Questions to ask your travel insurer

Questions to put to your travel insurer before treatment in India: planned care, existing conditions, evacuation, direct billing, attendants and claims.

Checklist

By Nikhil Sharma, Founder · Updated · How we write and check

Before travelling to India for treatment, ask your insurer in writing whether the policy covers planned medical care abroad, complications of that care, existing conditions and medical evacuation. Many travel policies cover only unexpected illness. Get the answers by email, keep the 24-hour assistance number to hand and buy cover for the attendant too.

CDC distinguishes three kinds of cover. Trip insurance protects the money you spend on the journey. Travel health insurance pays for care abroad. Medical evacuation insurance pays for transport to a place that can give the care you need. A medical traveller may need to understand all three. Policy wording differs widely. This checklist gives you the questions. Only your insurer can give the answers, and they should be in writing.

Does the policy cover the treatment itself?

  • Does this policy cover planned or elective treatment abroad, or only emergencies?
  • If it excludes planned treatment, does it still cover unrelated illness or injury during the trip?
  • Are complications that arise from the planned treatment covered, in India or after I return?
  • Do I need to tell you the name of the hospital and the procedure before I travel?
  • Is there a separate medical travel product you offer for planned procedures?

How are existing conditions handled?

  • Which of my declared conditions are covered and which are excluded?
  • Is there a look-back period for conditions treated before departure, and how long is it?
  • Does the policy cover a worsening of an existing condition during the trip?
  • Are there age limits or extra conditions for older travellers?
  • What happens if my condition changes between buying the policy and travelling?

What about evacuation and repatriation?

  • Does the policy include medical evacuation, and who decides whether it is needed?
  • Does it cover transport home by air ambulance or with a medical escort?
  • Does it cover a changed return flight if the doctor says I cannot fly on the planned date?
  • Is there a 24-hour assistance line staffed with medical advisers?
  • Does it cover an attendant’s extra accommodation and flights if my stay is extended?

How are bills and claims paid?

  • Can you pay the hospital directly, or must I pay first and claim later?
  • Do you need to authorise care in advance, and how do I reach you out of hours?
  • Which documents do you need for a claim: itemised bills, discharge summary, receipts, police reports?
  • Do documents need to be in English or translated?
  • How long after treatment do I have to submit a claim?

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Why should the attendant have their own policy?

The attendant can fall ill or be injured too. Their trip may also be extended if the patient stays longer. Ask whether the attendant can be named on the patient’s policy or needs separate cover. Make sure the attendant knows the assistance number and policy details for both people.

Keep everything in writing

Phone answers are easy to misremember. Ask your insurer to confirm cover for the specific trip by email. Save the email with your policy documents and share a copy with your attendant and your IndiaMedica case manager.

Questions people ask

Does ordinary travel insurance cover surgery in India?

Often it does not. Many travel policies cover unexpected illness or injury and exclude treatment that was the reason for the trip. Some insurers offer products for planned treatment abroad. Ask your insurer directly and get the answer in writing before you book.

What if I need to stay in India longer than planned?

Ask before you travel whether the policy covers extended stays, changed flights and attendant costs when a doctor advises that you should not fly yet. Your treating specialist decides when it is safe to fly. Keep their written advice for your claim.

Sources

General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. How we write and check.

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