Hi there!
The thing about travel insurance in general is that you really never know if you’ll be covered until you submit that claim.
The other thing about insurance is that you buy it hoping you never have to use it during your first trip to India!
But if the unfortunate time comes that you DO have to use it… you will probably be glad that you did buy it!
Because just knowing that you bought it may help to relieve some stress during an otherwise stressful situation. (Since it’s probably only because of a stressful situation that arises that you’d have to use it!)
What’s the best travel insurance for India?!
It’s not really possible to make sweeping generalizations about which travel insurance is best, because there can be different factors and it will depend on what’s most important for you.
I’m American and I have used World Nomads travel insurance for India (and other countries), and plan to for my next trip to India too. I’m now a partner of World Nomads.
Be sure to check out what the current information is straight from the source.
What makes World Nomads different from other travel insurance companies?!
Aside from the travel insurance actually working (I was reimbursed after my stay in another part of Asia was extended because of a natural disaster – natural disasters can happen in India too), what’s the reason I like this travel insurance company?!
There are a couple of big reasons.
It’s for active travelers
One reason is that they cover a pretty wide range of physical activities.
This also offers coverage under the standard plan for high altitude hiking too. (aka if you plan on hiking in the Indian Himalayas!)
Although if you want coverage for a REALLY high altitude in the Himalayas in India or Nepal, you’ll need to move up to the explorer plan.
But depending on which part of the Himalayas you go to, the standard plan WILL cover it. (Check to make sure it’s still the same when you buy the insurance though! It can also vary by country.)
And in general, I find the World Nomads standard plan to be quite generous for the activities that are covered, when some insurance companies won’t even cover a leisurely bicycle ride around Mumbai! (Yes it’s possible to go for a leisurely bike ride in Mumbai. 😉 Try Marine Drive! I’ve been cycling in Mumbai, Udaipur, Goa, and Kerala!)
Allianz is a popular travel insurance company in the US, and the last I looked, I found that they didn’t cover bicycle rides.
You can buy travel insurance after your India trip has started
The other main reason I really like World Nomads is because you can buy travel insurance even when you’re on the road.
This means that if you failed to buy insurance before you leave home, and you decide when you’re in India that you want insurance, you can get it!
Or, if you are on the road and end up making your trip longer than expected, you can buy more insurance too. I’ve done this a couple of time now.
There are other travel insurance policies that can ONLY be bought BEFORE your trip begins. (Again, when I checked Allianz, it was like this and this isn’t unusual for travel insurance companies.)
Although, don’t expect to be fully covered if you’re buying travel insurance AFTER you find out you’re in the path of a typhoon. It more or less applies to unexpected issues during your travels!
And finally a slightly smaller but still good reason…
It’s travel insurance made FOR travelers BY travelers
That sounds corny, but it’s true. 😉
It’s also recommended by top travel brands including the Lonely Planet.
HAPPY INDIA TRIP PLANNING!
See tips for your first trip to India, along with how to spend 2 weeks in North India, 1 month in South India, and 1 week in Kerala!
