[Misc] Travel Insurance

[tSkye]

Felt that there's a need to start a thread on Travel Insurance.

This will probably cover the various types of insurance companies, coverage and clauses.

Advice on what to do when unfortunate things happen will also be included.

[thejerrytan]

Originally Posted by tSkye Felt that there's a need to start a thread on Travel Insurance. This will probably cover the various types of insurance companies, coverage and clauses. Advice on what to do when unfortunate things happen will also be included.

Here's my take:

First you should look at the activities you are involved in. Business trips, family trips and backpacking trips have different elements involved.

For example in business trips you might want to emphasize on higher protection on lost equipment, delays.

Most of the major insurers in Singapore carry more of less the similar protection.

AXA and AIG has the most comprehensive plans. Tenet is also quite price competitive with slightly lesser coverage. NTUC is pretty cheap and just cover the basics.

Coverage do changes from time to time (like swine flu and bird flu protection) so just head down to the website and compare the brochures.

I took up NTUC for my upcoming Europe trip because I don't need the additional coverage by AXA and AIG, but I need the insurance to cover my rented car and NTUC fits the bill for a cheap price.




If you can purchase insurance via an agent, by all means do it. It cost the same as applying online and you will have someone to help you when you need to claim.

Remember that price should never be the only decision factor in buying travel insurance. Because when you really need the rescue in a foreign land, money will be the least of your concern already.

That's why reliability and ease of claims are the factors which I will keep in mind when choosing.

[petetherock]

I buy 365 day all year cover, if you travel more than 3-4 times a year, it works out well. NTUC travel.

[ed9119]

i agree...... if you plan on travelling either on personal or business more than 3 times a year, should just get whole year plan

I like the terms in Travelshield underwritten by MSIG via DBS ..... they include a very cool shoulderbag when I signed up the 1 year term with them ..... plus a very comprehensive emergency, medical and loss of life/limb coverage

Sorry did not mean to advertise , just sharing.

[tSkye]

A vote for AIG. They have one of the best insurance policies to date.

Tip: Always remember to read the insurance policies before purchasing them.

For example, during a claim, some insurance companies would require their own medical form to be filled out. This means you have to print copies to pass to the doctors to fill out. Others would require a medical report, which the doctor will type out and charge you. The third would be those that allow the doctors to just write a brief description of the problem on the receipt itself.

[Junjie90]

Is there some plans that provide higher coverage? most t.insurance will cover up to $500 no matter how new your cam. is but that's like a tiny fraction of what we pay for our dslrs.

[tSkye]

I did some checking, most insurance companies do not allow top up of insurance to raise the $500 cover.
For those, it's to purchase specific camera insurance and not just general travel insurance.
Those aint cheap by the way.

Oh and some tips before and during your trip.
Before you leave, make sure you have your camera sales receipts ready.
Write down your camera serial number on a slip of paper and bring it along.
If it does get lost, or you kanna mugged or something, they will be useful.
Remember camera model, camera serial number and get a police report with those details.
Come back, fill up the insurance claim form, photocopy the camera receipt & police report then submit.

[anttz]

Remember to save/write down the emergency 24 hrs no. before you travel.

[Wzierbovsky]

I always travel with it, and thankfully at my work place, travel insurance is autoprovided when I go on business trips, and the coverage is pretty comprehensive.

[divingcat]

A vote for NTUC Income.
Have made hassle-free claims for visits to the GP after getting ear infection during a dive holiday, 1 stolen mobile phone & 1 flooded camera... Although all these items are not expensive, I have got back more than the insurance premium & a peace of mind is priceless.

[hetfieldpaul]

but AIG only payouts a certain sum lets say your dslr got stolen isnt it, my friend recently came back from sydney where her dslr was stolen, and the maximum payout from AIG was only half the cost of her 40D