Travel Insurance - South Africa
Purchasers of travel insurance should be aware that insurers are notorious for excluding certain types of claims and making them subject to excesses and maximums). The best travel insurers are often Santam and Hollard, but even they have big holes in what they're willing to cover. Caveat Emptor!
Purchase travel insurance
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An uncovered emergency far from home can be costly. Unless you can withstand a big knock, insurance against travel losses - particularly for medical expenses and emergency evacuation home - is often an appealing investment.
Risks (partially) covered
There are a wide range of risks one is exposed to when travelling, whose resultant losses are usually only partially covered by travel insurance:
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Medical expenses
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Accidental injury, disablement or death benefit
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Legal assistance
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Overseas funeral expenses
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Cancellation of trip
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Delayed departure
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Trip is cut short
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Luggage is delayed (requiring emergency replacement of essential items)
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Theft, damage or loss of money or personal possessions (e.g. travel documents)
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Emergency evacuation/repatriation
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Rental car damage excess
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Personal liability
Common travel insurance Exclusions
Expenses related to pregnancy are usually excluded, as are pre-existing medical conditions. If you use drugs (including the alcohol drug), any injuries or illnesses as a result of this are for your own pocket. Usually terrorism and war is excluded.
Credit card travel insurance
Loads of travellers use the credit cards to purchase their travel tickets, and rely on the automatic travel insurance cover provided by credit card companies - what some don't realise is that the automatic credit car travel insurance is far from comprehensive.
Always check the small print
Wherever you've purchased your travel insurance, make sure you study the policy (a copy of the policy for credit card travel insurance is usually downloadable from the credit card company's website) - do not rely solely on any "abridged versions" or summaries, the law will usually hold you to the terms of the policy. When you've got the policy, make sure you read the whole thing (the small print often contains crucial informaion):
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The schedules of the travel insurance policy are a good place to start
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Know the procedures to be followed in the event you need to claim.
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Usually the medical cover falls away on your return to South Africa - but check that this is the case
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look out for any exclusions or special conditions.
Hollard Travel
Get a Hollard Travel Quote; main issue I had when I looked is that the maximum cancellation benefits were R30,000; which is not sufficient for luxury travel.
Bryte SA
When I had a look they were only offering R15000 cancellation insurance.
Old Mutual's Travelsure
Click here to learn more. Cancellation benefit is "Cost of original flight ticket", but I'm wanting to book a luxury train trip.
Hippo
They also said "Sorry, we where unable to find any quotes for you today."
Domestic travel in South Africa
For a domestic journey on The Blue Train or Rovos Rail for South Africans, you need to look at local South African insurers rather than international ones. International policies generally require travellers to cross an international border to be valid, and they exclude travel within your home country.
International travel insurers
Some options if you are not South African and looking for travel insurance.
Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection
EKTA Travelling
World Nomads
Safetywing
Generali
Auras.insure
Old Mutual Zimbabwe Travel Insurance
www.oldmutual.co.zw/personal/solutions/travel-insurance/
Allianz Travel
Click here to get a quote with Allianz Travel. When I tried to get a quote for a trip to Zimbabwe I got a message "No product is available".
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