Travel insurance protects your trip, your health, and your belongings when you go abroad. It turns unexpected costs into clear, pre-defined benefits so a delayed flight or a sudden illness does not derail your plans. This article explains the core coverage you should expect and the types of travel insurance. The goal is simple. Choose travel insurance that is easy to use, fair in its limits, and dependable at claim time.

Know What Travel Insurance is

A modern travel insurance plan brings three pillars together. The first pillar is medical care overseas, including cashless treatment at network hospitals, emergency evacuation, and repatriation when required. The second pillar is journey protection for cancellation, interruption, delays, and missed connections, so non-refundable costs are protected. The third pillar is baggage and document support for loss, theft, or delay. Strong plans add 24×7 assistance, a wide hospital network, digital purchase and claim options, and the ability to extend cover online if your return is pushed out.

Core Cover You Should Expect

Here are key things to you can expect to be covered generally: 

Medical cover

This is the spine of every policy. It covers inpatient and outpatient treatment, diagnostic tests, medicines, and local ambulance costs if you fall ill or are involved in an accident overseas. Look for cashless admission at a global partner network so the hospital can settle bills directly with the insurer. Evacuation moves you to the nearest suitable facility when local care is not enough. Repatriation returns you to your home country for treatment, when needed. Review sub-limits, such as dental caps and daily allowances, and ensure the overall sum insured aligns with healthcare costs at your destination.

Trip cancellation and journey disruption

Trip cancellation protects prepaid, non-refundable bookings if you must cancel before departure for covered reasons listed in the policy. Curtailment and interruption apply after the trip begins and help you rebook or return early. Trip delay benefits cover food and lodging after a defined waiting period. Missed connection benefits may apply when an inbound delay causes you to miss a later flight on the same itinerary. Check the delay thresholds in hours, per-day limits, and the documents you must submit.

Baggage and documents

Baggage loss covers lost or stolen checked baggage, subject to policy limits. Baggage delay pays for essential purchases until your bags arrive, once the qualifying delay is met. Many plans also reimburse the cost to reissue a lost passport and guide you through local procedures. Keep airline reports and receipts ready, as complete paperwork expedites settlement.

Assistance and claims

An in-house assistance team and a single worldwide helpline support a good plan. In a cashless claim, inform the helpline early and follow admission guidance. For reimbursements, submit itemised bills, medical reports, boarding passes, and airline letters. Timely intimation and complete documents reduce delays.

Types of Travel Insurance Plans

Here are the key types of travel insurance plans: 

Individual Travel Insurance

• Who it suits: Solo travellers who want a policy tailored to one itinerary.
• What to look for: Balanced medical limits for the destination, evacuation and repatriation are clearly stated, and cashless treatment at network hospitals. If plans may shift, ensure the option to extend cover online is available.

Family Travel Insurance

• Who it suits: A couple or a family with dependent children who prefer one policy for everyone.
• What to look for: Family-appropriate limits on medical, journey, and baggage benefits, plus a simple claim process that allows one point of contact. Confirm how the sum insured applies across adult and child travellers.

Multi-Trip Travel Insurance

• Who it suits: Frequent flyers who take several short trips in a year.
  What to look for: An annual plan that covers multiple journeys with a fixed maximum duration per trip. This saves time and ensures consistent benefits. Check that medical, evacuation, and baggage limits are adequate for your regular destinations.

Student Travel Insurance

• Who it suits: Students relocating for education who need longer, more comprehensive protection.
• What to look for: Strong medical cover with cashless access, evacuation and repatriation, journey and baggage benefits that fit a longer stay, and round-the-clock assistance. Practical extras, such as emergency support and easy claim submission, are useful when navigating a new country.

Schengen Travel Insurance

• Who it suits: Travellers visiting the Schengen area who need a policy that meets visa requirements.
• What to look for: Medical limits that satisfy embassy rules, a certificate format accepted at visa centres, and coverage that remains valid across all Schengen countries. Keep the insurance certificate handy for visa appointments and border checks.

Senior Citizens Travel Insurance

• Who it suits: Older travellers who need clear and sufficient medical protection.
• What to look for: Transparent medical limits, terms related to pre-existing illnesses, and fast access to assistance services. Confirm how cashless hospital networks work for higher age bands and review any medical screening rules before purchase.

Conclusion

Travel insurance is more than a visa formality. It is a reliable way to protect your health, belongings, and bookings while you explore the world. Start with strong medical cover and clear journey and baggage benefits. Then choose the right plan type from the six listed in your images. Individual, Family, Multi-Trip, Student, Schengen, and Senior Citizens plans exist for real travel needs. Keep your documents and helpline numbers handy, and you will travel with confidence while your policy handles the unexpected.