Travel Insurance Guide for Indian Travellers

Travel insurance protects against unforeseen events during trips and is often the most overlooked insurance purchase. For international travel, the stakes are particularly high since medical emergencies abroad can cost tens of lakhs of rupees without coverage. Key coverages to look for in a travel insurance policy: emergency medical expenses and hospitalisation, medical evacuation and repatriation (flying you home if needed), trip cancellation and interruption covering non-refundable costs, baggage loss and delay compensation, flight delay and missed connection coverage, passport and travel document loss assistance, personal liability cover if you accidentally cause injury or property damage, and 24-hour emergency assistance services.

For Schengen visa applications, travel insurance with a minimum EUR 30,000 medical cover is mandatory and must be valid for all Schengen countries for the entire trip duration. Key factors when comparing travel insurance: look at the medical cover amount (US and Canada require higher cover due to expensive healthcare), check whether pre-existing conditions are covered or excluded, verify if adventure sports are covered if you plan activities like skiing, trekking, or scuba diving, and confirm COVID-19 related costs are included. The claim assistance network matters — choose an insurer with a strong global network or a reputable TPA like Europ Assistance or International SOS.

Annual multi-trip policies are cost-effective for frequent travellers. Domestic travel insurance covering trip cancellation, baggage, and accidents is also available and relevant for flight-heavy domestic travel. Always buy travel insurance at the time of booking, not days before departure.