Will Travel Insurance Help If You're Left Stranded Overseas?
What if your flight is delayed, or you require emergency medical treatment in a foreign hospital? Being stranded overseas is no fun. Furthermore, with the emergence of the Omicron variant, travellers were left stranded in foreign countries due to cancelled flights and bans imposed by government authorities.
Caselli, a journalist, was forced to sleep on Changi Airport’s floor with her family because their flight to Athens was cancelled due to a snowstorm. She was left stranded at the airport for a night with nowhere to go and went through a lot of hoops and infamy to get the situation sorted out.
Should you end up in a similar situation in the future, travel insurance might come in useful. Travel insurance acts as a financial safeguard to protect against unexpected travel circumstances, providing you with a peace of mind, especially in such unprecedented times.
3 Benefits Of Travel Insurance
1. Compensate Against Medical Expenses And Emergency Assistance
One of the greatest benefits of travel insurance is protection against accidents or medical treatment expenses that you might incur during your trip.
Medical expenses can be expensive overseas. You might have heard of people spending thousands of dollars on medical charges overseas because they did not purchase travel insurance.
Even though travel insurance adds to the cost of your trip, it guards against the massive costs of medical emergencies should they happen.
If you fall ill or require emergency medical treatment whilst on holiday, your travel insurance will help cover any doctor or hospital bills incurred. When making a claim, you will be reimbursed up to the limit specified in the insurance policy.
2. Cover Against Travel Delay
The fluid Covid-19 situation might result in sudden changes to your trip itinerary. From sudden border closures to the cancellation of your airline booking, there are many situations that might cause you to be stranded in a foreign country, which you definitely wouldn’t want.
Travel insurance can help minimise your financial losses in case such circumstances arise. However, do note that the coverage offered is different for every product so remember to read the fine print when purchasing any travel insurance policy.
3. Source Of Help In Unfamiliar Territory
Most travel insurance companies offer 24/7 customer support for their insured customers. This comes in particularly handy when there are language barriers or geographical hindrances.
Exploring the outskirts of Thailand? Or taking a trip to Metropolitan New York? Regardless of where you are, there will be a dedicated customer support hotline for you to contact in case of any travel-related troubles.
A pro-tip is to add the customer service hotline to your contact list so that it is readily accessible in case of an emergency.
Usual Coverage That Travel Insurance Can Help Customers With
Benefits and coverage differ from plan to plan. However, most comprehensive travel insurance policies usually cover:
- Travel Delay
- Trip Cancellation or Curtailment
- Lost, Damaged, or Stolen Baggage
- Personal Accident
- Medical Emergencies / Treatments / Evacuation
- Travel Agency Bust
It is crucial that you pick out a travel insurance plan best suited for you. Most insurance plans have exclusions, including pre-existing medical conditions, high-risk sports and health issues caused by illegal activities.
When buying travel insurance, be sure to compare different policies to find the right one for yourself.
We have curated a list of the best travel insurance should you encounter any one of these situations.
Best Travel Insurance For Flight Delay: HL Assurance
- Personal Accident Coverage
- S$200,000-S$300,000
- Trip Delay Coverage
- S$1,000
- Baggage Delay Coverage
- S$800 to S$1,200
| Premium and value | Basic | Enhanced | Superior | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Accident and Death | S$200,000 | S$250,000 | S$300,000 | |
| Medical | S$150,000 | S$250,000 | S$500,000 | |
| Emergency Medical & Repatriation | Unlmtd | Unlmtd | Unlmtd | |
| Trip Cancellation | S$5,000 | S$7,000 | S$12,000 | |
| Trip Delays | S$1,000 | S$1,000 | S$1,000 | |
| Baggage Loss Damage | S$3,000 | S$5,000 | S$7,000 | |
| Baggage Delay | S$1,000 | S$1,000 | S$1,000 | |
| Premium and value | Basic | Enhanced | Superior | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trip Cancellation due to Covid-19 | NA | S$1,000 | S$2,000 | |
| Trip Postponement due to Covid-19 | NA | S$750 | S$1,500 | |
| Trip Curtailment or Rearrangement due to Covid-19 | NA | S$1,000 | S$2,000 | |
| Overseas Hospital Cash Benefit due to Covid-19 | NA | S$1,000 | S$2,000 | |
| Overseas Quarantine Allowance due to Covid-19 | NA | S$500 | S$1,000 | |
| Emergency medical evacuation and sending you home due to Covid-19 | NA | Unlmtd | Unlmtd | |
