will be fully covered by the insured.
In conclusion
By following these precautions you can leave for a trip even to distant and unknown countries with the certainty of being able to face any eventuality and to be able to count on the help of the operations center 24 hours a day, 24 days a week.
A security that cannot be renounced for oneself and one's family.
