Buying Travel Insurance Abroad: What You Need to Know

It’s widely recommended that you get travel insurance from India before embarking on your international journey. However, you do not need to worry if you can’t purchase a policy before leaving home. You still have the option to buy travel insurance while you’re abroad already.

In this blog post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about purchasing travel insurance abroad. We’ll also shed light on the optimal time to make this crucial purchase. 

Can You Buy Travel Insurance If Already Abroad?

Yes, you can buy travel insurance if your trip has started or you’re already overseas. However, it is essential to note that only select insurance providers offer this facility. Moreover, plans purchased after the commencement of the journey provide limited coverage compared to a regular policy. 

Travel insurance purchased in between the trip usually skips coverage for trip cancellations and flight delays because the insured has already arrived at their destination. However, these plans do include the following coverages:

• Baggage loss cover
• Medical emergencies cover
• Emergency dental cover
• Emergency repatriation cover
• Loss of passport and Visa replacement cover

The process of purchasing travel insurance abroad is the same. You can find these plans online, compare quotes, and pay digitally. Once you’ve purchased the policy, the coverage usually begins the next day and covers the remaining leg of your vacation. 

*However, we encourage all travellers to obtain comprehensive travel insurance well in advance of their trip to avoid financial losses or difficulties in obtaining coverage.

Things to Consider When Buying Travel Insurance Abroad

Keep these things in mind when buying travel insurance post-departure:

1. Limited Options

As mentioned above, not all insurers offer travel insurance policies while your trip is already underway. Therefore, your choice is limited, and you may need to settle for a policy that offers inadequate coverage, including limited duration, lower sum assured, or missing benefits. Lack of policies also means you may have to pay a higher premium.

2. Lack of Trip Cancellation and Interruption Coverage

You’ve completed the trip to your destination, and your vacation is underway. So, insurers don’t offer coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, or flight delays with travel insurance plans bought from abroad.

3. Only Covers Future Damages

Although these plans include benefits like medical coverage, luggage protection, etc., they’re valid only for events that may occur in future. If you buy travel insurance after you’ve fallen sick, injured, or lost your bags on your trip, insurers will not reimburse you for the expenses.

When to Buy Travel Insurance?

According to a report, around 1/4 of Indians travelling abroad get insurance 30 days before departure, while most tourists buy it within three days before the trip. So, what’s the best time to purchase travel insurance? Let’s find out:

1. After Reserving Your Tickets 

People plan international trips in advance and book tickets at least 3 to 4 months and sometimes even 12 months before their trip. This is the perfect time to get travel insurance. Since you know exactly when your journey will commence and end, the places you’ll visit, possible risks, etc., you can easily customise the coverage to your unique needs. 

This also gives you ample time to explore your options, compare policies, and even negotiate better deals with insurers. And if you cancel your trip before departure or cut it short, you will be reimbursed for non-refundable expenses. 

2. Before Applying for a Visa

Many countries, especially those in the Schengen Area, have made travel insurance mandatory for entry and a legal requirement under their visa application process. So, if you’re travelling to such destinations, you should get travel insurance before applying for a visa. This not only speeds up the visa process but also ensures you meet all conditions for entering the country.

3. With 15-30 Days of Departure

You don’t need to worry if you couldn’t purchase travel insurance when you booked your tickets. You can still buy travel insurance 15 to 30 days before your trip. This is enough to explore policies and negotiate deals. The best part is that these plans provide all essential coverage at affordable premiums, including trip cancellation and flight delay coverage.

4. At the Airport

Your trip only begins once you board the flight. So, your last best option is to get travel insurance at the airport just before your journey commences. You can buy a plan online through your phone or use a kiosk device installed at the airport.  

However, leaving the travel insurance purchase to the last moment isn’t in your best interest. Firstly, the service may only be available at some airports. Second, factors like rush and delays may affect the service’s availability. Also, these plans may be more expensive and offer limited coverage. 

Key Takeaways

You can buy travel insurance even abroad. However, you’ll miss out on some key benefits, and the coverage will only be valid for the remaining duration of the trip. Also, you may have to settle for an expensive plan due to the lack of options. So, remember the saying, ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.’ If your trip is certain, get travel insurance as soon as possible. 

Platforms like PhonePe make it easy and convenient to purchase travel insurance well in advance, ensuring comprehensive coverage for your entire trip.