Following a summer marred with travel disruptions and delays, travel insurance claims have risen 21 percent over last year. With travel up 8 percent this fall and trip costs continuing to reach record numbers, it is more important than ever to protect your trip expenses with travel insurance.
To that point, travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth has shared three of the top reasons travel insurance claims are denied, and how travelers can give themselves the best chance of getting their claim approved.
1. You Were Inconvenienced, Not Interrupted
Travelers often think their insurance will pay out because their trip didn’t go as smoothly as they planned. However, in order for a traveler to be covered by their travel insurance, their trip must be disrupted by a circumstance listed in their policy. If the disruption is covered and occurred after they purchased a policy, they can be refunded for out-of-pocket trip payments, as well as additional expenses incurred.
Tip: Don’t assume you’re automatically covered if anything goes wrong. If you have specific concerns, make sure they are covered by your policy. If you realize your policy falls short of your coverage needs, you may be able to cancel the policy for a full or partial refund.
2. You Didn’t Keep Your Receipts
In order to be reimbursed, you must provide proof of the expenses you incurred. Receipts are required to authenticate a claim, whether it’s for a cancellation, delay or medical emergency.
Tip: Ask for receipts to document any expenses incurred. If you forget, or if receipts are not available, your bank or credit card statement will usually prove you made the payments you are claiming for.
3. You Bought the Policy Without Knowing You Were Ineligible
Most travel insurance policies provide coverage for unforeseen medical emergencies, however, many travelers think they can buy travel insurance after they become sick. If a traveler is already sick when they buy their policy, any claim related to that same illness will not be covered.
Tip: Some policies offer Pre-Existing Condition coverage, which can extend benefits to a traveler if their trip is impacted by an illness or injury that existed when they purchased their policy. To get this coverage, you usually must buy a policy within 14 to 30 days of making your first trip payment. However, even with this coverage, you must be medically able to travel when you buy a policy.
For more information, visit www.squaremouth.com.
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