HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company is a joint venture undertaken by HDFC Limited and Ergo International AG (primary entity of Munich Re Group). The venture is divided in the ratio of 74:26 with HDFC Ltd. being the major holder. The company is spread over 89 cities and has over 109 branches spread all over India. It has been assigned an `iAAA” rating by ICRA owing to its highest claim paying ability. Why Overseas travel insurance? Overseas travel insurance is an insurance directed towards meeting any kind of medical expenses, trip cancellation charges, loss incurred owing to damage or lost luggage while traveling, flight accidents and other such related expenses. Basically, overseas travel insurance plan takes care of an individuals sudden expenses in connection to the trip taken abroad. It is the best kind of protection against any travel related emergencies and expenses. Overseas travel insurance ensures a peaceful travelling. Why opt for HDFC Ergo Travel Insurance: Overseas Travel Insurance with HDFC Ergo comes in a lot of variants and is easily available to all travelers. Even though travel insurance products are offered by many insurance companies, it is advisable to opt for HDFC Ergo Travel insurance as it comes with a lot of value added benefits. Some of the key benefits of HDFC Ergo Travel insurance plans are: The company follows instant online policy, whereby, the buyer can review all the products on sale and make a purchase decision and get approvals instantly. The company has 24*7 help assistance for all its policy buyers. The company does not demand for a health check-up prior to sanctioning of insurance plans. However, in cases of any adverse history the insured may have to submit relevant medical reports. It also provides for cashless claims, thereby, removing the unnecessary hassles of running around for reimbursements. HDFC ergo provides for overseas insurance plans in four variants, namely, Single Trip, multiple trips, Asia and a family floater plan. The company offers a range of sum insured, thus providing the policy buyer with the flexibility to choose the most suitable option from any of the given options. Even foreign nationals, employed with Indian MNCS, working in India and drawing a regular salary in Indian Rupees can opt for the plan. However, they need to submit proper ration card and IT verification documents for availing the plan with the company. The policy buyer may also opt for cancellation of the policy within 14 days of the inception of the policy. The plan buyer has to intimidate the company well in time via e mail or fax. The buyer also has to submit Xerox copies of the 40 pages of the passport to the company, in order to assure that the trip against which the policy had been purchased has not been undertaken. The company levies a cancellation fee of Rs.250 against every cancellation. The policy buyer may also apply for extensions of the policy period, subject to certain conditions: The policy period should not have expired and there should not have been any claims on the existing policy. A declaration of the buyers good health has to be submitted to the company. The policy can be extended for a maximum period of 180 days. However, the total term of the policy along with original policy should not exceed 360 days. Extensions can be done only once and the extension premium has to be paid before the extension is carried out. The number of days that the policy can be extended for depends upon the nature of the plan taken. For Single trip worldwide including USA and Canada, and for single trip excluding USA and Canada, the policy can be extended for a maximum period of 180 days, subject to 360 days of the total policy period including both the extension as well as the original plan tenure. For Single Trip Asia excluding Japan, the policy can be extended for a maximum period of 30 days, subject to 60 days of the total policy period including both the extension as well as the original plan tenure. For Single Trip Family Floater plan excluding USA and Canada, the policy can be extended for a maximum period of 60 days, subject to 120 days of the total policy period including both the extension as well as the original plan tenure. Even though the company allows for policy extension, an individual cannot opt for policy period reduction, i.e. no refunds will be made to the buyer in case of an early return to India. The policy buyer needs to contact HDFC Ergo for all kinds of claims. Claims can be made with HDFC Ergo in the following ways: The buyer may download the claim forms available on the companys website, or may register for a claim by calling at the HDFC Ergo help centre. The buyer may call at the specified phone banking numbers. The numbers are +800 08250825 (toll free) and +91-120-4507250 (chargeable). The buyer may alternatively fax his claim at +91-120-6691600 or drop an email at travelclaims@hdfcergo[dot]com. Lastly, the buyer may also visit the office located at HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited,5th floor, Tower 