Reasons to Buy Travel Insurance for Domestic Travel

Murphy’s law states: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” So, this has to be your outlook while booking flights, domestic or international. There is an overwhelming consensus among travellers to not buy travel insurance when it comes to domestic travel. And this is where travellers are mistaken. Problems don’t occur, keeping in mind if you are travelling domestic or international. Irrespective of the destination, catastrophe can strike anytime, anywhere. While you need to hope for the best, you also need to be prepared for the worst. And keeping domestic travel insurance at the top of your travel checklist is a sure-shot way of guaranteeing a hassle-free experience in cases of emergencies. Investment in travel insurance can save you large amounts of money when situations become unfavourable.

It is important to understand that travel insurance is designed to meet your needs during unanticipated situations. Numerous events occur under the category of unplanned events, including:

• medical emergencies
• aircraft cancellations or delays
• checked luggage loss or delay
• personal responsibility
• fatalities

In addition to these, there’s a lot more that domestic travel insurance can do to safeguard your trip.

It is no surprise that travellers are forced into believing that travel insurance for domestic travel is an unnecessary expense. While most international flights make it mandatory to buy travel insurance, it is only optional for domestic flights. The reasoning behind this is simple. Many countries make it compulsory to own travel insurance, which is then reflected in the ticketing sites. However, domestic travel insurance is as important as international travel insurance.

When you travel or plan a vacation, you try to manifest your dream experiences into reality. In doing so, the unwanted and the complicated realities take a back seat. Realities that can rear their ugly head at any time. Travel insurance not only protects you from such unfortunate incidents, but also covers your belongings. The best thing about it is that you can buy domestic travel insurance online while booking your flights, before or after. Let’s dig deeper into what domestic travel insurance can do for you.

When Does Domestic Travel Insurance Become Important?

Cancellation of the Trip:

Planning a trip takes time and more often than not, you end up booking tickets, hotels and cabs months in advance. In case you have to cancel your trip because of unforeseen circumstances, travel insurance has you covered and offers a refund. Trip cancellations aren’t just privy to you, technical difficulties and inclement weather can play spoilsport, too.

Loss of Luggage:

The likelihood of losing or misplacing luggage is common on both domestic and international flights. Airports deal with millions of luggage daily. Misplacing one doesn’t take much and probably won’t mean a lot to the airport or the airlines, but it has the power to dampen your entire trip. Travel insurance for domestic travel can prepare you for such incidents.

Medical Emergencies:

You may do your best to stay in shape, but nothing is as frail as the human body. Medical emergencies can strike any time — before or during your trip — and your travel insurance will also cover health insurance.

What Does Domestic Travel Insurance Cover?

Flight Cancellation or Delay:

As mentioned earlier, flight cancellations or delays because of technical difficulties and inclement weather are a more common occurrence than you would think. Thousands of flights are cancelled yearly. The numbers are astronomical when it comes to flight delays. Cancellation and delay of flights not only cause you inconvenience but there may also be causal effects, like missing connecting flights or hotel accommodation. Hence, travel insurance can compensate you for cancellations and delays.

Medical or Accidental Cover:

The chances of medical emergencies during flights are rare, but not unheard of. Accidents do happen during emergency landings, sometimes even resulting in death. Other health issues can crop up, too. Owning travel insurance comes handy in such scenarios for travellers with limited or no medical insurance.

Loss of Baggage:

Most airlines have compensation policies when it comes to loss of luggage, but that might not be enough for the loss incurred by you. Travel insurance offers complete compensation in case you lose your luggage in transit.

Also read: Travel Insurance Online: 5 Tips to Find the Best Deals

Personal Liability:

This is a new addition by insurance companies, but it comes in handy if you are clumsy or travelling with kids. This feature covers for accidental damage caused by you to other people’s property, and having naturally curious children onboard can be a recipe for minor mishaps. 

The best thing about travel insurance — domestic or international — is that you can customise it according to your requirements. Be it the frequency of your travels or the length, you can buy travel insurance that suits your holiday needs. A short holiday does not require a long-term insurance package, but if more trips are planned on your calendar, buying a long-term package saves you the hassle of repeating the process over and over again.

In conclusion, travellers tend to buy travel insurance only for international trips. But the cost of trip cancellations, loss of baggage, medical emergencies, and accidents can add up during domestic travel, too. Domestic travel insurance is not a compulsion by any means, but it can be of great help when, and if, misfortune strikes. So, as the saying goes, better be safe than sorry. So do not forget to buy travel insurance from Niva Bupa to safeguard your next trip.

FAQ’s

1. Do you need travel insurance for domestic travel?

While not mandatory, domestic travel insurance is highly recommended as it covers trip cancellations, medical emergencies, lost baggage, and delays, helping you avoid financial setbacks during unexpected situations.

2. Who should consider buying domestic travel insurance?

Anyone booking flights, trains, or hotel stays, especially for business trips, family vacations, or long-distance travel, should consider it for peace of mind and financial protection.

3. Can I buy domestic travel insurance at the last minute?

Yes, most insurers allow you to purchase domestic travel insurance up until the time of departure. However, buying it earlier ensures broader coverage, such as trip cancellation benefits.

4. What if I have to cut my trip short due to a family emergency?

Domestic travel insurance typically covers trip curtailment due to emergencies, such as illness or death in the family, allowing you to recover non-refundable expenses.