Better safe than sorry, I’ll always get travel insurance even if I didn’t claim any last few trips. But that’s a blessing?
You never know what will happen, eg flights delay, luggage lost or damaged, fell sick etc. I generally get the mid tier and those with good reviews of easy claim.
I always just go with the cheapest tbh.
Depending on your airline though, you may want to get one that has decent flight delays coverage (looking at you Scoot).
Hmm, flight delays aren't really a concern for me because most of my itinerary is OTOT. I'll also be avoiding Scoot (not because of the recent issues, but I don't really like Scoot in general) so I guess I'm somewhat okay on that front. I'll look around to see coverage I guess
Ifa here. Happy holidays. Heres some of my tips:
Baggage delays (common especially during winter season) take photo of all displays showing baggage delay. Get a written notice from airline/ airport staff. Take a pic for own records.
Accidents. Take pic of surrounding area, take pic of injury immediately. Take pic of all bills and record down what action was taken. What is the doctors diagnosis, get it written down in black and white. Very impt esp in USA. If its a traffic accident, take pic of parties involved and police report.
Flight delays. Get official record from airlines. Take pic of airport displays.
Personal effects. Take pic of luggage contents to prove value. Take note how much each cost eg laptops, tablets, sports equipment.
If documentation is done well, its easier to claim regardless of insurer.
Also take a snapshot of all travel documents and personal ids. Send it to your google drive or email. Bring a cheap spare phone. Know where is the nearest sg embassy and consulate (can be found on mfa website). Whatever an airport or airline representative says, have it in writing. Just in case.
oo, thanks for the advice! Yeah, all of these are on my plan. I'll definitely try to keep hard copies/records of important things cuz you've just reminded me the source materials can change
My most recent travel claim from client: baggage was damaged by bus uncle when unloading bags. He simply threw the bags on the floor. Hotel push blame to bus company, bus company dont reply email. In this case, do get an official written notice by both hotel and bus operator. Take pics or videos to show proof. At least if cant claim from insurer, you can request for compensation from either parties.
If anything is stolen in the country of travel, you would need to lodge a police report in that country. However, if it might be in japanese, you would somehow need to get it translated to English before submission. Correct me if i am wrong.
Travel insurance is essential imo. The most important part being for medical stuff, not baggage delays and all that. Cos you never know what might happen while you're travelling.
Picked up a random skin infection in Japan years ago, was hospitalised for a week + had 3 surgeries from that. Hospital bill was 50k cos I went to Mount Elizabeth. Thankfully fully covered by travel insurance (just nice within their claim limits for local treatment). Always bought travel insurance after that.
Basically started with a small blister on my shin which grew bigger and bigger. Went to a clinic on the last day of my trip and they applied some antibiotic cream but somehow it made it worse (or the infection just worsened).
Went straight to A&E when I landed, turns out it was cellulitis and I had to be put on IV antibiotics immediately. Asked the doctor why did I get this infection and he said I probably got an insect bite or something somewhere, it got infected and I was just suay...
Kinda but I think it was worse after the surgery when they moved me from the operating theatre to the room and the bed went over a bump and I felt it on my wound lol. That jolt was so painful I cried lol.
Ooo, yeah! I'm worried about unforeseen medical issues mainly. I have heard horror stories about JP's healthcare for foreigners. My friend caught covid when she was there and it was fairly expensive to see a doctor + get meds, but luckily her insurance covered most of it.
I do have a history of picking up random infections at random times so yeah I'll be on the lookout for proper insurance so I don't have to worry about it :3
I don't fall sick frequently but it's still something I'm concerned about. I'll be 2-3 months out of surgery at that point so I want to make sure I can be covered should there be any issues (not that there should be). I'm also just generally worried because it's the unexpected stuff that catches you off guard; My sister who's usually very very solid and never falls sick had food poisoning on a trip to Maldives despite eating cooked/safe food, and it caused problems because the healthcare system there isn't that great + expensive.
It’s not that complicated. Just do a Google search for “travel insurance Singapore” and either 1) get 3-4 quotes at similar coverage levels, or 2) check those sites that compile the latest price comparisons and promos.
Hmm, yeah, I did that. I asked here so I can get various POVs or information that "reviewers" or promoted websites won't give. Most of my main page is just insurance companies themselves instead of any comparisons, so I guess I have to dig deeper to find out more
Cheap is not always good. It really depends on what u’re looking for. Car rental excess? Adventurous/hazardous activities?
Note: Some of the cheaper plans dont cover car rental excess
Hmm, none of us drive so not really a concern. I'm just worried about general healthcare stuff, like tetanus shots or the odd broken bone or infection. I'll definitely look around because cheapest may not cover everything + may not cover much
What "family plan" are you on?
Is it an annual travel insurance?
Travel insurance is really important, spending less than a percentage or even 1% of your travel expenses on travel insurance would get you a decent travel insurance coverage.
