The partial ceiling collapse at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 1 (T1) on Friday, June 28, which claimed one life and injured eight people has brought the spotlight on travel insurance policy coverage in India.
Imagine a flier at T1, ready to embark on his/her vacation trip, only to be caught in an unforeseen incident. Would their travel insurance cover potential hospital bills, evacuation costs, or even accidental death benefits?
Travel insurance is a comprehensive safety net for travellers, offering financial security in various situations that can disrupt a journey. It goes beyond flight-related issues, providing coverage for personal accidents, medical emergencies, flight delays, cancellations, disruptions and diversions, and baggage delay or loss, among other incidents.
Vivek Chaturvedi, CMO and Head of Direct Sales at Go Digit General Insurance, says, “Personal accident coverage plays a role in travel insurance by offering security in case of accidents while on the journey. This coverage typically encompasses hospitalisation expenses, medical treatments, and emergency evacuation resulting from an accident.”
Additionally, add-ons like Flight Delay Cover, Flight Landing Back Post Take Off, and Cancellation of Common Carrier by Operator offer layers of security against flight delays, diversions, cancellations, and other unforeseen circumstances. These travel insurance plans help travellers deal with disruptions smoothly and reduce the financial impact of unforeseen circumstances. The compensation amount depends on the insurer, selected coverage level, and policy terms.
“Some travel plans offer home-to-home cover that begins 12 hours before departure and extends 12 hours after landing at the home destination. Such extended coverage could have been beneficial for inbound or outbound travellers impacted by the incident in Delhi by providing aid for hospitalisation expenses, evacuations, accidental deaths, or partial or permanent disabilities. Additionally, travel insurance offers coverage for scenarios like flight delays or cancellations, to ease the challenges faced by travellers, similar to what we saw in Delhi, where many airlines delayed or cancelled flights from a particular terminal,” said Chaturvedi.