Rule zero: call the assistance line first
For anything medical, call the 24×7 assistance number on your policy before or at admission. They direct you to network hospitals (enabling cashless treatment where available), authorise procedures, and open the case file the claim will live in. Unauthorised non-emergency admissions are the most avoidable benefit reduction in the industry.
Genuine emergencies: get treated first, have someone call within 24–48 hours. No insurer penalises life-threatening urgency — they penalise silence.
The paper each claim type needs
Medical: itemised bills, discharge summary, prescriptions, and the treating doctor’s report. Cancellation: proof of the triggering event (medical certificate, death certificate) plus booking invoices and the supplier’s refund/no-refund confirmation. Baggage: airline Property Irregularity Report (file it before leaving the airport), tags, and receipts for valuables. Delay: airline delay confirmation and receipts for meals/hotel.
Photograph everything as you go — the habit of shooting every receipt and report into a phone folder is what separates two-week settlements from three-month correspondence chains.
Timelines, payment and appeals
Notify within the policy window (commonly 30 days of the event or return). Document-complete claims settle in 5–15 business days with US insurers and 7–30 days with Indian insurers; incomplete files sit in request-more-information loops indefinitely.
Rejected? Ask for the specific policy clause in writing, then appeal with targeted evidence. India: escalate to the insurer’s grievance cell, then the Insurance Ombudsman (free, binding on the insurer for amounts up to ₹50 lakh). US: your state insurance commissioner takes complaints that concentrate insurer minds. Our consultants help clients assemble claim files at no charge — it is part of the service.
Apply this to your actual trip
Run an instant comparison, or tell our consultants the trip — they’ll shortlist plans and confirm live premiums with the insurers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do travel insurance claims take?
Document-complete: 5–15 business days (US insurers), 7–30 days (Indian insurers). The variable is your file completeness, not insurer mood.
What is cashless hospitalisation?
The assistance company settles the hospital directly so you never front the bill — available at network hospitals when the admission is routed through the assistance line. Outside networks, you pay and claim reimbursement.
Can I claim without receipts?
Small fixed benefits (delay allowances on some plans) pay without receipts; everything else is reimbursement against documents. No paper, no payout — keep everything.
Keep reading
Premiums shown are indicative estimates compiled from publicly available plan literature and typical market rates — the final premium, terms and issuance are always set by the insurer. Plan benefits, limits and exclusions are summarised for comparison; the policy wording issued by the insurer is the only binding document. Confirm current terms with the insurer or our consultants before purchase.