The importance of travel insurance: ensuring smooth travel

Whatever the reasons for your trip, having travel insurance is very important.

Do you plan to visit relatives who live in another country? Or are you traveling to practice some sport? So, in addition to having your bags packed, tickets purchased, hotels booked and itineraries designed, don’t leave home without travel insurance.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is the only way to travel safely and peacefully , as it is a tool that protects travelers from unforeseen events or accidents, and if they do occur, it helps to deal with them in the best possible way, seeking to avoid or minimize losses.

Regardless of the length of stay, the passenger’s profile, the reason for the trip or the duration, having health insurance offers peace of mind from the moment of boarding until the traveler’s return to the country of origin.

What are travel insurance coverages?

Travel insurance coverage may vary according to the product chosen, or the profile or requirement of the traveler, such as travel to certain countries or travelers who are elderly or have preexisting illnesses .

In general terms, travel insurance has a wide coverage , including medical, hospital and dental expenses, both urgent and emergency, consultations with specialists, transfer of an accompanying family member, medical repatriation or repatriation of mortal remains.

In addition, travel insurance also includes services for locating or replacing lost luggage , rebooking the round trip ticket in the event of medical or climatic unforeseen circumstances, legal assistance and advance payment of bail.

In which countries is it mandatory to have travel insurance?

Although having health coverage is important to feel safe and protected whatever the destination of your trip, in order to enter some European countries having travel insurance is mandatory.

The countries where the purchase of travel insurance is a mandatory requirement are those within the Schengen Treaty. They are: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Sweden and Switzerland. It is also mandatory to have travel insurance for Ecuador and Venezuela.

How to choose the right travel assistance plan to travel with peace of mind?

Adequate travel insurance is always one that takes into account the requirements of each case . In addition to the duration and destination of the trip, other factors must be considered when hiring coverage. People with pre-existing conditions, pregnant women or the elderly require special care.

The type of trip also influences the choice of the appropriate travel assistance plan. For example, when transporting technological or sports equipment, a special cover for teams will ensure their safety.

Benefits of having travel insurance

Unforeseen events happen, even when you are on vacation! No one is safe from getting sick or having an accident while traveling, so having travel insurance is important to be protected.

Having travel insurance will help you avoid unplanned expenses , such as medical or pharmaceutical expenses, which are usually quite high in some countries, such as the United States, for example. It will also be essential to guarantee entry into countries where taking out coverage is mandatory.

Another benefit of having travel insurance is that you will be protected in several situations, such as cancellation or rescheduling of the trip due to medical or climatic reasons, loss of luggage or documents, in addition to having legal and funeral assistance.

What to do if you are away from home and need to use your travel insurance?

If you are abroad and get sick, have an accident or an unforeseen event, contact the insurance company’s Call Center , where you can count on the help of trained staff to act quickly and efficiently. Do not forget to carry the insurance company’s telephone number with you at all times.

They will ask you for your personal data, policy number, travel date and the city and country where you are, in order to be able to tell you how to act in each situation.

Keep all proof of attendance, as well as the expenses paid to later request reimbursement and make copies of all documents, including the policy.