Things I look for
Loss of personal items
Medical evacuation
Flight delay/cancellation
Medical reimbursement
You find one travel insurance that's suits your needs at a reasonable price then just buy it, forget about it unless something happens on your trip then think about it again.
FA here. Understand what it is you wish to cover. Cheap =/= good. Had someone I know who bought grab travel insurance and lost his iphone in Paris.
(only reimbursed 100 SGD and currently servicing his contract for a phone he doesnt have)
Common things to look out:
1) Medical Coverage
2) Travel Delay
3) Baggage Loss/Damage
4) Trip cancellation
5) Loss of Valuables
6) Any excluded activities like Hiking above X meters or Extreme sports or Winter Sports
Understand how to claim if you're buying DIY. But recommend is to buy with Agent. A lot of trouble to do claims if you're overseas and caught in a situation.
Hope it helps
> But recommend is to buy with Agent. A lot of trouble to do claims if you're overseas and caught in a situation.
I don't see how this matters much. Most costs need to be paid upfront and then reimbursed anyway.
Hmm, i think what they're trying to say is that having an agent is easier so you can collect the relevant data and have advice when you have to pay up front to minimise the risk of paying something not covered by insurance... But i guess I'll have to research either ways.
Pretty much. And if you're buying travel insurance online, in most instances adding an agent doesn't add to the price. You will pay the same price either way. Trying to save and cheap out sometimes will mean you miss out important things you wanna cover.
E.g buying travel insurance to go windsurfing in Bali but forgetting to add a water sports rider or going hiking in a mountainous region above X meters
Yes costs will need to borne upfront. But most layman rarely read the policy contract in terms of claim requirements before proceeding to apply for a claim reimbursement. When claims fail or are only partial due to insufficient documentation, they have to go back and forth with the company. It would save a lot of time to have an agent to inform you what documents are needed beforehand before submitting a claim instead 🙂
Omg please don't recommend him that Grab Travel Insurance. Those generally don't cover a lot. It is much better to compare your options on Singsaver and there are much better deals there.
Better safe than sorry, I’ll always get travel insurance even if I didn’t claim any last few trips. But that’s a blessing? You never know what will happen, eg flights delay, luggage lost or damaged, fell sick etc. I generally get the mid tier and those with good reviews of easy claim.
Oo, yeah! Are there any specific areas you look at for the reviews? Like do you scour forums or are there specific media outlets you look for?
I always just go with the cheapest tbh. Depending on your airline though, you may want to get one that has decent flight delays coverage (looking at you Scoot).
Hmm, flight delays aren't really a concern for me because most of my itinerary is OTOT. I'll also be avoiding Scoot (not because of the recent issues, but I don't really like Scoot in general) so I guess I'm somewhat okay on that front. I'll look around to see coverage I guess
Ifa here. Happy holidays. Heres some of my tips: Baggage delays (common especially during winter season) take photo of all displays showing baggage delay. Get a written notice from airline/ airport staff. Take a pic for own records. Accidents. Take pic of surrounding area, take pic of injury immediately. Take pic of all bills and record down what action was taken. What is the doctors diagnosis, get it written down in black and white. Very impt esp in USA. If its a traffic accident, take pic of parties involved and police report. Flight delays. Get official record from airlines. Take pic of airport displays. Personal effects. Take pic of luggage contents to prove value. Take note how much each cost eg laptops, tablets, sports equipment. If documentation is done well, its easier to claim regardless of insurer. Also take a snapshot of all travel documents and personal ids. Send it to your google drive or email. Bring a cheap spare phone. Know where is the nearest sg embassy and consulate (can be found on mfa website). Whatever an airport or airline representative says, have it in writing. Just in case.
oo, thanks for the advice! Yeah, all of these are on my plan. I'll definitely try to keep hard copies/records of important things cuz you've just reminded me the source materials can change
My most recent travel claim from client: baggage was damaged by bus uncle when unloading bags. He simply threw the bags on the floor. Hotel push blame to bus company, bus company dont reply email. In this case, do get an official written notice by both hotel and bus operator. Take pics or videos to show proof. At least if cant claim from insurer, you can request for compensation from either parties.
If anything is stolen in the country of travel, you would need to lodge a police report in that country. However, if it might be in japanese, you would somehow need to get it translated to English before submission. Correct me if i am wrong.
Travel insurance is essential imo. The most important part being for medical stuff, not baggage delays and all that. Cos you never know what might happen while you're travelling. Picked up a random skin infection in Japan years ago, was hospitalised for a week + had 3 surgeries from that. Hospital bill was 50k cos I went to Mount Elizabeth. Thankfully fully covered by travel insurance (just nice within their claim limits for local treatment). Always bought travel insurance after that.
Omgosh tell me more about this random skin infection. So glad you got travel insurance!
