Travel insurance cover, explained

What overseas medical cover actually pays for — hospital treatment, emergency evacuation and repatriation — and how the sum insured you pick changes the premium.

PED cover is set by the insurer and the age band, never chosen by you. Bajaj Allianz and Tata AIG include it on every single-trip rate we hold; others vary.

Standard policies exclude most adventure activities. What counts as an adventure sport, which need an add-on, and why altitude limits catch out trekkers.

A sub-limit caps individual treatments well below your sum insured, so a large bill is only partly paid. A waiver removes those caps. We show it as a column.

Covers acute pain relief for a sudden dental emergency abroad, not routine or planned dental work. The limits are small and the definition of emergency is tight.

A fixed daily payment for each day you spend admitted abroad, paid on top of your medical cover. Meant for incidentals, with a waiting period and a day cap.

A lump sum paid for accidental death or permanent disability during your trip. How the scale of benefits works, and why it is separate from medical cover.

Some overseas policies extend accident cover to the India legs of your journey. What that adds, and why it is not a substitute for a domestic accident policy.

Pays towards prosthetics, wheelchairs and home or vehicle adaptation after a disabling accident abroad. A rare benefit, and one worth checking the wording on.

A higher accident payout that applies only while you are travelling on a licensed public carrier — a scheduled flight, train, bus or ferry. Narrow, but generous.

Trip cancellation reimburses non-refundable bookings when you cannot travel for a covered reason. The covered reasons are narrower than most travellers expect.

Most policies pay a fixed amount per block of hours after a minimum delay, not your real costs. Knowing the trigger and the cap before you fly avoids surprises.

Curtailment refunds the unused, non-refundable part of a trip you had to cut short for a covered reason. How it differs from cancellation, and what proof you need.

Cover for the cost of obtaining an emergency passport, plus the travel and lodging that replacing it forces on you. The police report is usually mandatory.

Pays for rebooking and the overnight stay when an inbound delay makes you miss an onward flight. The minimum connection time in the rules decides your claim.

Reimburses non-refundable flights and hotels if your visa is refused. It is an optional benefit on few plans, and applying late is a common ground for denial.

Covers the extra fare when illness, a family emergency or disruption forces you home earlier or later than booked. What proof insurers ask for, and the limits.

Pays the return airfare for a family member to reach you if you are hospitalised abroad for a prolonged period. The minimum admission period is the key trigger.

Covers lodging, and sometimes daily expenses, for a relative staying with you during a long hospitalisation overseas. Usually paired with compassionate visit.

Extends your policy automatically when hospitalisation, a grounded flight or a calamity keeps you abroad past your return date. Automatic windows are short.

Reimburses the cost of alternative accommodation when a hotel cancels a confirmed booking on arrival. Written confirmation from the hotel is normally required.

When an airline loses a bag permanently, your policy pays a capped amount, often with per-item limits. What the airline owes you first, and how the two interact.

Baggage delay cover reimburses emergency clothing and toiletries after a minimum wait, usually 6 to 12 hours. Keep the receipts and the airline delay report.

Personal belongings cover has strict per-item caps and commonly excludes cash, jewellery and electronics. What to check before relying on it for valuables.

If you accidentally injure someone or damage their property abroad, personal liability covers the legal costs and damages. What it excludes matters just as much.

Arranges emergency cash delivery if you are robbed or stranded overseas. It is usually an advance you repay, not a payout — worth knowing before you rely on it.

Some travel policies cover your home contents against fire and burglary while the house is empty during the trip. Occupancy conditions decide whether it pays.