Why Insurance is a must before you go for a Safari in Africa!!
Those who are planning a safari in Africa should know that any safari activity is potentially hazardous. Add to it the fact that the Third World doesn’t always run as smoothly as you might like and you know that a full travel insurance is a must before you catch a flight to the ‘Dark Continent’!
If it is your first international trip ever, then you should have a precise idea of the different types of travel insurance available.
Insurance: An Introduction
Here’s a simple explanation from Wikipedia:
Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, financial default of travel suppliers, and other losses incurred while traveling, either within one’s own country, or internationally. Temporary travel insurance can usually be arranged at the time of the booking of a trip to cover exactly the duration of that trip, or a “multi-trip” policy can cover an unlimited number of trips within a set time frame. Coverage varies, and can be purchased to include higher risk items such as “winter sports”.
Generally, different insurance companies cover risks such as
- Sickness/ accident during journey
- Accidental injury/ disablement/ death
- Funeral expenses abroad.
- Interruption/ cancellation of trip
- Evacuation on emergency basis
- Lost/ stolen/ damaged/ delayed baggage
- Flight miss owing to airline schedule
- Travel delay for bad weather
The common clauses that insurance companies don’t cover are:
- The client has a pre-existing medical condition.
- War/ acts of terrorism
- Illness/ injury caused by drug abuse or alcohol.
Make sure that you carry the right, comprehensive medical insurance to cover yourself. And when it comes to choosing an insurance company before you make your trip to Africa, there are certain things that you should keep in mind.
Vital Facts About Travel Insurance For Your Safari To Africa
It is imperative for you to know some key facts regarding travel insurance for your trip to Africa, and basically for any safari trip because if something goes wrong during your trip, you will be well prepared to manage the situation.
- Unless you have taken an Africa travel insurance policy, many safari operators will not accept your booking.
- No safari operators will accept your tour booking unless you have opted for an Africa travel insurance policy. Some of the tour operators may offer you one of their own, but it is not mandatory to take theirs. But make sure that you have some type of coverage.
- Two types of coverage, namely medical coverage and trip curtailment are important for African safari. So make sure that you get them both.
- No medical help providers in Africa accept payment from insurance company. Hence, for emergency situations, you should make arrangements for ready access to cash by wire transfer or credit card.
- Many Africa travel insurance companies instruct their clients to get authorization from them before any emergency medical evacuation. However, since some of the safari lodges and camps are remotely located, it may not always be possible to use a telephone and have the authorization beforehand. So check that the company you choose has this clause. You should also know what you can do if such a situation arises.
Also, before you choose an insurance company, keep certain things in mind.
How To Choose An Insurance Company
The following tips will help you to choose the right insurance company for your needs.
- Make certain that the insurance company provides a comprehensive policy. It should contain specific details including treatment services, trip interruption, medical expense and the like.
- Check if the insurance company you are choosing covers the activities that you are considering during your safari such as quad biking, sky diving and trekking.
- If you make a claim for theft and the like, don’t forget to keep the police report as well as the case number for future reference. Also, keep a copy of the Travel Insurance Policy while you are out.
Once you are equipped with the right insurance policy, nothing is going to hinder you from enjoying you vacation to the fullest!!!
