Be it the sunny and mild weather of San Diego, a romantic stroll through Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, visiting the high energy bars and nightclubs of Miami, sailing in Seattle, gambling, shopping and living it up at Las Vegas or simply visiting family in New Jersey, the United States is known to offer something for every type of traveller.
Whether you are travelling to America to enjoy some quality time with your spouse or to visit your relatives in the US, one thing you should not travel without is travel insurance. The problem is that often, people travelling with their spouse or children get confused about whether to choose individual plans for each family member or to invest in a combined plan that can offer protection to all travellers under a single policy.
Well, I am here to break down some facts for you that might help you make an informed decision. Firstly, I should let you know that there really isn’t any difference in the premium amount, benefits and policy maximum between individual and combined policies.
So, when travelling with your spouse, I would highly recommend going for the more flexible and advantageous individual policies, available at the same cost. Here are a few reasons for my suggestion.
In this article...
You Can Choose Different Policy Maximum and Deductible
Even when you are travelling together, there are high chances that you and your spouse might require different policy maximum and deductible, due to the age difference, present health condition and more. Having a combined policy means that both partners will have the same policy maximum and deductibles, regardless of differing needs. On the other hand, buying separate plans allows you to select the most suitable policy maximum and deductibles.
You Can Cancel or Renew Individually
There could be time when one partner might want to stay on in America, while the other returns home or one partner might need to cancel the trip at the last moment. In such cases, having a combined policy makes no sense. With separate policies, you can cancel, extend or make other changes in the cover, based on individual needs.
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Cancellation & Refund Become Easier
In case of cancellation, if you haven’t made any claim for the policy, the refund for cancellation is made available by the insurer. However, in case of a combined policy, a claim made for any of the people covered under the policy would make it ineligible for a refund on being cancelled. This makes it more than necessary to opt for separate policies for you and your spouse, such that the claim made by one person doesn’t affect the refund for cancellation of the other policy.
When Travelling with Children
Couples accompanied by kids below the age of 18 can invest in combined policies for the entire family. In this case, buying a combined policy can be less expensive than individual policies. The entire family will be covered under a single plan for medical expenses, emergency evacuation and repatriation of the insured family at a much lower premium.
In a nutshell, buy separate travel insurance policies when travelling with your spouse for its certain advantages and a combined policy when travelling with a larger group, such as with your children, for greater coverage at a lower premium.
Got questions? Ask in comments.
