5 Common Reasons Why Travel Insurance Claims Are Rejected

If you go on vacation without purchasing travel insurance then you are taking a huge risk. Medical treatment overseas can cost a small fortune, and trying to save money by leaving travel insurance off your list is a false economy.

But even if you have the good sense to purchase a travel insurance policy before you leave home, there is no guarantee that you will automatically be covered when you try to make a claim.

In fact, there are a number of reasons why claims are commonly rejected, and it is in your best interests to know about these reasons before you make a claim yourself.

1. Failing to Declare Medical Conditions

Cover for injury and illness is one of the features that makes travel insurance such a necessity. Without an adequate travel insurance policy, medical fees abroad can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

However, fail to declare any pre-existing conditions which you have and you may find that your claim gets rejected.

If you are unsure whether you have a pre-existing condition, always mention it to your travel insurance provider before you purchase your policy. They may increase the premium as a result of your condition, but it is always better to be safe than sorry.

2. Taking Part in Activities that Are Not Covered

Simply having travel insurance does not mean that you are automatically covered for every activity under the sun. On the contrary, most policies have a list of activities for which you are covered, and if you injure yourself while partaking in an activity that is not on the list you could find that your claim is immediately rejected.

The most common sports to look out for are activities like bungee jumping, scuba diving, and skiing, all of which are quite common vacation activities.

Always check which sports you are covered for before you go on vacation. Ask your travel insurance provider for a list of the sports that they cover, and if your activity is not covered as standard then ask them whether it can be added to the policy.

Adding extra activities may lead to a rise in the premium, but at least you will not have to worry about having your claim rejected.

3. Incidents that Occur While Under the Influence

If you injure yourself while you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs then you may find that your insurance provider rejects your claim outright.

Many insurance policies have a clause stating that all claims for incidents that occur under the influence of drugs or alcohol will not be considered. The best advice in this case is to simply stick to the rules and avoid running the risk.

4. Not Reporting a Theft to the Local Police

It is common practice for insurance companies to request a local police theft report before they will pay out for any of your items that are stolen on vacation. If you discover that anything is stolen while you are abroad then it is essential to go to the local police station to report the theft, otherwise there is a good chance that your claim will be rejected.

5. Failing to Check the Details of Your Policy

One of the most common ways to get a claim rejected is to claim for something which is not covered on your policy.

All travel insurance policies are different so do not assume that simply having a travel insurance policy means that you are covered for everything. Always carefully check the details of your own cover before you go on vacation and you can help to avoid the disappointment of having your claim rejected.

Avoid Rejected Claims When You Return from Vacation

Travel insurance companies reject claims for many reasons, but there is no reason why you should face the frustration of getting one of your own claims rejected. By avoiding the above mistakes you can travel abroad with full confidence that you are covered in a variety of scenarios without running the risk of having a claim rejected on your return.