By Fasina V
A missed flight, a lost passport, or a sudden medical emergency abroad can turn a dream holiday into a financial nightmare. And today more Indians are flying abroad than ever before. Whether it’s a family wedding in Dubai, a honeymoon in Europe or a new degree in Canada, there is one thing that is often missing from the packing list: travel insurance for Indians travelling abroad.
This guide from SkyDays Tours covers all you need to know about travel insurance for international travel, from what it actually covers and how much it costs to which countries won't even let you in without it.
Travel insurance for international travel is a short-term policy that protects you financially against medical emergencies, trip cancellations, lost baggage, and other unexpected events while you're abroad. It's not the same as your regular health insurance, which usually stops working the moment you leave Indian soil.
Think of it as a travel protection plan built for the things you can't plan for. A twisted ankle on a Bali hike, a cancelled connecting flight in Bangkok, a suitcase that never showed up at Heathrow. None of these are things you want to pay for out of your own pocket, especially when overseas healthcare costs can run into lakhs within a day or two.
In India, general and health insurers offering these policies are regulated by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), which sets the ground rules for how these products are sold and what insurers must disclose. Knowing that a regulator sits behind these policies is one of the reasons travel insurance for Indians has become a more trusted, mainstream purchase rather than an afterthought.
A few years back, travel insurance felt optional. Something you'd skip to save a few thousand rupees. That's changing fast, and for good reason.
Healthcare abroad is expensive. A single night in a US hospital can cost more than an entire Europe tour package. Even in countries that feel closer to home, like the UAE or Thailand, medical bills for foreigners are rarely cheap.
Indian outbound travel is also growing at a pace nobody predicted a few years ago. According to the Ministry of Tourism's data portal, India logged record outbound travel in 2024, helped along by wider flight connectivity and a bigger travel-hungry middle class. Recent industry estimates put outbound trips from India at close to 32 million in a single financial year, with Indian travellers spending well over 31 billion dollars abroad. The UAE tops the list of favourite destinations, followed by Saudi Arabia, the US, Thailand, Singapore, the UK, and a mix of Gulf and Southeast Asian countries that together account for the bulk of Indian departures.
Picture a family from Kozhikode flying to Dubai for a week. Or a young couple from Thrissur off to Paris and Switzerland for their honeymoon. Or a student from Kochi heading to Canada for higher studies. Each of these trips carries a different kind of risk, which is exactly why travel insurance for Indians can't be a one-size-fits-all decision.
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Real Traveller Scenario A family of four from Kozhikode flew to Dubai for a five day holiday last year. On the third day, their youngest son ran a high fever and needed hospital care. The ER visit and a short stay came to nearly 90,000 rupees. Because they had bought a basic travel insurance plan before departure, most of the bill was settled directly with the hospital through cashless claim assistance. Without that cover, it would have eaten into a big chunk of their holiday budget. |
Standard plans generally include a group of basic benefits in a single travel protection plan
Emergency treatment and doctor visits if you’re travelling and suddenly become ill or injured.
Covers inpatient treatment, surgery and hospital costs if you are hospitalised overseas.
It reimburses non-refundable expenses if you must cancel your trip for a covered reason before you leave.
Reimburses you for food, lodging or other expenses if your flight is delayed beyond a certain number of hours
Covers essentials and compensates you if your checked-in baggage is lost, damaged or delayed.
Pays for the cost and inconvenience of obtaining an emergency travel document if your passport is lost while overseas. This also makes the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and the nearest Indian embassy or consulate, relevant as they will give you the emergency certificate that you will need to travel back.
Covers the costs of emergency medical evacuation to India or the nearest appropriate hospital.
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Coverage Type |
What It Handles |
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Medical Emergency |
Doctor visits, treatment, medicines |
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Hospitalisation |
Inpatient care, surgery costs |
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Trip Cancellation |
Non-refundable bookings |
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Flight Delay |
Meals, stay, missed connections |
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Baggage Loss |
Compensation or essentials cover |
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Passport Loss |
Emergency document assistance |
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Evacuation |
Transport to hospital or back home |
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Expert Insight: Travel advisors often point out that travellers focus too much on the premium and too little on the claim experience. A policy that costs a little more but offers a cashless network of hospitals, quick approvals, and a responsive 24x7 helpline is usually worth it. When something actually goes wrong abroad, the last thing you want is to be stuck on hold trying to get your claim approved. This is really what separates good travel assistance services from the bare minimum. |
Not every destination demands proof of travel insurance, but a growing number do, especially where visas are involved.
If you're applying for a Schengen visa to visit countries like France, Germany, Italy, or Switzerland, travel insurance is compulsory. Under rules set by the European Commission's Migration and Home Affairs department, your policy needs a minimum medical coverage of 30,000 euros, valid across all Schengen member states, and it must cover repatriation and emergency medical treatment.
Not always mandatory for tourist visas, but strongly recommended given how quickly medical costs add up in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Not legally required for a visitor visa, but most study and work permit applicants are expected to carry adequate health coverage.
