Travel Insurance Tips 

Travel is meant to be enjoyed, not derailed by fine print or unexpected costs. A little preparation with your travel insurance can be the difference between a minor hiccup and a holiday nightmare.

 

Read the Fine Print

Travel insurance policies look similar at first glance, but exclusions are where the biggest risks lie. Pre-existing medical conditions, pregnancy beyond a certain stage and adventurous activities such as scuba diving or skiing are often excluded, unless disclosed and accepted. Some policies exclude pandemics or civil unrest outright.

 

Buy Early

The timing of travel insurance purchase cover is key. If you buy travel insurance immediately after booking, you can usually activate cancellation benefits that protect you if you need to cancel before departure due to illness, injury or other specified insured events. Buy late and you may still get medical cover for the trip itself, but lose those possible pre trip insurance protections.

 

Trip Cancellation Costs Extra

Not all travel insurance automatically include cancellation cover. It is often an optional extra that attracts an additional premium. Many travellers assume cancellation is standard, but it is not. If protecting prepaid flights, tours or cruises are required, check carefully whether it is included and what events are recognised as valid cancellation reasons. Speak to a risk advisor.

 

“Cancel for Any Reason” Rarely Means That

This benefit sounds absolute, but in reality, like with all insurance, it comes with terms and conditions. You usually need to buy it as an extra within days of your first booking and it often reimburses only 50–75% of your costs. Certain cancellations, like financial defaults, fear of travel or government advisories are usually excluded. Always read what “any reason”  means before paying extra premium.

 

Compare, Do Not Just Accept

The “tick box” option sold by airlines or booking sites are rarely the most comprehensive. It is often limited, with low payout caps or no cover for high cost items like evacuation. Independent policies let you tailor cover to your trip length, destination and activities. A quick comparison through a professional risk advisor can reveal the difference between bare minimum cover and proper insurance protection.

 

Domestic Travel. Do You Need It?

Not every trip inside South Africa justifies extra cover. Your medical aid most probably already provides sufficient protection for medical treatment. But domestic travel insurance can still make sense for non refundable costs such as prepaid flights or accommodation.

 

Keep Documents Handy

Always keep both a printed and digital copy of your policy schedule, emergency contact number and passport. Save a photo of these on your phone, email them to yourself and leave a copy with someone back home. Hospitals and assistance providers abroad will want proof of cover before admitting you and fumbling to find details can delay critical treatment.

 

Do Not Assume Your Medical Aid Works Overseas

South African medical aids are licensed for local use. They cannot guarantee payment at foreign hospitals. At best, you may submit receipts on your return and be reimbursed at South African tariff rates. The problem is cost. A routine surgery costing R50 000 in Cape Town might cost ten times that in New York. Evacuation and repatriation costs can run into millions. Without travel insurance, you may need to pay upfront or be refused health care.

 

Mind the Gap With Credit Card Travel Cover

Many premium credit cards advertise free travel insurance, but it is usually limited. Invariably, you always get what you pay for in life. Cover amounts are capped, dependants may be excluded and strict rules apply, for example, you must have purchased the entire trip on the card.

Gap travel cover bridges the difference between this “basic” credit card insurance and comprehensive protection. Without it, you may believe you are covered, but find yourself underinsured in a major event.

 

Age Barriers

Travel insurance is not always age neutral. Most policies sharply restrict benefits after age 70, and many stop altogether at 80. Premiums also rise significantly with age. If you or a family member are older, you need to check the upper age limit on your policy. Do not assume lifelong travel habits are automatically covered, insurers see age as a major risk factor.

 

Some Other Covers

Beyond medical and cancellation, other key covers often get overlooked. Public liability protects you for legal liability if you accidentally injure someone or damage property, overseas liability claims can be massive. Baggage cover reimburses theft, loss or damage to your belongings, though watch the per item limits. Missed connections covers rebooking costs when delays cause you to miss connecting flights, which airlines do not always pay for.

 

Not A Tick The Box Exercise

 

Travel insurance is not about ticking a box. It is about structuring cover properly for your risks and your trip. The biggest mistakes we see are not from travellers who bought no cover, but from those who thought they had enough, until a claim was rejected. A short conversation with a professional risk advisor before you leave, can turn a piece of paper into real protection.