Travel Insurance Tips - How to Make your Claims Process Easier



Everyone knows the importance of having Travel Insurance, but what should you do to ensure that the claims process will be smooth in the event that you do have to make a claim?

Here are the 5 simple, but important tips to remember when travelling overseas.


1. Always keep a copy of your boarding pass or electronic ticket


Insurers usually need some proof that you have indeed travelled overseas on the dates that are covered by your insurance policy.


It is important that the name of the person who is making the claim appears on the boarding pass or electronic ticket and is the same name that is covered under the Travel Insurance policy. You would not be able to claim for medical expenses incurred by your child if your child is not insured under the Travel Insurance policy, for example.


The Travel Insurance policies that are sold on the InsureDIY website will cover you for trips that originate from Hong Kong. (multi-country trips are also covered as long as you first depart from Hong Kong)


2. Check-in your bags separately if a number of travellers in your group have Travel Insurance


If you are travelling in a group and each person is covered under their own Travel Insurance policy, do not check-in all your baggage under one person's name. Check-in counters at the airport tend to put all the baggages under one person's name for convenience.


However, for insurance purposes, try to check-in only one baggage under one traveller's name.


The benefit limits on each Travel Insurance policy applies to each policy. This means that if you spread out the baggage under different Travel Insurance policies, you effectively maximise the benefit limits available to your group.


For example, if you and your spouse each have a Travel Insurance plan with an overall limit on loss of baggage of HK$10,000 per policy and you have two baggages containing items over HK$10,000 in each baggage, you should check-in one baggage under your own name and the other one under your spouse's name.


3. Keep your shopping receipts with you


If you have a lot of shopping and would like to check-in all the items, be sure to keep the receipt with you and not in the check-in baggage! If the airline loses your baggage, you can then easily provide proof of purchase for your shopping.


4. Keep original medical bills with diagnosis clearly stated


Hospitals all over the world may have differing practices when it comes to hospital bills. If, unfortunately, you or an insured traveller in your group has to seek medical attention during your trip, do ensure that you keep the original hospital/medical bill with the diagnosis clearly described and certified by the attending physician.


5. Make a police report if you lose your cash


Yes, even though it would be a hassle, you do need to make a police report if you do lose your cash and would like to make an insurance claim. Do try to make a police report as soon as you find out that you have lost your cash. Most Travel Insurance policies require that you make a police report within 24 hours of losing the cash.