There's no legal requirement for tourist visas, but given how steep American healthcare costs are, skipping insurance here is a genuinely risky move.
Not mandatory for short visits, but the same logic applies. One emergency room visit without cover can wipe out your entire travel budget.
The short version: mandatory or not, if you're flying anywhere outside India, some form of overseas medical coverage is worth having as part of your broader travel risk management.
There's no single number here, since pricing depends on a handful of factors.
Destination: A trip to Thailand or Malaysia usually costs less to insure than one to the US or Europe, where healthcare is pricier.
Age: Senior citizens generally pay more, since medical risk is higher.
Trip duration: A 5-day Bali holiday costs less to cover than a 3-month study trip to the UK.
Coverage amount: Higher medical coverage limits mean higher premiums.
Rather than quoting exact figures that change often, it's better to compare a few live quotes closer to your travel date through an IRDAI-registered insurer or broker. What matters more than the price tag is making sure the coverage amount actually matches where you're going and how long you'll be there.
With so many plans out there, here's a simple checklist to run through before you buy.
Medical coverage amount — Does it meet the visa requirement, if any, and is it enough for the destination's overseas healthcare costs?
Claim process — Is it a cashless claim network, or do you need to pay first and get reimbursed later?
Emergency assistance — Is there a 24x7 helpline you can actually reach while abroad?
Pre-existing condition coverage — If you're travelling with a known health condition, check whether it's covered or excluded.
Adventure sports coverage — Planning to try paragliding in Georgia or scuba diving in the Maldives? Check if that's included or needs an add-on.
Family coverage — A family floater plan can work out cheaper than buying separate policies for each member.
Choosing well here is a big part of good travel risk management, and it's exactly the kind of thing that separates a smooth trip from a stressful one.
A few patterns show up again and again among first-time international travellers from Kerala.
The lowest premium often means the lowest coverage too. It's worth reading what's actually included before assuming a cheap travel insurance for international travel is a good deal.
Every policy has a list of what it won't cover. Pre-existing conditions, certain adventure activities, or specific countries can be excluded, and most people never read this section until it's too late.
If you're applying for a Schengen visa, for instance, the embassy will reject an application if the coverage amount falls short of the required minimum set under EU rules.
Buying insurance the night before your flight is common, but it also means you miss out on cancellation coverage for anything that happens before departure, like a sudden illness that forces you to postpone the trip.
Planning an international trip involves a lot more than booking flights and hotels. Between visa paperwork, documentation, and figuring out what kind of insurance actually fits your itinerary, it's easy to miss something important.
SkyDays Tours, based in Kerala, works with travellers heading to destinations across Asia, Europe, and beyond, from Thailand and Bali holidays to Europe tours and trips to Azerbaijan. Along with putting together the itinerary, the team helps travellers understand visa requirements, sort out international travel documents, and get pointed in the right direction when it comes to picking suitable overseas trip preparation, including travel insurance for Indians heading on their first big trip abroad. It's less about selling a policy and more about making sure nothing gets overlooked before departure.
It depends on the destination. Schengen countries require it for visa approval, in line with EU regulations. Most others, including the US, UK, and UAE, don't mandate it legally, but it's still strongly recommended given overseas medical costs.
Many current plans include COVID-19 medical coverage, but this varies by insurer. Always confirm this specifically before buying, since some older or basic plans may exclude it.
Yes, you can buy it any time before departure, though buying it soon after booking gets you cancellation coverage for events that happen before your trip even starts.
Some plans offer visa rejection cover as an add-on, refunding the premium or certain costs if your visa application is denied. It's not standard in every policy, so check before assuming it's included.
For a Schengen visa application, you need a minimum medical coverage of 30,000 euros, as required by EU entry rules. Many travellers opt for higher cover given how expensive European healthcare can be.
Yes, most standard plans include compensation for lost, delayed, or damaged baggage, though the payout amount and conditions vary by insurer.
It's not a strict visa requirement for most tourist visas, but given the cost of private healthcare in the UAE, it's a smart addition rather than a legal box to tick.
Yes, though premiums tend to be higher and some plans set an upper age limit or ask for a medical declaration. It's worth comparing senior-citizen-specific plans for better terms, and checking that the insurer is IRDAI-registered.
International travel from India isn't slowing down anytime soon, and neither are the risks that come with it. A good travel insurance policy won't stop a flight from getting delayed or a bag from going missing, but it makes sure those moments don't end up costing you more than the trip itself. That's really the whole point of travel insurance for Indians planning a trip abroad, whether it's a short Gulf holiday or a long semester overseas.
Before your next international journey, speak with the travel experts at SkyDays Tours to make sure your trip is properly planned and protected, right down to the insurance policy in your bag, so global travel safety isn't left to chance.
Skydays offers competitive pricing for all their travel packages. They understand that travel can be expensive, which is why they strive to offer the best possible rates for their clients without compromising on quality.
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