Exclusions in domestic travel insurance

Domestic travel insurance has become an imperative for business travellers and also for those who travel frequently to spend their vacations at various tourist destinations in the country. Most of the insurance companies offer comprehensive coverage for all these risks, but some of the travel portals that offer travel insurance provide insurance cover only for the risks of death and hospitalisation due to an accident. However, the travel insurance policy should not only cover the risk of death and hospitalisation due to accident, but it should also provide cover for delay in flight, cancellation of flight, baggage delay or loss, or any medical emergency arising during travel.

Apart from not offering comprehensive insurance cover for all risks arising during the period of travel, the travel insurance policies also have some exclusions that are not covered by these policies. Some of these exclusions include existing medical condition or ailment or any non-accidental illness that may arise during the course of travel, accidents caused due to adventure activities such as skydiving, scuba diving, rock climbing, paragliding, ice-skating, river rafting, horse riding, etc., any loss attributable to the action of the insured, all non-medical expenses and loss arising due to any activity which violates the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

The travel insurance policy may also not provide cover to members of the armed forces and crew members of airlines due to the nature of their duties. Since travel insurance policies do not cover non-accidental illnesses, it is better to have a health insurance policy to cover such illnesses.