Many foreign travellers, including Indian students, employees, and vacationers, are trapped in a very volatile position due to the Middle East conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The stranded Indian citizens are supposed to have obtained foreign travel insurance before leaving the country, but these policies won’t be much assistance since they frequently do not cover war and warlike scenarios like invasion, insurrection, and civil war. Here’s what travel insurance for Indians will cover and not cover.
Indians Stranded In War Zone Won’t Cover Insurance
For instance, the travel insurance policy won’t cover the costs of an evacuation and medical care if a traveller returns to India to flee the fighting or needs hospitalisation after being injured in a rocket attack. Insurance companies are currently hesitant to offer new travel insurance to people planning trips to Israel shortly.
Given the risks involved, a journey to Israel will not be covered by travel insurance, according to a government-issued warning travel notice. Now, they can’t stop people from getting policies because some would have done so months or even years in advance, and others might buy travel insurance with international coverage. Medical and travel-related inconvenience claims (such as those involving the loss of a passport or luggage) will not be honoured even under these circumstances, according to Nikhil Apte, chief product officer for Product Factory (Health).
Medical evacuation coverage is a common element of travel insurance, however, it won’t be useful in these circumstances. According to the officer, this clause is relevant if a tourist with travel insurance becomes ill and needs to be returned to India for additional medical care. When a policyholder’s interests are expected to be better served or the cost of care in the destination country is projected to be higher than in India, the decision to airlift her is made.
Also Read: Why Is Travel Insurance Your Most Trusted Travel Companion?
Some insurance, like the foreign travel policy from ICICI Lombard, also provides political risk and disaster evacuation coverage. Additionally, the government will always handle evacuations. It is improbable that any conflict-affected nation will allow chartered flights to help with evacuation; only government-operated flights may be permitted to carry out such evacuation operations.
But Hospitalisation Will Be Covered
In any event, travellers should not be concerned about returning to India in such situations. According to him, the administration has organised evacuation from such zones back to the nation of origin in the past as well as in the current situation. But what if a traveller gets sick while stranded in a violent area, like malaria, necessitating hospitalisation?
According to Bhabatosh Mishra, director for underwriting, products, and claims at Niva Bupa Health Insurance, travel insurance coverage should ideally cover such costs if the policyholder becomes ill and needs to visit the hospital. Your claim is acceptable for approval as long as your therapy is not connected to an illness that is already present. Conflict-related injuries, however, will not be covered by reimbursement for medical costs.
Additionally, in a dangerous environment, the ability of network hospitals or healthcare partners in the destination nations to deliver the services will determine whether medical claims will be honoured on the ground. A traveller should confirm whether particular instructions to evacuate will be covered under her travel policy if her policy covers evacuation due to political threats.
Also Read: IRCTC Makes ₹10 Lakh Travel Insurance At 35 Paise A Default Option When You Book Train Tickets
Due to any political concerns that visitors may encounter, insurance firms may cover the cost of an economy-class flight back to India even though only governments carry out the evacuation.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva
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