What is Single Travel Insurance?
Single Trip cover is a travel insurance policy for a one-off holiday. If you go away twice or more every year, it could work out cheaper to buy Annual Travel Insurance compared to buying two single trip policies. But if you travel on holiday just once a year, Single Trip Insurance could be better value.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Single Trip Travel？
Pros
Price:
If you are only going on ONE holiday a year, then a single trip policy is the most cost-effective choice for your needs.
Cover for the entirety of the trip:
You can arrange for insurance coverage for solely the exact number of days of your trip, thus minimising spend on unnecessary days.
Higher or no age limits:
Many insurers will not provide Annual Travel Insurance for those 75 and above in age – making Single Trip coverage the only option available.
Cover for trip begins when purchased:
Decreases unintentional spending in the event of a trip cancellation.
Tailored for trip itinerary:
Annual Travel Insurance might limit the locations of travel covered, so Single Trip Policies give you a wider range of destinations covered.
Cons
Price:
If you go on MORE THAN ONE holiday a year, it may be more expensive overall to purchase multiple individual Single Trip Policies.
Effort:
If you go on more than one holiday a year, it will require more time and effort to manually purchase multiple Single Trip Policies rather than one Annual Travel Insurance plan.
Potential risk:
As insurers require a Single Trip Policy to be purchased 3-days prior to when your trip begins, any cancellations of said trip cannot occur within those three days, thus decreasing your travel flexibility.
Hassle if stay is extended:
As Single Trip cover is based on fixed dates, any unforeseen extensions will not be covered, or require you to take out a new policy.
What is not covered in Single Trip Travel Insurance?
You should always read the policy carefully before buying to make sure it covers your needs, as insurance providers will have a list of exclusions – things they won’t pay out for if you make a claim. These may include:
- Treatment if you have a pre-existing medical condition.
- Any sports that are played in a professional capacity or in competition.
- Extreme sports such as big wave surfing, cliff jumping, horse jumping, potholing, ultra-marathons, biathlons, triathlons and stunt riding.
- Strikes that were public knowledge when you bought your insurance.
- Claims arising from travel to a place where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has advised against travel, prior to your trip.
- Claims resulting from drug or alcohol consumption.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Single-Trip Insurance In Singapore
- Many insurance companies set the policy period of single-trip insurance policies to 180 days. This figure varies, depending on the provider.
- Annual travel insurance cover an indefinite number of trips, typically within 12 months, subject to a maximum of 90 days per trip. For single trip travel insurance, the policy can cover up to a maximum of 180 days.
- It depends. If you’re a frequent flyer or your profession requires you to frequently travel overseas, getting annual travel insurance may be cheaper. But if you don’t often travel, you can opt for single-trip travel insurance for a one-off holiday.
- Yes. Many insurance providers include COVID-19 in their single-trip insurance policies. You can engage with an insurance broker in Singapore for more information and to find the right plan that fits your travel needs.
- While each insurance provider differs in coverage, single-trip insurance plans can cover the following:
- Medical expenses and evacuation
- Serious illness
- Baggage delay, loss, or theft
- Theft of money or personal property
- Delayed or cancelled flights
- Accommodation expenses
- Emergency repatriation due to political unrest or natural calamities
- Rental vehicle excess
- Damage to personal belongings
- Depending on the country that you are travelling to. Some countries require passengers to provide travel insurance and other documents when flying. Not having travel insurance can also put you at risk of spending substantial out-of-pocket costs for any incidents that happen to you while overseas.
- No. Policy must be purchased before the trip. Most of the insurers impose exclusions on some benefits (such as Trip Cancellation) if policy was purchased less than 3 days prior to the trip.
- You should file a travel insurance claim as indicated in your policy. Most companies advise you to lodge a claim within 30 days of flying back home. Your claim may be rejected if you file beyond the policy period.
Most standard travel insurance policies do not offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions unless you fulfil the policy contract's 'stability' requirements. Consider going for a personalised travel insurance plan with no stability requirement for pre-existing medical conditions.