Last Updated on April 20, 2024 by Jamie Marshall
Travelling is the highlight of most vacations, which are often carefully planned and much looked forward to. Travelling abroad can be exhilarating and adventurous, but mishaps can and do happen. In a foreign country, where visitors are unfamiliar with processes and procedures, when things go wrong, the resulting chaos can ruin a much awaited vacation.
It is always recommended and good practice to get reliable, comprehensive insurance when travelling. Even though most people cannot imagine anything ruining their big event, any number of things beyond an individual’s control can go wrong.
These include sudden injury or illness, flight delays, cancelling your trip due to unforeseen circumstances, or lost or stolen baggage or expensive gear.
Nobody wants to think about these things, but having a good travel insurance plan ensures smarter and safer travel.
People in the UAE spend a lot of time planning their vacations, but surveys indicate that the majority of travelers do not buy travel insurance. There are a few predominant reasons for this:
- Most UAE residents are expatriates and the majority of expats travel back home for the holidays and automatically assume that they will not need travel insurance.
- Many residents are unfamiliar with the benefits a good travel insurance plan can offer.
Most travelers who do purchase insurance do so mainly due to visa requirements for travel abroad. However, as more savvy travelers become aware of the potential risks of travelling without good coverage, we can expect to see an increase in the number of people opting for travel insurance.
People put a lot of effort into planning a good holiday; buying good insurance coverage can help to protect the time and money invested in planning the holiday.
What does typical coverage include?
Most reputable travel insurance providers will offer coverage on the following:
- Medical Emergency: Coverage for illness or accidents incurred during travel.
- Personal Accident Cover: A pre-agreed lump sum amount paid for death, loss of limb, or loss of sight during travel.
- Emergency Evacuation: Includes coverage for medical transportation, early return due to death of a relative, and repatriation of mortal remains.
- Travel inconvenience: Coverage for loss, damage, or theft of baggage or equipment, loss of passport, cancellation of travel plans due to unavoidable circumstances, reimbursement for delayed departure, and baggage delay.
- Electronics Coverage: Reimbursement for loss, theft, or damage of electronics such as iPad, tablet, or laptop during travel.
- Travel coverage for persons 70 years and above: This is particularly useful if you would like your parents or in-laws who are above the age of 70 to visit you, as it covers unforeseen medical emergency costs for them.
Companies offering international travel insurance for Dubai
Below, we’ve compiled a list of the companies that offer comprehensive travel insurance for Dubai.
World Nomads
World Nomads is an insurance company launched in 2002 specifically for those who are passionate about travel. More than just an insurance provider, the experienced staff at World Nomads offer great service designed to make travel easier and safer.
Leading travel brands such as Lonely Planet and National Geographic Adventures recommend World Nomads to their travelers as they offer a number of unique features, such as language guides for iPhones, travel alerts, and an informative travel blog that provides a ton of useful information where you can share your travel stories, adventures, and insights.
Apart from its standard coverage, this company also offers these unique features:
- Ability to buy insurance coverage when you are already overseas
- Ability to extend coverage if your travel plans change
- Ability to resume your trip after an unplanned interruption
- Coverage for expensive gear for travelers
- 24/7 emergency help desk with a dedicated phone number, email, and ability to contact for help via Twitter and Facebook
AXA Travel Insurance
AXA provides five insurance packages to suit a variety of travel needs: Travel Smart, Travel Family, Travel Schengen, Inbound Travel, and Inbound Plus Travel. AXA Smart coverage is ideal for those worried about medical emergencies and travel inconvenience such as lost documents or lost baggage.
It provides coverage for medical emergencies arising from bodily injury or illness, and includes a limited amount for emergency dental care. It also provides comprehensive cover for emergency evacuation and assistance, personal accident, and personal liability.
AXA Family provides coverage for the entire family under one premium that covers the person insured, spouse, and an unlimited number of children. AXA Schengen provides the minimum coverage required to get a visa for Schengen countries. You can customize the insurance plan you select with additional coverage based on individual needs.
Zurich Travel Insurance
Partnered with HSBC, Zurich Travel insurance offers four insurance plans that cover single or multiple trips for international travel: Gold, Silver, Family, and Schengen plans. All plans include basic coverage for emergency medical expenses or evacuation, lost, stolen, or damaged electronics and baggage, loss of money, and personal liability.
Coverage limits depend on the chosen plans. The type of plan chosen may also depend on the area of coverage. In addition to this, each of the four plans provides additional coverage for some things that are not normally covered, such as emergency dental expenses and legal assistance that may be required while travelling.
AIG Travel Insurance
AIG offers the AIG Travel Guard Insurance plan for overseas travelers that insures them against travel inconvenience such as delayed or missed connecting flights, lost baggage, trip cancellation, adventure sports, and emergency medical related expenses.
Insurance coverage can be customized by adding additional coverage to suit individual requirements. The company’s 24-hour assistance service ensures that clients get the best service either before, during, or after travel – or in case of any travel emergency that might arise.
RSA Travel Insurance
RSA travel insurance offers customers three levels of travel insurance – Executive, Holiday, and Schengen travel. Each level of coverage comes with its unique features.
Executive level travel insurance offers higher limits for coverage, and also provides some unique coverage options such as kennel and cattery fees and extra coverage for assault and robbery. Holiday travel insurance comes with the standard coverage that most other companies provide with the option of adding on customized coverage for adventure sports and golf.
It is important with any insurance coverage to read coverage wording carefully, and to ensure that you are familiar with what is included and what is not. Make sure you understand and ask any questions before purchasing a policy.