What You Need to Know About Travel Insurance: Traveling Alone vs. with Family

After the pandemic, many people are eager to travel the world, enjoy life, and satisfy their travel cravings. Before setting off, should we buy travel insurance? When traveling with family, how do we choose the right travel insurance that covers all family members? What is the difference between individual and family travel insurance plans? Beyond coverage, what else should we pay attention to before buying travel insurance? This article outlines and compares different travel insurance options, helping you plan your trip with peace of mind and enjoy it worry-free.

During a trip, there are many uncontrollable risks and situations. If you encounter flight delays, lose your luggage or valuables, or have an accident that leads to injury or illness, travel insurance can provide appropriate coverage and protect your interests. Although buying travel insurance is not mandatory, it can help you handle unexpected events during your trip, allowing you to travel with peace of mind.

If you plan to travel with your family, and your group includes children or elderly members, you will need to pay extra attention to their specific needs and choose the right travel insurance for them.

Age Limits for Elderly and Children

Most travel insurance policies on the market have age limits, with the upper age limit for seniors typically set between 70 and 80 years old, while the age limit for accompanying children is usually set at below 18 years old. The coverage provided to each family member may vary based on their age and the insurance plan chosen. For example, Generali’s travel insurance offers coverage for seniors up to the age of below 80, and the maximum benefits for insured seniors does not decrease with age.

How to Choose Between Family and Individual Travel Insurance Plans

Generally, family insurance plans cover the policyholder, their spouse, and children. Some plans cover only the policyholder and their children. You can compare the total premiums of different plans to find the most cost-effective option.

For instance, if you and your spouse are traveling together without accompanying children, it is often more economical to buy a plan for group of individuals (2 individuals) than a family plan. In addition, family plans typically cover including children under 18. If you are traveling with your spouse and parents without accompanying children, a family plan may not meet your needs. To find a plan that provides comprehensive coverage for every family member, you may refer to Generali’s travel insurance product brochure for more information.

Before purchasing travel insurance, there are a few important things to consider to ensure you pick the right plan for you and your family.

When’s the Best Time to Buy Travel Insurance?

Many people wait until the last minute to buy travel insurance, but in fact, you should buy it as soon as your trip is confirmed. This way, your coverage starts from the day you purchase the insurance, not just during the trip itself.

For example, if you need to cancel your trip due to a sudden natural disaster (like an earthquake) at your travel destination, the travel insurance you bought will cover the losses from cancelling the trip. If you purchased insurance before the Hong Kong Observatory forecasts the issue of a Typhoon Signal No. 8, the flight delays caused by the typhoon will be covered. However, if you buy the travel insurance after issuing the no. 8 signal, the insurance will not provide protection because it is a known risk.

Can the Travel Period on the Travel Insurance Policy be Changed?

Sometimes, travel plans change at the last minute. Before purchasing travel insurance, check if the insurance company offers post-purchase services, such as allowing customers to change travel period on the policy or if there are extra fees for making changes. Generali Hong Kong offers free travel period changes for travel plans. If you need to make changes, remember to notify the insurance company as early as possible.

Frequency of Travel

Depending on your travel frequency, you can choose between single-trip or annual travel insurance plans. Single-trip travel insurance adjusts the premium based on the number of travel days, making it a good choice for people who don’t travel often. On the other hand, annual travel insurance requires just one fixed payment and covers you for the whole year — perfect for frequent travellers or those who visit family abroad often. Depending on your travel plans for the year, you can choose the appropriate insurance plan to save money. For example, if you travel six times a year with each trip lasting five days, an annual plan would be a more economical choice.

Travel Destinations

Make sure that your travel destination is covered under the insurance. If your trip involves multiple countries, you might want to consider a global travel insurance plan to ensure comprehensive coverage across all destinations.

Coverage

When choosing travel insurance, make sure to carefully read and compare the coverage details and compensation limits of different plans. Check things like the maximum number of travel days, coverage for high-risk activities, emergency medical services, and personal accident coverage. Also, don’t forget to check if the insurance offers emergency assistance services, such as 24-hour worldwide emergency assistance service, medical evacuation, and repatriation of remains, etc. Make sure the insurance covers what you need for your trip. If necessary, you can add extra coverage for even more peace of mind during your travels.

The coverage of travel insurance varies depending on the insurance company and the plan you choose. Generally, travel insurance covers emergency medical services, personal accidents, trip disruptions, personal belongings, emergency assistance, and personal liability. To get accurate information, you will need to review the product details from different insurance companies. That’s why it’s important to carefully read and understand the coverage before buying travel insurance to make sure all your needs are covered.

Bravo Travel Protector is a comprehensive travel insurance plan with no deductibles for all benefits. It provides all-round protection through 24-hour worldwide emergency assistance services and a wide range of coverage, including medical expenses (such as food poisoning, gas attacks, terrorist attacks, accidents, influenza, and infectious diseases), accidents (including various leisure sports like skiing, scuba diving, and bungee jumping), natural disasters (such as earthquakes and tsunamis), acts of terror, personal belongings, electronic communication devices, and sports equipment. Additional benefits such as coverage for travel delays, overbooking, unused entrance tickets, and optional cruise benefits are also available to enhance your travel experience.

For more details, please download the product brochure. Visit our official website to purchase the plan.