Travel insurance plans cover most of the contingencies which you might face when you are travelling. It takes care of your financial losses and compensates you for them. However, though travel insurance plans can be quite comprehensive in their coverage benefits, there are some situations that are not covered. These are called exclusions, and you should know about these exclusions to understand the exact scope of coverage of your travel insurance policy.
Common exclusions could be :
Pre-existing illnesses
If you suffer from any illness at the time of buying the policy, called a pre-existing illness. Any medical complication arising out of such illness would not be covered. Most travel insurance plans do not cover pre-existing illnesses. However, there are some plans which charge an additional premium and then provide coverage for such illnesses. So, if you have pre-existing illnesses you can choose such plans.
Travelling for medical reasons
If you are travelling specifically to availing of medical treatments, you would not get coverage under your travel insurance plan.
Travelling against medical advice
If your physician prohibited you from travelling or, advised you not to travel and you go against such advice of a medical practitioner, any subsequent medical complications that you face will not cover.
Deliberate or self-inflicted losses
If you face a loss due to your deliberate actions such losses would not cover. Moreover, if you inflict injuries on yourself or you attempt suicide, the medical expenses incurred out of such medical emergencies would exclude from the travel insurance plans covered.
Participation in adventure sports or dangerous activities
If you engage in adventure sports like bungee jumping, scuba diving, paragliding, etc. when you travel, there are greater chances of facing injury or death. Therefore, such adventure sports and their subsequent contingencies do not cover. Moreover, if you engage in any dangerous activity while travelling, such activities would also exclude from the scope of coverage.
Participation in adventure sports does not usually cover. If you are travelling specifically to participate in such sports, you can inform the insurance company and avail coverage against possible medical contingencies. The insurance company would charge an additional premium and might also impose some terms and conditions but would grant coverage in such cases by many insurers.
Pregnancy or congenital illness-related claims
Claims due to pregnancy complications or due to complications faced from a congenital illness may not cover.
Claims due to criminal acts
If you engage in acts that breach the law and then there’s a subsequent claim, such claims do not cover.
Substance abuse
If you consume alcohol, drugs or any other banned narcotics and then suffer any contingency, the contingency will not cover.
Other instances
Claims due to mental illness, cosmetic treatments which you voluntarily opt for, claims due to riots, war-like situations, nuclear contamination, etc. do not cover. Moreover, it won’t pay, if your claim is within the deductible limit of the policy. For instance, loss of baggage covers if the loss is for more than a period of 12 hours. If, however, located the baggage within a time period lower than 12 hours (i.e. between 1-11 hours). May not pay a claim for loss of baggage.
Actual exclusions might vary across plans and you should understand what the policy doesn’t cover so that you can make a valid claim in a contingency.
