Planning to fly abroad? 5 facts you must know about insurance

The article was written in collaboration with Bituach Yashir

A vacation abroad can create lifelong experiences for family members, but in order for it to be successful, it also requires coordination and advance planning. So if you happened to miss the opportunity to fly during the long vacation, don't worry, the holiday season is approaching and gives you another opportunity to relax with your family at your destination remote outside the country's borders. 

One of the most important tasks to carry out before any such trip is to purchase travel insurance abroad that is adapted to the family and the nature of the trip. So that you can purchase the most suitable insurance for you, and concentrate on your dream vacation in a picturesque town with a challenging activity or in any exotic destination that will give you some peace from the intense reality In Israel, here are 5 facts you should know about insurance.    

What does the basic insurance cover and what is important to report to the insurance company?

While in the State of Israel every citizen is basically medically insured by virtue of the state health law, when we are outside the country's borders we do not have insurance. This means that if God forbid we need medical treatment, we will have to bear the costs of the treatment ourselves, and very quickly we will find out that these are significant expenses that we are not aware of.

In Western countries, such as the United States for example, even a doctor's visit can cost hundreds of dollars, and this is without mentioning expenses for more complex treatments such as hospitalization or surgery, which can also cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The basic layer of travel insurance abroad is intended to provide us with coverage for medical expenses in such cases, subject to the limit of liability and in accordance with the terms of the policy, of course. 

If one of the passengers has any medical problem, such as hospitalization for a specific reason or is under regular medical treatment, it is important to expand the medical coverage and purchase coverage for an existing medical condition. This coverage is divided into two types - extended coverage intended for passengers who suffered from a health impairment or illness in the six months prior to the trip, or medication coverage intended for passengers who regularly take medication during the trip or in the six months prior to it.

What do we do in case of cancellation of the trip?

The answer regarding the compensation you deserve depends on the canceling party. If the airline is the one that canceled the flight, it is their responsibility to compensate you for the financial damage caused. On the other hand, if it is a medical event that prevents you from being able to fly, the death of a first-degree relative, or even if you received an order 8 and you have to put on a uniform, which is unfortunately very common in our area in the last year, if you added trip cancellation coverage ahead of time, you will receive a refund for expenses For flights, rental car and hotels, according to the policy conditions.

If you have traveled and you are actually interested in extending the trip, do not forget to extend the insurance period as well, so that you do not remain abroad without insurance coverage. 

Don't forget to match the covers to the nature of the trip

Besides a medical event, other cases can occur while traveling abroad for which it is desirable to be covered. For example, starting the trip with a lost suitcase can be a very unpleasant event, because when we are abroad, the suitcase is actually the contents of our home. In such a case, we have to repurchase basic equipment such as clothes and hygiene products.

That is, in addition to the heartbreak and the feeling of helplessness caused by the loss of the suitcase, we will have to spend quite a bit more money to return and enjoy the trip we were waiting for so much. Baggage coverage is relevant precisely for such cases - and provides financial compensation for the items we had to purchase, up to the limit of liability and in accordance with the terms of the policy.  

A cell phone and, for many, a laptop are considered must-have items for every trip abroad. We work from them, check and book in advance for attractions, pay easily in stores and restaurants, navigate and receive information about new destinations. Covering a laptop and tablet and covering the theft of a cell phone, provides financial compensation in the event of theft of these devices during the stay abroad. This way you can purchase a new device quickly and continue your trip without worries. 

Passengers who fly with the aim of performing an extreme sports activity such as mountain climbing or parachuting, know that they need to add adventure sports coverage to their travel insurance abroad. Those who fly for ski vacations also make sure to stock up on winter sports coverage in advance. It is important to recognize that there are extreme activities that are also suitable for families, such as paintball or a trip ATVs, and for them too it is recommended to equip yourself with adventure sports coverage in advance. 

Renting a car abroad is sometimes accompanied by pressure from the rental company's sales representatives to add insurance and sign rental contracts with lots of clauses that are usually not clear to us. Deductible reimbursement coverage for a rented car is intended to provide compensation for the demand of the car rental company to pay a deductible in the event of damage or theft of the rented vehicle and damage caused to a third party. So you can rest assured that you have coverage even in the event that you are required to pay a deductible, up to the limit of liability in the policy.

When should you purchase travel insurance abroad?

The answer is very simple - as early as possible, and if possible close to the date of purchase of the flight ticket. The reason is that there are coverages that come into effect as soon as the insurance is purchased. For example, if you purchased travel cancellation coverage, and suddenly an unexpected medical event occurs that prevents you from flying - you can receive financial compensation for travel expenses such as flights, hotels and a rental car, up to the limit of liability and according to the terms of the policy. These are usually the highest expenses during a trip abroad, so it is recommended to purchase early travel insurance to cover you in case of need.

How do you activate the insurance and receive a refund?

When we are far from home and need a quick response, it is important to be able to contact our insurance company easily and quickly. In Bituach Yashir company, for example, you can talk to an emergency center that is available 24/7 from anywhere in the world and will guide you on how to act. In addition to reporting an insurance event at any given moment in the customer application, including an accurate explanation of the documents you will be asked to transfer. You can receive the financial compensation quickly through the bit application directly to the bank account, so that you can continue your travel routine as quickly as possible.

bottom line,

It doesn't matter if it's a dream vacation on magical beaches with the family or a business trip to close another deal, it's important to have travel insurance abroad with coverage adapted to the nature of the trip. Knowing that in case of need you have someone to talk to and who will provide you with financial compensation, will allow you Fly with peace of mind, and concentrate on what is really important.  

Now in Bituach Yashir! The price of the vacation in the sky? Luckily the insurance for children is free! >>

The article was written in collaboration with Bituach Yashir