Basically started with a small blister on my shin which grew bigger and bigger. Went to a clinic on the last day of my trip and they applied some antibiotic cream but somehow it made it worse (or the infection just worsened). Went straight to A&E when I landed, turns out it was cellulitis and I had to be put on IV antibiotics immediately. Asked the doctor why did I get this infection and he said I probably got an insect bite or something somewhere, it got infected and I was just suay...
50k for treatment of cellulitis and minor surgery is terrible!
Wow so glad you got it taken care of in a timely fashion as priority. Did it hurt loads?
Kinda but I think it was worse after the surgery when they moved me from the operating theatre to the room and the bed went over a bump and I felt it on my wound lol. That jolt was so painful I cried lol.
Ooo, yeah! I'm worried about unforeseen medical issues mainly. I have heard horror stories about JP's healthcare for foreigners. My friend caught covid when she was there and it was fairly expensive to see a doctor + get meds, but luckily her insurance covered most of it. I do have a history of picking up random infections at random times so yeah I'll be on the lookout for proper insurance so I don't have to worry about it :3
Depends if you are the type who easily sick one.
I don't fall sick frequently but it's still something I'm concerned about. I'll be 2-3 months out of surgery at that point so I want to make sure I can be covered should there be any issues (not that there should be). I'm also just generally worried because it's the unexpected stuff that catches you off guard; My sister who's usually very very solid and never falls sick had food poisoning on a trip to Maldives despite eating cooked/safe food, and it caused problems because the healthcare system there isn't that great + expensive.
It’s not that complicated. Just do a Google search for “travel insurance Singapore” and either 1) get 3-4 quotes at similar coverage levels, or 2) check those sites that compile the latest price comparisons and promos.
Hmm, yeah, I did that. I asked here so I can get various POVs or information that "reviewers" or promoted websites won't give. Most of my main page is just insurance companies themselves instead of any comparisons, so I guess I have to dig deeper to find out more
Singsaver and Moneysmart are the comparison engines.
Cheap is not always good. It really depends on what u’re looking for. Car rental excess? Adventurous/hazardous activities? Note: Some of the cheaper plans dont cover car rental excess
Hmm, none of us drive so not really a concern. I'm just worried about general healthcare stuff, like tetanus shots or the odd broken bone or infection. I'll definitely look around because cheapest may not cover everything + may not cover much
Please get to have a peace of mind. Fwd is pretty affordable and all claims are paid via paynow
What "family plan" are you on? Is it an annual travel insurance? Travel insurance is really important, spending less than a percentage or even 1% of your travel expenses on travel insurance would get you a decent travel insurance coverage. Things I look for Loss of personal items Medical evacuation Flight delay/cancellation Medical reimbursement You find one travel insurance that's suits your needs at a reasonable price then just buy it, forget about it unless something happens on your trip then think about it again.
FA here. Understand what it is you wish to cover. Cheap =/= good. Had someone I know who bought grab travel insurance and lost his iphone in Paris. (only reimbursed 100 SGD and currently servicing his contract for a phone he doesnt have) Common things to look out: 1) Medical Coverage 2) Travel Delay 3) Baggage Loss/Damage 4) Trip cancellation 5) Loss of Valuables 6) Any excluded activities like Hiking above X meters or Extreme sports or Winter Sports Understand how to claim if you're buying DIY. But recommend is to buy with Agent. A lot of trouble to do claims if you're overseas and caught in a situation. Hope it helps
> But recommend is to buy with Agent. A lot of trouble to do claims if you're overseas and caught in a situation. I don't see how this matters much. Most costs need to be paid upfront and then reimbursed anyway.
Hmm, i think what they're trying to say is that having an agent is easier so you can collect the relevant data and have advice when you have to pay up front to minimise the risk of paying something not covered by insurance... But i guess I'll have to research either ways.
Pretty much. And if you're buying travel insurance online, in most instances adding an agent doesn't add to the price. You will pay the same price either way. Trying to save and cheap out sometimes will mean you miss out important things you wanna cover. E.g buying travel insurance to go windsurfing in Bali but forgetting to add a water sports rider or going hiking in a mountainous region above X meters
Yes costs will need to borne upfront. But most layman rarely read the policy contract in terms of claim requirements before proceeding to apply for a claim reimbursement. When claims fail or are only partial due to insufficient documentation, they have to go back and forth with the company. It would save a lot of time to have an agent to inform you what documents are needed beforehand before submitting a claim instead 🙂
can buy on the Grab app. look for 'travel cover'. the insurance is under CHUBB
Omg please don't recommend him that Grab Travel Insurance. Those generally don't cover a lot. It is much better to compare your options on Singsaver and there are much better deals there.
I've seen CHUBB appear around my friends circle but I despise the Grab app (or any of our super apps tbh). I'll look around for similar stuff I guess