As everyone says.. "Our Patricia, you think of everything, huh!"
But as I say, every cautious traveler will always be prepared for the setbacks of the trip, including health problems. This is especially true when traveling with a child. Imagine me, traveling with a 6-year-old child! If here in Brazil we can feel bad with a good feijoada or a snack from a bar, imagine in countries we don't even know!
Ahh… when it comes to Lisbon, of course we know it! But unforeseen events happen!
We can't just get bad from something that didn't sit well in our stomachs. The change of climate can result in a sore throat, fever, cough... these are just some of the situations that can happen during travel days. Not to mention lost luggage, legal problems and other cucumbers. And our degree of travel experience doesn't matter. And look, I'm from that team that carries a pharmacy in my suitcase and I have all documents scanned in case I get lost!!!
Thinking about your well-being (and our personal experiences) I decided to share a summary with basic and important information about travel insurance. Because being prepared never hurts!
What is travel insurance?
Travel insurance is a service acquired to cover medical and hospital expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other unforeseen events that occur during the trip, whether internationally or nationally (domestic).
It is the guarantee that you will not be helpless in the event of any eventuality, whether before, during or after your trip.
It is interesting to purchase insurance for any trip, even in countries where it is not mandatory. In the case of Portugal, we can consider PB4, but be careful, this only addresses unforeseen events related to the health area.
How does travel insurance work?
The great advantage of travel insurance is that it can be triggered at any time. Only the service offered by the insurer will depend on the plan and coverage. Travel insurance works as a temporary health plan and also a guarantee of indemnity for various situations and accidents.
In addition to health expenses, there are coverages for the case of lost luggage, legal assistance, among other benefits that are very useful at that unpleasant moment.
Values vary according to the destination, purpose of the trip, days away and the profile of the traveler – for those who practice extreme sports, for example, they need more coverage. It is usually made to international destinations, where the Brazilian health plans that we use on a daily basis are not valid. It will be valid for the days of contracting and within the rules specified in each contract.
ATTENTION!!!
First important advice is that you should always take out travel insurance before boarding! It is not always possible to take out insurance abroad, so make arrangements before boarding and ensure your safety during your trip.
A detail that many overlook when the trip is international, is to put the period that you need travel insurance on the date you will already be at your destination. This is a very big mistake, as if your luggage is lost on the way, for example, you will not be covered!
So, keep an eye out for the contract start date to ensure it is covered for the entire required period.
Another key tip is to choose the insurance that best fits your trip: are you elderly or pregnant? Are you going to practice extreme sports? Backpacking and going through many countries? Compare prices and plans and choose the ideal travel insurance for your needs.
International travel needs even more travel insurance since you are in another country, and often the cost of medical expenses is quite high. In fact, some countries in Europe require travel insurance precisely because they are aware of these costs.
International travel needs even more travel insurance since you are in another country, and often the cost of medical expenses is quite high. In fact, some countries in Europe require travel insurance precisely because they are aware of these costs.
Understand the difference between travel insurance and travel assistance
The difference between travel insurance and travel assistance is that insurance you pay for and then reimbursed, and assistance you pay nothing. Both are included in any travel insurance plan, and what makes you pay or not will depend on which hospital you go to.
If you go to an insured hospital, indicated by the insurance company, you will be covered for assistance. If you want to go to a hospital of your choice, you will have to pay and then you will be reimbursed by the insurance company.
Remembering that if the value of your policy is 30 thousand dollars, and the bill at the hospital – even with an agreement, where you don't pay anything – is 31 thousand dollars, you will have to pay the difference one thousand dollars. This is one of the reasons to pay close attention to your coverage when taking out travel insurance.
This travel assistance and travel insurance option is only valid when choosing a hospital. In the case of pharmaceutical assistance, for example, you pay to be reimbursed later.
What is the difference between health insurance, health insurance and travel insurance?
Health plans typically provide coverage only within the state where the policyholder has contracted. There are some plans that have national or even international coverage, however, they usually have a high value and there is no great need to contract if the person does not travel a lot.
Health insurance offers the contractor coverage for consultations, examinations, hospitalizations, medical tests and other things specifically related to the insured's health.
Travel insurance, on the other hand, guarantees coverage for expenses with urgent and emergency medical expenses and covers many other eventualities, such as lost luggage, medical transfer, body transfer and even compensation in case of accidents that result in the insured's permanent disability or death.
How much does travel insurance cost?
