OCBC Travel Insurance Review

OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance offers high coverage for medical expenses and hospitalisation, trip curtailment or cancellation, and for personal belongings, too. How can travellers make the best use of this plan, and what are the drawbacks to watch out for?

OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance is an upper-tier plan that offers some of the highest claims limits for important benefits. This also means it falls on the costlier side of things, but the inclusion of three tiers of benefits provides some leeway in balancing between budget and protection.

In this article, we’ll explore what OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance offers travellers, what it does well, and who might find the best use out of it. 

Table of contents

• Product summary
• Why choose OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance?
• OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance – what does this plan exclude?
• Benefits, plans and pricing
• Overseas medical and hospitalisation benefits
• How much does OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance cost?
• Should you choose OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance? Pros and cons
• How to claim?

Product summary

Why choose OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance?

If you value high coverage in your travel policy and don’t mind paying a higher premium, OCBC Explorer might just be the travel policy you’re looking for. 

This travel insurance plan doesn't shy away from piling on the benefits and coverage levels, particularly in the area of medical expenses. Not only do you have a high coverage ceiling, daily cash benefit when hospitalised and/or quarantined due to COVID-19, you will also receive substantial coverage for follow-up treatment back in Singapore. 

Travel inconveniences – including trip cancellation, trip curtailment and lost luggage and belongings – also enjoy high coverage limits. You can even opt for top-up coverage for laptops and tablets, essentially doubling your benefits. This may still not be sufficient to cover high-end models, but it's still better than the relatively low coverage found in other plans. 

OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance – what does this plan exclude?

We’ve highlighted some general exclusions in Scootsurance. Be sure to check the policy wording for the full list of exclusions. 

OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance does not cover:

• Pre-existing conditions
• Travelling for medical treatment, or against the advice of a doctor
• Self-inflicted injury or suicide
• Pregnancy (except for medical emergencies in the first 20 weeks) and childbirth overseas
• Activities while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Communicable diseases or the threat of it
• Riding a motorcycle without license and use of a helmet

Benefits, plans and pricing

Key benefits of OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance

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Overseas medical and hospitalisation benefits

OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance offers between S$300,000 to S$700,000 for overseas medical expenses, which should be sufficient to cover all but the most dire of circumstances. This is further boosted by daily hospital cash of up to S$40,000. 

Your medical benefits continue during follow-up treatment in Singapore, albeit to a lesser degree, as is customary. You’ll be covered for up to S$35,000 for follow-up treatment in Singapore, and receive S$100 per day of hospitalisation, up to a maximum of $7,000.
 

Emergency evacuation and personal accident benefits

With this plan, you will be covered for up to S$1 million in case an emergency evacuation is required. 

Meanwhile, personal accident coverage ranges from S$150,000 to S$500,000, with double payouts if the accident took place via public conveyance. 

Not to be too morbid or anything but personal accident benefits can go a long way in shielding surviving family members from financial hardship. Hence, having sufficient coverage in this area should not be overlooked, especially if you’re still in the process of building family wealth. 

Travel inconvenience 

This is another area where this plan shines. Policyholders can enjoy up to S$15,000 coverage for trip cancellation or curtailment, and up to S$7,500 for lost baggage or travel documents.

This high coverage level makes OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance a suitable choice for protecting expensive holidays or trips with long durations.
 

Optional add-ons 

OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance offers four optional add-ons, including sports equipment cover, rental car excess, home contents while you’re away, and top-up coverage for laptops and tablets. 

As already discussed earlier in the article, the last add-on would be useful for those travelling with expensive tech.

How much does OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance cost?

We’ve mapped out how much OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance costs for a single adult traveller. Here’s what we found out. 

• For a 7-day trip in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific, premiums are between S$54 and S$103.
• For a 7-day trip in Europe, premiums cost between S$78 to S$138.

While the Starter plan is more affordable than the other two plans, it also offers the lowest coverage levels, in places differing by a large amount. Also, the Starter plan does not include COVID-19 benefits, so travellers still concerned about the pandemic should strongly consider the Essential or Ultimate plan. 

Unsure if this travel insurance plan is the right one for your trip? Compare the best travel insurance promotions for your unique vacation needs below.  

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How to claim OCBC travel insurance?

Follow these steps when making a claim against your OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance policy. 

• Step 1: Prepare the necessary documents, including:
  • Claims from
  • Travel itinerary
  • Police report
  • Receipts and invoices
  • Hospital and medical bills
  • Personal details
  • Policy number
• Step 2: Submit your claims online at the Great Eastern Travel Claims portal. Your claims will be processed and you will be informed of the outcome in due course. Alternatively, you can mail in your claim forms, including supporting documents:
  
  Attention: Claims Department
  Great Eastern General Insurance Limited
  1 Pickering Street, #01-01
  Great Eastern Centre, Singapore 048659
  
  
• Step 3: For further assistance, reach out to Great Eastern via:
  Phone: +65 6856 8548
  Email: gicare-sg@greateasterngeneral.com

Should you choose OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance? Pros and cons

On the plus side, OCBC Explorer Travel Insurance offers a high level of coverage, which some travellers may find appealing or comforting. But the question remains whether you would need such extensive coverage if you’re, say, taking a weekend getaway to Phuket.

After all, there’s simply no point paying for more coverage than you need. 

However if you’re planning a long holiday or looking to splurge on a much-awaited trip, this plan should prove to be a suitable option. 

And if you still want to shop around for more travel insurance deals, look no further! Hit the button below to compare the best travel insurance promotions in Singapore.

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