The recent accident that happened to Emirates flight EK521 got several UAE residents thinking about travel safety concerns. In line, many experts have advised residents to get a travel insurance.
Mohammed Kamil Hussain, manager of outbound holidays at International Travel Services (ITS) told Khaleej Times: “We always advise people to take travel insurance wherever they go, even if it’s to their home country”.
Most people he said like Indians and Pakistanis are “eternal optimists”, think nothing bad can happen to them, and won’t spend on travel insurance, thinking airline insurance is enough. “They only get insured when traveling to Schengen countries, and that too because it’s mandatory”.
Bency Kurian, a marketing consultant for travel insurance, cited the following importance of getting a travel insurance:
• Subsequent to purchasing your expensive cruise holiday, you and/or your family members might fall ill or meet with an accident forcing you to forego the trip. On top of the misfortune, you can end up losing your entire trip cost or incur heavy cancellation charges.
• We all like to try new things and experiences when we travel; like a new cuisine or riding a scooter. Which can result in illness and accidents and good medical treatment is very expensive everywhere! This is where travel medical insurance is handy to have.
• Additional cover for high-risk activities like ski trips, where the requirement for emergency medical attention is even greater.
• In the event you are hospitalized, you might need to fly someone out to you and this can be very expensive.
• You could inadvertently hurt someone or damage property and in such instances, you’ll need legal counsel and funds to pay for damages. Very expensive if you don’t have the right travel insurance cover.
• Lost baggage payout by airlines are very low and will not be adequate to cover expensive notebooks, golf equipment, cameras, ski equipment, etc.
• Loss or theft of money, property and or travel documents.
• You or someone you are traveling with is injured and requires medical evacuation and or repatriation to your country of residence. This can cost thousands of dollars!
