Buying Travel Insurance From An Airline
It’s time to book that much-anticipated trip overseas – the one you have worked hard for throughout the year. You’ve put all your travel information into the online booking portal and checked that your details and dates are correct. You are about to click proceed when a notification pops up to choose travel insurance through your airline. What now? Is buying travel insurance from an airline a good idea?
It can be time-consuming going through a private travel insurance provider and supplying all your travel details, comparing quotes, and reading all the fine print in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). It’s a lot easier to have it all done for you through your airline, and simply having to tick a box. While buying travel insurance through your airline is a much simpler, and less time-consuming way to book travel insurance, it is not always the cheapest option, and often doesn’t provide cover for the important aspects of travelling
The cost of travel insurance through an airline
Travel insurance through an airline is generally provided by a stand-alone insurance provider, that work as a third-party to the airline. The travel insurance through the airline can often cost more than if bought directly from the provider, so if saving money is high on your list of priorities, you should explore this option. Before you book through your airline, you should compare prices with other travel insurers. You should also check with the airline if there are any hidden costs that you are paying for, that you might not pay for with a private insurer. An example would be travel insurance for children. Some insurance policies offer free insurance for children under a certain age, while an airline might charge for children regardless of their age. You should always check these details before booking insurance through an airline. There can also be benefits to booking with a private insurer, such as annual travel insurance for frequent flyers, which might not be offered through an airline insurance policy. Comparing travel insurance quotes can be done quite simply through a good comparison website – we have made it easy for you to compare quotes.
Some airlines do offer a cheap travel insurance option, which can be an inviting option for the budget-conscious traveller. And while this may save you money when you book your travel insurance – in the long run, you could end up paying way more if you run into any serious trouble. These ‘cheap’ options do not always provide the comprehensive travel insurance cover that you might receive from a private travel insurance provider.
What is covered by airline travel insurance
When you purchase any travel insurance, it is advisable to read the PDS document carefully to be aware of what is covered. Airlines do not always make this information readily available, and while they may seem to offer a comprehensive travel insurance policy, this might not always be the case. There can often be loopholes in your insurance cover when you book through an airline. If you are in a medical emergency, or your travel plans are disrupted by a natural disaster, and your policy does not offer the cover that you have been promised – you could be left with a hefty bill.
A comprehensive travel insurance policy should offer some – if not all – of the following basic benefits:
- Flight cancellation or delays (Resulting in further accommodation or other expenses)
- Lost or delayed luggage (Resulting in emergency necessity expenses)
- Medical cover, hospitalisation, and medical evacuation
- Accidental death or permanent disability cover
- Loss of travel documents
- Theft of cash
- Loss or theft of luggage and personal belongings
- Electronic equipment (Cameras, laptops, tablet, or mobile phones)
- Rental vehicle excess
Whatever route you choose to go, ensure you are well aware of the information regarding your travel insurance policy and what is covered – you don’t want to be left in the dark.
We also offer tips on finding cheap travel insurance