| Repatriation of mortal remains due to Covid-19 | NA | Unlmtd | Unlmtd | |
Best Travel Insurance For Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: Etiqa Tiq
- Personal Accident Coverage
- S$30,000-S$500,000
- Trip Delay Coverage
- S$300-S$500
- Baggage Delay Coverage
- S$200
| Premium and value | Entry | Savvy | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Accident and Death | S$200,000 | S$250,000 | S$300,000 | |
| Medical Expenses Incurred Overseas | S$200,000 | S$500,000 | S$1,000,000 | |
| Emergency Medical & Repatriation | Combined limit up to $1,000,000 | Combined limit up to $1,500,000 | Combined limit up to $1,800,000 | |
| Trip Cancellation and Loss of Deposit | S$5,000 | S$5,000 | S$10,000 | |
| Trip Delays | S$300 ($50 per 3hrs) | S$300 ($50 per 3hrs) | S$500 ($50 per 3hrs) | |
| Baggage Delay | S$200 ($100 per 6hrs) | S$200 ($100 per 6hrs) | S$200 ($100 per 6hrs) | |
| Premium and value | Entry | Savvy | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trip Cancellation and Loss of Deposit due to Covid-19 | S$3,000 | S$4,000 | S$5,000 | |
| Travel Postponement due to Covid-19 | S$500 | S$1,000 | S$1,500 | |
| Trip Curtailment and Disruption due to Covid-19 | S$3,000 | S$4,000 | S$5,000 | |
| Medical Expenses Incurred Overseas due to Covid-19 | S$100,000 | S$200,000 | S$300,000 | |
| Overseas Covid-19 Diagnosis Quarantine Allowance | S$500 | S$1,000 | S$1,500 | |
| Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Mortal Remains due to Covid-19 | S$200,000 | S$300,000 | S$500,000 | |
| Hospitalisation Benefit in Singapore due to Covid-19 | S$100 | S$200 | S$300 | |
Best Travel Insurance For Inconvenience Coverage: Allianz Travel
- Personal Accident Coverage
- S$80,000
- Trip Delay Coverage
- S$1,500
- Baggage Delay Coverage
- S$1,400
| Premium and value | Basic | Enhanced | Superior | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Accident and Death | S$200,000 | S$250,000 | S$300,000 | |
| Medical | S$150,000 | S$250,000 | S$500,000 | |
| Emergency Medical & Repatriation | Unlmtd | Unlmtd | Unlmtd | |
| Trip Cancellation | S$5,000 | S$7,000 | S$12,000 | |
| Trip Delays | S$1,000 | S$1,000 | S$1,000 | |
| Baggage Loss Damage | S$3,000 | S$5,000 | S$7,000 | |
| Baggage Delay | S$1,000 | S$1,000 | S$1,000 | |
| Premium and value | Comprehensive Bronze | Comprehensive Silver | Comprehensive Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trip Cancellation Coverage | S$15,000 | S$15,000 | S$25,000 | |
| Trip Interruption Coverage | S$15,000 | S$15,000 | S$25,000 | |
| Travel Delay Coverage | S$1,500 | S$1,500 | S$1,500 | |
| Baggage Coverage | S$7,000 | S$12,000 | S$15,000 | |
| Baggage Delay Coverage | S$1,400 | S$1,400 | S$1,400 | |
| Emergency Medical/Dental Coverage | S$1,000,000 | S$1,000,000 | Unlmted | |
| Emergency Transportation Coverage | S$1,000,000 | S$1,000,000 | Unlmted | |
Best Travel Insurance For Covid-19 Coverage: Income Travel Insurance (Standard Plan)
- Personal Accident Coverage
- S$150,000-S$500,000
- Trip Delay Coverage
- S$1,000 to S$2,000
- Baggage Delay Coverage
- S$1,000 to S$2,000
| Premium and value | Classic | Deluxe | Preferred | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Accident | S$150,000 | S$200,000 | S$500,000 | |
| Medical expenses overseas | S$250,000 | S$500,000 | S$1,000,000 | |
| Emergency Medical evacuation | S$500,000 | Unlmtd | Unlmtd | |
| Trip Cancellation | S$5,000 | S$10,000 | S$15,000 | |
| Trip Disruption | S$3,000 | S$5,000 | S$8,000 | |
| Baggage Loss Damage | S$3,000 | S$5,000 | S$8,000 | |
| Baggage Delay | S$1,000 | S$1,200 | S$2,000 | |
| Features (For all premiums) | Extension | |
|---|---|---|
| Cancelling your trip due to COVID-19 | S$2,000 | |
| Postponing your trip due to COVID-19 | S$2,000 | |
| Shortening your trip due to COVID-19 | S$2,000 | |
| Trip disruption due to COVID-19 | S$2,000 | |
| Medical expenses overseas due to COVID-19 | S$150,000 | |
| Emergency medical evacuation and sending you home due to COVID-19 | S$150,000 | |
| Overseas quarantine allowance due to COVID-19 | S$1,400 | |
The new normal for travel in a post-Covid-19 world requires extra precautions. Apart from essentials such as face masks and hand sanitisers, travel insurance has also become a quintessential part of travelling, acting as a safety net to protect you from unforeseen circumstances.
Do not let the fear of unexpected situations stop you from your next getaway. Guard against unanticipated travel costs with comprehensive travel insurance for yourself.
Christopher is a licensed financial adviser and a General Insurance Broker with PolicyPal. He has nine years of experience in the insurance industry with various notable companies including Chubb, AVA, AIA, NTUC Income, and more. Today, Christopher helps to oversee the insurance content on ValueChampion and bring business growth to PolicyPal.