Single vs Multi-Trip Travel Insurance - Which is Better?

The joy travelling provides can quickly turn into frustration and panic if an emergency puts us under severe financial stress. This could be anything from a flight cancellation, loss of baggage, or hospitalisation in a foreign country. That’s why an international travel insurance policy with adequate coverage becomes a must to shield our savings. But if you are someone who travels regularly, isn’t buying a policy each time an unnecessary hassle? Well, considering the needs of frequent travellers, insurance companies offer multi-trip policies. However, there seems to be a lack of clarity about how its features differ from the usual single-trip policy. So, let’s understand the factors you should consider before choosing between Single and Multi-Trip Travel Insurance.

What is Single-Trip Travel Insurance?

Single trip travel insurance, as the name suggests, protects you financially against unfortunate events for only one trip, whether domestic or international. The coverage starts from the day your journey starts and ends on your return home or the end of the policy period, whichever is earlier. You can travel to multiple destinations in one trip as long as you don’t return home in between the trip. Once you return home, the policy ends. Single-trip travel insurance is valid for maximum up to 180 days.

What is Multi-Trip Travel Insurance?

Multi-trip travel insurance typically covers you for one year and you can take as many trips during this period. However, there is a limit on the duration of individual trips, depending on the policy. This means you can take as many single trips in a year, but the duration of each trip should not exceed 30, 45, or 60 days.

Benefits of Single-trip and Multi-trip travel insurance

Both types of policies offer the same benefits, such as:

• Covers medical emergencies requiring hospitalisation due to illness, injuries, or accidents while travelling.

• If, due to an illness, you need emergency evacuation and repatriation to your home country, international travel insurance will cover the expenses.

• If you have to cancel or cut short your trip due to any covered reason, such as an illness, a family emergency, or a natural calamity, travel insurance will reimburse the non-refundable expenses of your flight tickets, accommodation, and sightseeing.

• It covers additional expenses incurred on food and accommodation due to flight delays or cancellations.

• It covers the cost of essential items like medicines, toiletries, and clothes if your baggage gets stolen/lost during the journey or if it reaches late at the destination.

• Losing your passport during the trip can be stressful, but not if you have travel insurance. Your insurer will help in getting a new or duplicate passport.

Single-trip vs Multi-trip travel insurance

Single-trip vs Multi-trip travel insurance: Which is better?

Both the types of travel insurance offer the same benefits. Choosing one over the other depends on your requirements. Single-trip travel insurance is ideal and better for people who travel occasionally and want to cover multiple countries in a single journey. It is also cost-effective as compared to multi-trip insurance. However, you have to buy a separate policy each time you plan a trip.

Multi-trip travel insurance is better for people who travel frequently, whether for business or leisure. Since it is valid for one year for multiple trips, there is no renewal hassle for each trip, thus saving you time. However, the premium is higher compared to single-trip travel insurance.

Conclusion

Once you understand how both the plans work, it will be easier for you to decide which one to buy. Make sure you choose the right international travel insurance for maximum protection during your trips.

(No Hans India Journalist was involved in creation of this content)