Most corporate travel policies placed through Bellrock include cover for both business and leisure travel. Some of the most common travel issues encountered during the festive season are flight delays and cancellations. With airports and roads being busy, and the weather being uncertain, airline delays can significantly affect your travel plans. Whilst this can be frustrating, having comprehensive travel insurance is crucial. Coverage for trip cancellations, missed connections, and lost deposits ensures that you can be reimbursed for additional costs such as an overnight hotel stay, food and drink at the airport and other inconvenient costs you may incur.
If you’re traveling with gifts or expensive items for loved ones, it’s important to ensure your travel insurance policy includes coverage for lost, delayed, damaged, or misplaced baggage. Additionally, checking that your policy limit is an adequate sum insured to cover the value of these items, will give you peace of mind during your travels.
For those continuing their journey by car after a flight, renting a vehicle may be required. Travel insurance often covers some of the associated costs, such as excess charges or towing fees. However, it’s crucial to check your policy for any liabilities related to car rentals to avoid unexpected expenses.
Accidents or illnesses can occur unexpectedly during the holidays, potentially leading to significant medical costs, particularly if you are traveling internationally. Most travel insurance policies offer emergency medical coverage, which can help cover the costs associated with hospital stays, medical treatments or medication in the event of illness or injury. This coverage, especially the level of excess applicable, is particularly important for international travellers to check, specifically where local health care may not be easily accessible or affordable.
It is also worth noting some of the common exclusions that can apply to travel insurance. These often include exclusions around pre-existing medical conditions, incidents related to alcohol or drug use, non-refundable costs due to a change of mind, or loss or theft of luggage due to your negligence. Certain “high risk” activities may also be excluded. If adventure sports such as skiing, scuba diving, motorbiking or bungee jumping are planned, ensure you have checked that coverage extends specifically to these activities. In some cases you may be required to purchase additional coverage.
Before embarking on your holiday, take the time to review your travel insurance policy thoroughly and, for good measure ensure that you have a copy of your documentation with you be it a hard copy, or a saved PDF to your phone or laptop. If your employer has a corporate travel policy in place and you are traveling for leisure, it’s essential to confirm that the corporate travel policy extends to covers leisure travel specifically.
Travel insurance checklist
- Ensure adequate insurance is in place ahead of time
- Stay up to date with weather forecasts which may impact your travel
- Plan for sufficient travel time to avoid delays particularly in airports to ensure flights aren’t missed
- Consider packing valuable gifts in carry on baggage to reduce the impact of lost luggage
- Review the claims process and required supporting documentation before traveling, and have a copy of these documents on hand
- Opt in for travel alerts with your airline
- Review your policy and double check your policy coverage to ensure you are aware of what is covered and excluded
- Keep any relevant receipts for gifts and high value items or extra travel expenses incurred, alongside airline or provider correspondence so you are prepared in the event of a claim
- Keep a hard copy or digital copy of your policy somewhere it is easily accessible to you.
Claims examples
- Your flight may be overbooked during the busy Christmas season, and you are forced to take a later flight. Travel insurance can cover the costs of meals, accommodation, and transportation while waiting for your next available flight. Accommodation may be fully booked or more expensive due to peak times and rates.
- Your luggage may be lost or delayed by the airline during your Christmas trip, and you need to purchase essentials like clothing and toiletries. Your travel insurance can reimburse these emergency expenses until your baggage is returned or replaced.
- Your checked luggage, contains gifts and is lost by the airline. Travel insurance may cover the value of the lost items, depending on the policy’s coverage for lost baggage. Some policies have limits on the amount reimbursed per item or per claim.
Please do not hesitate to contact your Bellrock Advisor to discuss your corporate travel requirements.
