Policy paid. Has your cover started?

Your tickets are booked and your suitcase is packed. When should you buy travel insurance: a week ahead, at the airport or after you arrive? The EUROASIA Insurance offer has a separate rule for buying while abroad: insurance starts at 00:00 on the fourth day following the date of issue.

Payment and the start of cover may therefore happen at different times. Buy your policy before travelling and check the dates in the document.

How soon do you leave?

A week before departure is a practical planning suggestion, not a mandatory waiting period in the offer. Buying ahead gives you time to spot a wrong name or travel date without the rush before boarding.

If you buy at the airport, open the document before leaving the country. A message saying money has left your account is not the only thing to check: confirm payment and receipt of the policy. Under the offer, the electronic policy file is sent by email after payment is confirmed.

1. Set your travel dates and destination

First, write down your departure and return dates. Compare them with the insurance period in your policy. This is the period during which the document applies; a claim for an event abroad is also checked against those dates.

The offer specifies a period from 00:00 on the start date to 23:59 on the end date. The payment and insured-territory conditions must also be met. Selecting today's date does not, by itself, cover events that have already happened.

If you visit several countries, check that every destination on your route falls within your chosen programme's territory. Do not check only the main destination and overlook an intermediate visit to another country.

If you are already abroad, count the days using this example. A policy is issued on 10 November. The following days are 11, 12, 13 and 14 November. The fourth day is 14 November, with cover starting at 00:00. This is an illustration, not a real customer's story.

Do not turn this into “exactly 72 hours after purchase”: the offer uses calendar days. If you are unsure about the time zone, ask the insurer before paying and check the start time in your document.

2. Check the programme and your planned activities

A correct start date does not replace checking the territory. For example, ECONOM includes Turkey and the UAE, while CLASSIC (+COVID) also includes the Schengen countries. Do not choose by the programme name alone.

Distinguish the total sum insured from the limits for individual services. Medical services and other types of assistance have their own limits. Compare the total sum with the medical-services limit before choosing.

Tell the insurer what you plan to do on holiday, too. If you intend to ride a scooter or quad bike, or take part in other active tourism, do not assume an ordinary policy covers it automatically. Section 6.7 of the offer provides for an additional premium and the relevant policy condition for those activities. Review the options on the sports and active-holiday insurance page.

3. Choose a single-trip policy or a MULTI plan

For one holiday, match the policy to that trip's dates. If you plan several trips during the year, compare the MULTI plans as well. Look at two figures: how long the policy remains valid, and how many insured days are available within that period.

For example, the 365 days shown for MULTI III-90 do not mean 365 days of continuous cover: its insured duration is 90 days. Read both columns together when comparing the plan with your intended trips.

Buying MULTI does not bypass the rule for taking out a new policy while abroad. If your trip has already started, check separately when cover under the chosen plan will begin.

4. Open and check the policy after payment

When the policy arrives, download it to your phone. Then compare the document with your tickets and itinerary:

• your first name, surname and identity-document details;
• the start and end dates;
• the insured territory and programme;
• the sports or active-tourism condition, if needed;
• the number of insured days for MULTI;
• the contact details for the assistance service.

If you find an error, ask the insurer how to correct the information. If you move your return date, do not assume the existing policy extends automatically: compare its end date with the revised travel plan.

Which mistakes should you avoid?

One common misunderstanding is that buying a policy immediately covers every expense. There is a waiting gap when you buy while abroad; do not expect a new policy to cover an event that happened before cover began.

Buying after you become aware of an illness does not automatically insure its treatment either. Section 6.9.4 of the offer excludes treatment of illnesses known at the time the policy was issued. Both the timing of the event and its compliance with the terms matter.

If you need help, do not plan simply to visit any clinic and send the bill later. First, learn how to contact the assistance service listed in your policy. There is a separate guide to using your policy if you become ill abroad.

The key points

Arrange the policy before your trip and check payment and dates. If you buy while abroad, allow for cover starting at 00:00 on the fourth day following the date of issue. For MULTI, compare policy validity and the number of insured days separately.

Know your dates and destination? Compare options in the travel calculator, read the terms and arrange the policy that fits your trip.