How to Choose the Best Travel Insurance for Your Next Holiday

The right policy depends on your health, itinerary, belongings and tolerance for disruption. These five areas are a useful place to start.

Overseas medical coverage

Overseas medical cover is one of the most important benefits to compare because it can reimburse the reasonable and medically necessary cost of treating an injury or illness occurring while you are overseas.

This may include fees charged by doctors, clinics or hospitals, as well as surgery, X-rays, medical supplies and ambulance transport. Equally important is emergency evacuation and repatriation, which may be necessary in the event of serious or fatal injury.  

Some travel policies also provide additional benefits that may be useful, such as benefits for follow-up treatment after you return to Singapore, traditional Chinese medicine and rehabilitative aids. 

Benefits have their own limits, and certain coverage may only apply under specific conditions. Always read the policy wording for a clear idea of the limitations in your travel policy. 

Singtel Travel Protect offers three plan tiers: Value, Economy and Premium. Under the Premium plan, an insured adult below 70 can receive up to S$1 million for medical expenses incurred overseas. 

Travel inconvenience

A medical emergency is not the only event that can derail a holiday. You might have to cancel before leaving, postpone your departure or change the trip halfway through because of an unexpected event. A transport delay may also leave you paying for food, local transport or accommodation while you wait, while delayed or lost luggage would mean incurring extra expenses to replace the  items you need.  

Check each benefit separately, as cancellation, postponement, delay and disruption usually have different limits and claim conditions. Under Singtel Travel Protect’s Premium plan, trip cancellation and trip disruption are each covered up to S$15,000 per insured person. Its travel delay benefit pays S$100 for every full six consecutive hours of delay, up to S$2,000 per insured adult. 

Luggage and personal belongings

A baggage limit can look generous until you examine the sub-limits. Policies often cap the amount payable for one item, a set of items, electronics, mobile phones or cash. They may also require you to report a loss promptly to the police, airline, transport operator or hotel and provide receipts or written reports.

For example, Singtel Travel Protect’s Premium plan provides up to S$8,000 per insured person for baggage loss. Within that amount, the policy applies lower limits to individual articles and certain electronics. If you travel with costly equipment, compare those sub-limits against what you are actually carrying.

Baggage delay is also included. The policy pays out S$200 per six hours of delay while overseas, up to specified limits. Should the baggage delay happen in Singapore, the policy pays out S$200.   

Lounge access during flight delays

When a flight is delayed, travellers may have to spend hours waiting at the airport without knowing exactly when boarding will begin. Gate areas can become crowded, seats may be limited, and keeping phones or laptops charged can be difficult.

Access to an airport lounge can make the wait more manageable by providing a more comfortable place to rest, along with amenities that may include refreshments, Wi-Fi and charging points. This can be especially useful during a lengthy delay or when you have another flight ahead.

Singtel Travel Protect includes a complimentary LoungeKey Flight Delay Pass worth up to S$220. When your flight is delayed by 60 minutes or more, you’ll receive an eligible pass to a participating lounge in the relevant airport terminal. You must register the flight before its actual departure time, and lounge availability and other conditions apply. 

Phone and data roaming benefits

During travel, your phone is often your flight ticket, visa document, map, payment tool and main way to contact family or emergency assistance. Damage, theft or an extended delay can therefore create costs beyond replacing the handset.

Exclusive to Singtel Travel Protect, Singtel Mobile customers receive three additional benefits.

• Phone Care reimburses up to S$800 to repair or replace a phone that is accidentally damaged or stolen during the trip. 

• Bill Protect reimburses up to S$200 a day, capped at S$2,000, on your Singtel Mobile bill during overseas hospitalisation due to an accident, for 24 hours or more.

• Data Rescue reimburses up to S$100 in additional Singtel mobile-data expenses following a travel delay of at least 12 consecutive hours.