Medical emergency cover is one of the most important parts of travel insurance. If you become ill or injured while travelling, medical costs abroad can be expensive, especially in countries where healthcare is paid upfront or billed privately.
When comparing policies, check:
- The medical expense limit
- Whether emergency hospital treatment is included
- Whether emergency medical evacuation is covered
- Whether pre-existing medical conditions are excluded
- Whether COVID-19 or other infectious illness benefits apply
- Whether the policy includes repatriation back to South Africa
For international travel, medical cover should be one of the first benefits you review.
Trip cancellation and disruption cover can help protect you financially if your travel plans change due to an insured event.
This may include cover for:
- Cancelling your trip before departure
- Cutting your trip short
- Travel delays
- Missed connections
- Unexpected illness or injury before travel
- Certain family emergencies
- Airline or travel supplier disruption, depending on the policy wording
Always check what reasons are accepted for cancellation. Not every change of plan will be covered.
Baggage cover can help if your luggage is lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed during your trip.
When comparing travel insurance companies, check:
- The total baggage cover limit
- The single-item limit for valuables
- Whether electronics are covered
- Whether theft from unattended luggage is excluded
- The baggage delay benefit
- What documents are needed when claiming
Many policies have specific limits for items like laptops, cameras, phones, jewellery, and cash. These limits should be reviewed before you buy cover.
If you are travelling from South Africa to a Schengen country, travel insurance is usually required as part of the visa application process.
When comparing travel insurance providers, check whether the policy:
- Provides medical emergency cover for Schengen countries
- Meets the minimum medical cover requirement
- Covers your full travel period
- Provides a policy certificate for visa submission
- Includes emergency medical assistance
A Schengen-compliant travel insurance policy can help support your visa application, but it does not guarantee visa approval.
A strong travel insurance policy should include access to emergency assistance while you are abroad.
Emergency assistance may help with:
- Medical referrals
- Hospital admission support
- Emergency evacuation arrangements
- Travel emergency guidance
- Repatriation assistance
- Support during serious travel disruptions
Before buying a policy, check whether emergency assistance is available 24/7 and whether the contact details are clearly shown in your policy documents.
Every travel insurance policy has exclusions. These are situations where the insurer may not pay a claim.
Common exclusions may include:
- Pre-existing medical conditions, unless specifically covered
- Travelling against medical advice
- High-risk sports or activities
- Claims involving alcohol or drug misuse
- Unattended baggage
- Travel to restricted or high-risk destinations
- Known events that existed before buying the policy
- Failure to obtain required travel documents or visas
Always read the policy wording before buying cover. The cheapest policy may not be the most suitable one if important benefits are excluded.
Getting a travel insurance quote online is usually simple.
You will typically need to provide:
- Your destination
- Travel dates
- Number of travellers
- Traveller ages
- Type of trip
- Optional cover requirements
Once your details are submitted, you can review available cover options and choose the policy that best matches your trip.