1, Stellar IT Park, C-25, Sector-62, Noida, UP, India – 201301 and register his claims. On receiving the claim request, the company will forward a claim form along with the list of the documents required, to the buyer via mail, email or fax. The claims are settled on the return of the policy buyer to India. However, claims will be settled instantly in case of hospitalization. The company provides for cashless hospitalization facility. The company does not have any tie ups with any specific hospital. HDFC ergo should be contacted immediately at the time of admission in order to make use of the cashless hospitalization facility. HDFC Ergo provides for online as well as offline purchase of the plans Eligibility for purchase of the HDFC Travel plan: HDFC Ergo travel insurance plan falling under the category of Single trip can be purchased by any Indian resident lying between the ages of 6 months to 70 years. HDFC Ergo travel insurance plan falling under the category of annual multi trip can be purchased by any Indian resident lying between the ages of 18 years to 70 years. HDFC Ergo travel insurance plan falling under the category of Single trip Asia excluding Japan can be purchased by any Indian resident lying between the ages of 6 months to 70 years. HDFC Ergo travel insurance plan falling under the category of family floater plan can be purchased by any Indian resident aged 60 years and below,for self, for his spouse aged 60 years and below, and for a maximum of two dependent children lying between the ages of 3 months to 21 years. HDFC TravelCoverage provided by the company: The list of various covers provided by the company is given below: Emergency Medical Expenses:It provides Cover against all kinds of medical costs incurred owing to certain illness or accidents including medically suggested and prescribed emergency evacuation of the plan buyer. It covers all outpatient, in-patient, medical aid, therapies and diagnostic tests and other such related expenses. Emergency Medical Evacuation: In cases of emergency evacuation to India, owing to certain disease or illness the company provides cover amounting up to the medical sum insured chosen. Repatriation of remains: I case of death of the plan buyers, the company provides funds for meeting the funeral expenses or expenses incurred towards repatriating the remains back to India. Emergency Dental Expenses:It also provides Cover for dental expenses which include acute anesthetic treatment of teeth. Hospital Cash:The Company also gives a fixed amount as decided in the policy schedulein the form of daily allowance in the case of hospitalization owing to sickness or accidents of the policy buyer. Accidental Death and Permanent Total Disability Common Carrier: The company provides for payment of the specified sum insured in the policyalong with the specified sum insured of Personal Accident, in case of any kind of accidental bodily injury inflected upon the buyer during the period of the journey owing to travel in common carriers such as rail, bus, tram, or aircraft; leading to death or permanent total disability. Personal accident:The Company also provides for adequate compensation in cases of sudden death or permanent total disability of the buyer due to an accident. Flight delay:The Company also provides compensationsin case of flight delays on completion of 12 hours and more than 12 hours of the scheduled departure time. Loss of Baggage and Personal Documents:It also reimburses any kind of expenses borne by the buyertowards replacement of lost documents and other personal belongings. Loss of Checked Baggage:It gives adequate compensation in cases of permanent loss of checked-in luggage. Delay of Checked Baggage:It provides compensations against expenses incurred on purchase of consumable goods (such as toiletries, medicines and clothes) owing to delay in the handing over of the checked in luggage of the insured individual by the carrier for more than 12 hours. Personal Liability:This plan also provides protection against any kind of legal liability in the form of any injury or property damage to a third party, that may arise upon the insured person during the travel period. Financial Emergency Assistance: This plan provides an insurance cover in cases of theft, pilferage, robbery or dacoity of the plan buyers travel funds leading to financial emergency. Amount fixed as per the policy will be given to the buyer. Contingency Travel Benefits: This plan pays for expenses incurred towards hotel rent in the event of any kind Bodily Injury or Sickness, sustained by the buyer leading to being admitted in a hospitalas an in-patient, thereby, resulting in missing to board the flight back to India. Hijack Distress Allowance:This plan also provides Insurance cover in the case of the hijack of the common air or sea carrier in which the policy buyer is travelling on his trip overseas during the insurance tenure. A hijack distress allowance will be given to the plan buyer for every single day of the hijack, as per policy limits. Student Travel Insurance Plan: Student