What are the misconceptions about travel insurance?

 What are the misconceptions about travel insurance?
travel-insurance-ideasIs travel insurance really essential? This is a question you would like to answer clearly and without fooling around, before you go on vacation abroad. To help you make an informed decision, here is a Top 10 of the main misconceptions about travel insurance and the answers to your various questions.

1. No need for travel insurance, I already have the one for my credit card

Not quite true.

For this insurance to be effective, your trip must first have been paid for with your credit card. This trip cannot exceed 90 days. In this case, it should also be taken into account that the cancellation, baggage and civil liability guarantees are very often absent from conventional card contracts.

With regard to medical costs, it should be noted that care as well as hospitalizations have a reimbursement ceiling of 11,000 € for a classic card (100,000 to 150,000 € for a premium card). This amount quickly turns out to be insufficient given the cost of a day in hospital in some countries. This is the case of the United States, Japan and Australia for example. Appendicitis in the United States can cost up to $ 20,000.

If you want to know more, read our article on what to check before traveling with credit card insurance.

2. Why take out a travel insurance contract? Social Security will reimburse me in the event of a problem

Not quite true.

In the case of a trip to Europe, if you have the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), the medical costs will be covered by Social Security, according to its rates and scales, regardless of the amount of care actually invoiced. It therefore seems advisable to take out a travel insurance contract which will complement this first reimbursement.

When your trip takes place outside of Europe, no more questions to ask, Social Security is not required to make a refund. In this kind of case, travel insurance is a necessity!

3. Travel insurance, an unnecessary expense, my trip is already costing me enough

False !

Of course, it's understandable that travel insurance can sometimes seem like an unnecessary expense. And yet, as soon as you think about it, it is clear that the slightest accident or illness that is not covered could very quickly increase the cost of your next vacation. Some expense items are compressible and it is probably better to start by reducing them if you want to make real savings.

4. I will buy travel insurance if I get sick

Very wrong !

Well no, unfortunately it does not work like that! From any insurance company, you will never be able to be insured for a condition prior to the subscription of the contract. Likewise, if you are granted a policy subscription while you are already traveling abroad, a waiting period will apply.

If you're still not convinced, take a look at our infographic: What is travel insurance for?

5. The more expensive the insurance, the better it will cover me

Not quite true.

It's not always the case. The right insurance contract is the one that meets your needs and that does not necessarily mean prohibitive price. It's up to you to define your needs and compare them with travel insurance offers to determine which one is right for you. Often it's not the most expensive!

Check out our article to better understand the price of travel insurance, and be sure to find the solution that's right for you.

6. You might as well take out cheap insurance, the guarantees are always the same

Not quite true.

Indeed, the main guarantees of a travel insurance contract are almost always the same. What will make the difference are the limits of the guarantees, the deductibles and the exclusions of the contract. In addition, in the assistance part, many guarantees can be offered to you, different according to the contracts, and there also with more or less high support amounts depending on the case. Once again, it's up to you to dissect the guarantees to find the ones that suit you best at the best price.

7. I don't do any risky sports, I don't need travel insurance

False !

It's not just skiing that you can break an arm or a leg. An accident can happen when you least expect it. Slipping down the stairs, getting food poisoning ... accidents or illnesses occur much more often in everyday life than during risky activities. And when it happens abroad, everything immediately becomes much more complicated. This is when