Travel insurance for India

Could you afford medical treatment in India if you broke your foot falling out of a rickshaw? How about the cost of replacing everything that was in the suitcase lost in transit from Mumbai to New Delhi? Could you afford to pay for new flights if you need to get home quickly?

The unexpected can happen anywhere and anytime, whether you’re at home or abroad. Your overseas travel insurance is designed to provide financial protection against mishaps, injuries and accidents that can happen on your journey, and even before you depart.

While buying travel insurance for India isn’t mandatory, it may help with peace of mind and help you to enjoy a hassle-free holiday.

When looking for a travel insurance policy for your trip to India, you should take into account:

• Which parts of India you’re travelling to. Some parts of India may not be ideal to visit due to civil unrest, violent protests and terrorism.¹ You can keep up to date with potential dangers by checking the travel warnings on Smartraveller.
• What activities you’ll be doing. This might include tours, adventure sports, renting a car or riding a motorcycle or scooter.
• The value of your cash, contents and personal belongings. Should you need to claim for the theft or loss of checked-in baggage and belongings, you should know the value of your possessions.
• The cost of your trip. This includes flights, other transportation, accommodation and attractions you’d like to visit, as well as the level of cover you will need for your trip.
• Who you’re travelling with. For example, if you’re planning to travel with your family, you may want to consider travel insurance for families instead of taking out individual cover. This will usually cover the policy holder as well as their spouse and dependents.

Travel insurance for India can come with different levels of cover, ranging from basic to comprehensive. A top-tier policy will typically offer cover for:

• Overseas medical treatment and hospital expenses
• Trip cancellation, amendment and delay costs
• Lost, damaged or stolen luggage and personal belongings
• Stolen cash
• Hire car excess
• Personal liability
• Some sports and activities
• Permanent disability and loss of income
• Accidental death
• Dependents under 18
• 24/7 emergency assistance.

You should always read the policy wording of your PDS, which outlines your cover, policy terms, sub-limits, conditions and exclusions.

Travel insurance for India can come with a set of general exclusions. Generally, travel insurance doesn’t provide cover for:

• Travelling against government advice or warning (these are listed on the Australian Government’s website, Smartraveller)
• Negligence leading to loss or damage of personal belongings and valuables (e.g. leaving your luggage on a train)
• Trip cancellations due to change of mind or unpreparedness (e.g. forgetting to renew your passport)
• Extreme or high-risk sports and activities (e.g. white water rafting, skydiving)
• Claims caused by drug or alcohol-related activities
• Claims resulting from unlawful activities
• Loss or injuries from unapproved pre-existing conditions
• Acts of war, terrorism or civil unrest.

In cases like these, your insurance claim may be rejected. However, some things that are generally considered exclusions may be covered if you have a comprehensive insurance policy or you’ve purchased additional extras to cover things like adventure activities and extreme sports. You should always understand the specifics of what your international travel insurance policy covers by reading your policy documents.

India has a high crime rate, including thefts, scams, robberies and assaults on foreign nationals, so it’s always best to be prepared with the right level of travel insurance cover. That way, you’ll be protected against things like baggage loss, credit card or cash theft or a loss of passport if it gets stolen.

You should always be on the lookout for pickpockets near popular attractions and any suspicious activity, as unsuspecting tourists may be at a higher risk of being fleeced.

Common scams in India include, but are not limited to:

• Card skimming at ATMs or establishments in tourist areas. Fraudsters use skimming devices to copy people’s bank card details onto a blank card to use.
• Tour package scams. Fraudulent operators will sell tourists a fake tour package, or a guide will tell tourists the package they have is invalid and then sell them a ‘valid’ one.
• Dodgy guide services. Criminals will pose as tour guides and take foreigners on ‘tours’ only to rob or take advantage of them at an opportune moment.
• ‘Faster’ services. Scalpers or agents will claim to provide a ‘faster’ service for a fee. For example, if you’re going on a boat ride, the tour guide may make you wait or provide a slow service, then offer a faster service for a fee.

We recommend that travellers look into a comprehensive travel insurance policy that offers coverage for theft of cash and stolen, lost or damaged belongings. By having a travel insurance plan, you may save yourself from significant financial loss if your trip to India goes awry.

India is known for its high number of road accidents due to poor driving, traffic conditions and constant disregard for road rules and safety. If you’re planning on renting a vehicle on your trip, you will need to exercise care and safety when driving, and have an international driver’s license.

Cars often share the roads with pedestrians, carts and livestock. It’s also not uncommon to encounter vehicles travelling on the wrong side of the road or cars driving at night without headlights.

If you are involved in a car accident, your rental car company will most likely charge you an excess to cover the cost of repairs for your hire car. Generally, comprehensive travel insurance can cover this rental car excess and most overseas medical expenses in case of injury on the roads.

If you were to suffer a serious illness or injury, chances are you would require hospitalisation or medical evacuation. These costs could set you back tens of thousands of dollars if you don’t have sufficient medical cover as part of your travel insurance for India. But if you do, you may receive reimbursement for the healthcare costs involved in a medical emergency or other injuries. Depending on your medical coverage, your policy may even cover repatriation.

You should also make sure you’re caught up with all of your vaccinations, as your travel insurer may not cover medical issues from a vaccine-preventable illness.