Believe it! It will cost far less than the cost of just one consultation in many countries around the world. It will also be a tiny slice of an international travel budget. Not doing it is a silly economy and it can create big problems for those who like to travel. And there are more tips on how to find cheaper travel insurance:
Compare different travel insurance plans
You can quickly and easily make a detailed comparison of the prices of different insurances offered, analyzing which has the best cost-benefit ratio for your trip.
See the details of travel insurance coverage for each plan
Carefully analyze all the coverage offered by the chosen insurance. If you plan to take a trip to play sports and enjoy new experiences such as safaris, surfing or running marathons around the world, keep an eye on the coverage that travel insurance offers for events of this type.
See if the insurance is adapted to your trip profile
When choosing the travel insurance plan, keep in mind the route you intend to take and the activities you intend to do in your destination. Trips with the children, sports, exchange, business trip, family vacations. Every trip requires a type of insurance.
Use a discount coupon, in this case, ours!
You can make your travel insurance cheaper by using a discount coupon. Our website is offering a coupon DICASDELISBOA5 on the website www.segurospromo.com.br, you can guarantee a 5% discount when taking out your travel insurance. If you choose to pay via bank slip on the website, Seguros Promo, you get another 5% discount when choosing this payment method. The site also provides installment payments in up to 12 installments on your credit card.
How long should I take out travel insurance and when should it be done?
We must take out insurance for at least the same duration of the trip. As airline delays and unforeseen events can happen, we suggest that the contract be made for two days more, that is, two days after the scheduled return date. So you're guaranteed! As I mentioned before, traveling with insurance that is already contracted and in force is important, because if your luggage is lost on the way, for example, you will be covered by insurance. Heads up!!! Almost all contracts have original prices in foreign currency, so be aware of the dollar and euro quotations when closing the contract.
What does travel insurance cover?
Travel insurance mainly covers urgent and emergency medical care. However, they offer other guarantees for users, such as compensation in case of lost luggage, repatriation of the body in case of death and even a funeral. The main travel insurance coverage that is normally offered is 24-hour medical and dental care, pharmaceutical expenses, medical and funeral repatriation (which guarantees the traveler's return to Brazil both in case of illness and accident and in case of death), funeral assistance , location of lost luggage, compensation in case of lost luggage, legal expenses, among others. Don't forget to check what the insurance covers exactly, as coverage varies according to the type of insurance contract. Ahh... remembering that there are specific insurance options for pregnant women, for those who are going to play sports, among others.
What should I bring for the trip as proof that I have insurance?
It is very important to have at hand (or electronically) the chosen insurance contract, even if it is the credit card. I always carry a printout even if I have it on my cell phone, because if the cell phone is empty?! As a result of our suggestion, Seguros Promo sends all the necessary information by email. In addition to the possibility of being required at the immigration of the destination country, it will be useful in case of emergency to contact the insurance company. We must have the contract number and all service telephones at hand and easily accessible in case of possible emergencies. Don't forget to leave all these contacts with a responsible person in Brazil and with your fellow travelers.
How do I contact travel insurance in an emergency and what should I do?
When embarking for the trip, it is essential to have, in an accessible place, the contact details of the contracted insurance company and contract number. Preferably, also leave this data with someone in Brazil. If you can request assistance yourself, call the insurance company, explain your situation and wait for instructions. The most common way to get in touch with the insurance company is by phone.
At Seguro Promo, they provide landline contact, WhatsApp and e-mail. Opening hours vary between 8:30 am and 9 pm depending on the day. Any of the plans you choose, you will have service in Portuguese, from anywhere in the world – the insurance also covers sea travel – clinical and dental care, compensation for lost luggage, among other options.
If you are insured by credit card, please call your card company before you travel and ask for the direct contact numbers for travel insurance. Take all the numbers written down for the trip.
And if I have travel insurance issues, what should I do?
The insurance sector's regulatory agency is the Superintendency of Private Insurance – SUSEP and the body responsible for setting the guidelines and standards is the National Council of Private Insurance – CNSP. But these two bodies refer only to insurance sold in Brazil, for insurance taken out abroad, other agencies will be responsible. In this case, check which regulatory agency is responsible in the contracting country.
However, I advise that the best way to solve problems with insurance is the insurance itself. Do not forget to have all the documents in hand, and once again I emphasize the importance of also leaving copies in Brazil, so in case of inability to contact the insurance, someone can help you resolve legal issues, if necessary. If reimbursement is not made by the insurance company, keep all proof of payment, both for hospital and doctor and for medicines. They will be very important if you need to go to court for a refund not made.
Post made in partnership with SegurosPromo.
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