The short answer
Travel insurance is a policy that can pay for emergency medical care, cancellations, delays, and lost or stolen baggage. We do not decide whether you need it: some official checklists ask about cover, and for other trips it is your choice. What matters is the small print. Read what a policy excludes, how it treats existing medical conditions and activities, and how to claim, before you buy.
Key terms in plain English
- Cover: what the policy will pay for.
- Exclusion: something it will not pay for.
- Excess: the part of a claim you pay yourself.
- Existing condition: a health matter that was there before you bought the policy, which you must declare honestly.
- Assistance line: the number to call when something goes wrong.
What to compare
- Medical care and getting home. Check the limits and whether it pays to bring you home.
- Cancellation and delay. Check which reasons count and what proof you need.
- Baggage and valuables. Check limits per item, and what is left out.
- Activities. Check whether adventure sports, hiring a vehicle or a long hike are covered.
- Who is covered. Check each traveller, and any limits for age.
- The start and end. Check the cover begins before you leave and ends after you return.
Where to buy, and who regulates it
In India, insurers and their products are regulated by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). Check that an insurer is authorised before you pay. If you buy through StudentFlow, the policy is provided by the insurer named, you see the price before you pay, and its terms apply.
How to claim
Keep the policy certificate and the assistance number on your phone and on paper. Call the assistance line first when something happens, keep receipts and reports, and send the claim with what the insurer asks for.
Checklist
- To do: Read the exclusions and existing-condition wording for every traveller
- To do: Check medical limits and cover for getting home
- To do: Check cancellation and delay wording
- To do: Check activities you plan are covered
- To do: Save the certificate and the assistance number in two places
- To do: Check the dates of cover against your trip
- To do: Keep receipts and reports for any claim
Common mistakes
- Buying on price alone. A cheaper policy may leave out what you need.
- Leaving out a condition. It can undo a claim.
- Assuming a credit card covers everything. Read what it covers.
- Not carrying the number. Keep it offline.
- Buying late. Cancellation cover usually needs to start when you book.
Things that change
Policies, limits and exclusions change from year to year. Read the wording for the policy you are buying now.
Verify before you act
For the regulator, see the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India. For what visitors can expect from a destination’s public health service, see official pages such as Visiting or moving to England (NHS). They are not a substitute for cover. For advice on your health, speak to a doctor.