Planning to travel to new destinations in 2025? Whether you’re flying overseas, going on a workation, or embarking on a family vacation, travel insurance is something you simply can’t do without. With overseas travel becoming increasingly popular and extended stays combining work and play, the dangers, from flight cancellations to medical emergencies, are greater than ever before. You don’t want to be left stranded away from home. Read on to know exactly what to look for when selecting the best travel insurance for you. If you’re travelling with loved ones, we’ll also discuss how family travel insurance can cover everyone together. You’ll leave knowing how to select the right travel insurance, so you travel smart and worry-free.
Tips for choosing the best travel insurance in 2025
With travel patterns shifting, more of you working overseas, organising longer foreign holidays or even balancing family holiday insurance requirements, it’s tempting to be swamped by the choice. Let’s cut through the noise simply so you understand precisely what to watch out for when selecting travel insurance that covers your back.
- Make sure the policy covers your entire trip length:
The first thing to check is that the travel insurance policy covers the entire length of your trip. Think of this: You’ve booked a 15-day holiday, but your policy quietly only covers 10 days, you won’t want to discover that halfway through the holiday. Always check that the start and end dates neatly coincide with your departure and return. Pro tip: If you’re thinking of family holiday insurance, double-check that the dates are suitable for anyone travelling with you as well. Keep a few days extra to be safe, in case of emergency trip extension!
- Double-check the claim limits and benefits:
It’s not so much a matter of having a policy, but about how much you are protected by it when something goes wrong. The claim limit refers to the maximum amount of money that you can be reimbursed. For family travel insurance, you should particularly ensure that the limit caters to all the members. Pro tip: Travelling to expensive countries like the US or UK? Opt for higher medical and baggage coverage of $10,000 or more. Lower cover might work for South East Asia, but won’t cut it in high-cost destinations as the medical costs in those countries usually phenomenal.
- Keep in mind what kind of activities you’ll be doing:
Be truthful to yourself regarding the type of holiday you’re taking. If you’re on a relaxed beach vacation, a standard policy will do. But if you’re trekking in the Himalayas, paragliding in Bir or skiing in Gulmarg, you’ll need travel insurance that specifically covers adventure sports. Family holiday insurance will usually contain conditions regarding age restrictions and activity types included, so do make sure your children or aged parents are participating.
- Select the appropriate type of policy for your type of travel:
Are you doing a one-trip-per-year holiday or an everyday flyer? If it is a one-time trip, then a standard holiday insurance plan suits you just as well. However, if you tend to travel more frequently, work or pleasure holidays, look for an annual multi-trip travel policy. Pro tip: Annual policies work best for frequent flyers. However. if it is a group holiday, family travel insurance tends to be a better deal than separate policies, it puts the whole family under one umbrella. Both premium payment, managing the policy as well as claim could become easier.
- Closely examine what is included in the policy:
Your travel insurance should include a minimum medical expense, trip cancellation, baggage loss and emergency evacuation. If you are travelling with expensive devices (e.g., laptops, cameras or phones), check to see if they are covered as well. Pro tip: When thinking about family travel insurance, also check things like child-specific coverage (e.g., lost passports or emergency medical needs) and any senior citizen help and support.
- Always read the fine print:
I know, it’s tedious. But this tiny step will save you heaps of stress later on. Prior to purchasing, take a seat, have a cup of tea with you and read the terms. You’ll find everything you need to know about making claims, waiting periods, what documents are required and even rules of cancellation of the policy. Particularly for family travel insurance, fine print will usually clarify how claims are handled when more than one person is involved. Pro tip: Carefully read the claim procedure and your emergency contact people, especially in a foreign country.
- Search for other covers that suit your requirements:
Certain travel insurance policies come with useful add-ons such as adventure sports cover, terrorism, or political evacuation cover. Pro tip: If you have pricey jewellery or gadgets in your bag, you can usually pay extra to cover those as well.
- Compare prices and shop around:
It’s tempting to take the first policy that comes up, but various policies provide varying benefits at varying prices. Take your time to compare. At times, a policy that is ₹500 more is double the medical cover, well worth it. Pro tip: For family travel insurance, bundle quotes tend to provide better savings, so do the calculations well and find out which one provides the best value.
- Don’t overlook the exclusions:
This is an area most readers bypass, yet it’s where the gotcha’s are found. You must be transparent about what the travel insurance does not cover. Most common exclusions are pre-existing medical conditions, high-risk behaviour, or visitation to states in political turmoil. Pro tip: When purchasing family travel insurance, find out about exclusions on maternity, pre-existing elderly members’ health conditions, or gaps in coverage in family crises.
- Keep a balance between coverage and cost: When purchasing travel insurance, buying the cheapest policy can be appealing, but inadequate cover can catch you out when you need it. Equally, splashing out on every add-on when you don’t need them costs a pretty penny. You need to find the middle ground.
- Trip cancellation cover preserves larger losses: Remember that trips don’t always work out. A medical crisis, a sudden work emergency, or even a natural disaster might compel you to cancel. A good travel insurance policy reimburses non-refundable costs such as flights and hotel reservations. Pro tip: If you’re purchasing family travel insurance, this is even more crucial because cancelling for several people can be very expensive.
- Extras can simplify life: Policies tend to add extras such as cover for delayed flights, lost luggage or missed connections. You don’t want all the extras, but note the following, if you have children or seniors travelling with you under family travel insurance, baggage delay and trip interruption cover can be a lot of help.
- Medical benefits are non-negotiable: You may be healthy currently, but any accident or medical emergency overseas will drain your resources. Medical charges in places such as the US or Singapore are exorbitantly high. Your travel insurance will need to provide cover for stays in the hospital, visits to a doctor, and evacuation in emergencies if required. Pro tip: When insuring your entire family to travel, ensure the medical cover benefits all members proportionately, ranging from children to aged parents.
Conclusion
The correct travel insurance isn’t simply a box-ticking exercise — it’s having peace of mind while you’re away on holiday. Whether you’re off on your own or purchasing family travel insurance, spend some time, compare thoroughly, and ensure that your policy matches the holiday you’ve got planned. You can travel with confidence, knowing you’re thoroughly insured should life throw a curveball. Happy travels!
Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.