Suraksha overseas travel plan is directed towards students travelling abroad for the purpose of studying. Key Features of HDFC Student Travel Insurance plan: This plan is issued to all Indian students between the ages of 16 years to 35 years wishing to travel abroad for the purpose of further studies. It provides cover for a minimum period of 30 days to a maximum of 2 years. The company does not demand for a health check-up prior to sanctioning of insurance plans. Coverage provided by the company: The list of various covers provided by the company is given below: Emergency Medical Expenses: It provides Cover against all kinds of medical costs incurred owing to certain illness or accidents including medically suggested and prescribed emergency evacuation of the plan buyer. It covers all outpatient, in-patient, medical aid, therapies and diagnostic tests and other such related expenses. Emergency Medical Evacuation: In cases of emergency evacuation to India, owing to certain disease or illness the company provides cover amounting up to the medical sum insured chosen. Repatriation of remains: In case of death of the plan buyers, the company provides funds for meeting the funeral expenses or expenses incurred towards repatriating the remains back to India. Emergency Dental Expenses: It also provides Cover for dental expenses which include acute anesthetic treatment of teeth. Hospital Cash: The Company also gives a fixed amount as decided in the policy schedule in the form of daily allowance in the case of hospitalization owing to sickness or accidents of the policy buyer. Personal accident: The Company also provides for adequate compensation in cases of sudden death or permanent total disability of the buyer due to an accident. Loss of Passport: It also reimburses any kind of expenses borne by the buyer towards replacement of lost passport. Loss of Checked Baggage: It gives adequate compensation in cases of permanent loss of checked-in luggage. Delay of Checked Baggage: It provides compensations against expenses incurred on purchase of consumable goods (such as toiletries, medicines and clothes) owing to delay in the handing over of the checked in luggage of the insured individual by the carrier for more than 12 hours. Personal Liability: This plan also provides protection against any kind of legal liability in the form of any injury or property damage to a third party, that may arise upon the insured person during the travel period. This plan also bears any kind of expenses in connection to the cost of bail bond in case of wrongful detention or false arrest of the policy buyer. This plan provides adequate compensations in cases of visit by an immediate family member of the insured in cases of hospitalization or due to repatriation of the insured person owing to a sudden death or any kind of medical emergency in the family, resulting in disturbance in the study. This plan also provides funds in the form of tuition fee reimbursements in case of death of the sponsor of the student. Applying for Overseas Travel Insurance Plans from HDFC Ergo: Travel insurance plans offered by the company can be applied to through multiple channels like: Individuals wishing to buy overseas travel insurance plans can simply call the Sales helpline of the company and speak to the customer service representative. They can provide their name, email id and mobile number on the website of the company and request for a call back. Online health insurance plans can be simply applied to by clicking the `Buy Online tab available on the companys website. The process of policy purchase can be done in three easy steps: All he needs to do is login to the companys website @www[dot]hdfcergo[dot]com and select the relevant tab. On doing so a new webpage will open asking for the plan buyers personal details such as his country of residence, date of birth, details pertaining to his travel abroad, and the type of policy he wishes to opt for. Based on the information provided by the buyer the page calculates the premium to be paid by the buyer in order to avail the plan. The applicant may play with various options, such as make alterations to his traveling plans or choose from different available plan options till he reaches a premium amount which is convenient to him. Having reached at the premium amount to be paid, the buyer has to click on the `Proceed button. A new page opens asking for the buyers credentials such as his name, age, residential address, official address, email id, telephone number, passport details, overseas number, name of the plan buyers physician and his mobile number, and his purpose of visit. The plan buyer needs to fill up the relevant details. The details provided should be accurate. On having supplied the necessary details, the buyer again needs to click on the `Proceed tab. A new page will open, wherein; the policy buyer is required to make payments for the policy bought as per the decided premium amount. Lastly, customers may also visit the companys branches or get in touch with an agent to buy the plans required.
