Frequently Asked Travel Insurance Questions

For policies issued on or before 25 March 2020

Claims relating to epidemics or pandemics are not covered unless the purchase of the policy (for Single Trip policy) or the booking of the trip (for Annual Plan policy) was made before 23 January 2020 (to China), 23 February 2020 (to South Korea) or 4 March 2020 (to the rest of the world). Claims unrelated to epidemics or pandemics remain covered, subject to policy terms and conditions.

For policies issued on or after 26 March 2020

Claims related to epidemics and pandemics will not be covered for all Single Trip and Annual Plan policies purchased on or after 26 March 2020.

If you require further clarifications regarding your travel insurance coverage related to health outbreaks, kindly contact our Customer Care team at 6221 2111. Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 8pm and Saturdays, 9am to 3pm (Closed on Sundays and public holidays), or email [email protected].

If you have a Budget Direct Insurance Comprehensive Travel policy and do not fall into the excluded categories as outlined above, you will be covered for inconveniences directly related to an epidemic or pandemic. Your cover will include Travel Inconveniences such as Trip Cancellation, Trip Shortened, Trip Disruption and Trip Postponement (see table below).

*Remember: If you purchase a Single Trip policy or an Annual Plan policy on or after 26 March 2020, claims related to epidemics or pandemics will not be covered.

Additionally, if you do not fall into the above exclusions and have to be quarantined, you are eligible to claim a daily allowance under the Comprehensive Travel policy (see table excerpt below).

Note that not all insurance companies or policies cover Travel Disruption or offer an Overseas Quarantine Allowance, so check your policy details to ensure you know exactly what you’re covered for. Read more about Budget Direct Insurance’s travel policy benefits here.

Airline cancellations are included in Budget Direct Insurance’s travel policy as Travel Inconveniences, which are also subject to the same exclusion criteria outlined above; you will only be covered if you do not fall into the above exclusion categories for claims related to epidemics or pandemics.

If you had purchased a Single Trip policy, Budget Direct Insurance will provide a full refund with no cancellation fees if you decide to cancel your policy before your policy start date on the condition that no claim is made or reported against your policy.

If you had purchased an Annual Plan policy, you may request for a cancellation of the unused portion of the premium (less cancellation fee, as outlined below), as long as no claims were made or reported since the start of the policy period. Feel free to call our Customer Care team at 6221 2111 or email [email protected] and we will be happy to guide you through the process.

You may refer to the below for more information on our travel insurance cancellation policy for Annual Plans:

• If you cancel your policy before the policy start date, we will charge a premium of $50.00 (before any applicable GST).
• If you cancel your policy on or after your policy start date, you will receive a refund of 80% of the unused premium if no claims have been made or incidents reported on your policy.
• If you have made a claim, there will not be any refund of premiums.
• Any refund of the pro-rated unused premium will be computed as follows:

We would refund you via the same way as you had paid for your premium, e.g. if you had paid by cash or cheque, we would refund you by cheque. If you have paid by credit card, we would refund you through the same credit card.

If you have a medical emergency overseas, contact us immediately. When you buy your policy, you will receive an SMS and your policy documents by email, detailing the emergency assistance numbers. You can call any time, from anywhere in the world.

If you require hospitalisation, emergency transport or need to return to Singapore urgently, you must contact us as soon as possible.

If you incur medical expenses on your trip, keep copies of all receipts and details of any costs incurred and treatment received. For more information refer to our Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Document

We only cover people who are travelling overseas for business or on holiday. We don’t cover travel for the purpose of getting medical treatment.

Yes, we will help cover the cost of your necessary medical, surgical, hospital and dental treatment due to an accident or sickness suffered during the period of insurance. The amount we cover will be up to the limit shown on your Policy Summary.

Yes, we will help cover the cost of emergency dental treatment due to an accident covered under your policy. The amount we cover will be up to the limit shown on your Policy Summary.

Yes, when you purchase our Comprehensive cover, we will help cover the costs of necessary treatment by a chinese medicine practitioner or chiropractor due to an accident or sickness suffered during the period of insurance. The amount we cover will be up to the limit shown on your Policy Summary.

Provided you were not aware of any symptoms of the sickness or injury prior to buying your travel policy, then you may be covered for transportation and accommodation costs incurred if you have to cancel the trip.

You will need to provide us with a written report on the said medical condition from a medical practitioner - confirming that it is a serious sickness or injury.

You will not be covered for any pre-existing medical conditions.

Yes, if you named them under the Family Plan policy at the time of purchase. This Family Plan covers up to 2 adults travelling with up to 4 children. The children must be related to at least one of the adults.

Yes, you and your boyfriend and children will be covered on our Family plan so long as you’re one of the travelling adults plus a child is present including nephew/cousin/grandchild.

We suggest you take out our Group plan as you will enjoy a better discount. We recommend that all families with just two members take out our Group plan.

You should take out our Single trip cover. This covers you for one long trip lasting up to approximately 6 months (182 days). Otherwise our Annual policy covers you up to 90 days per trip (up to 3 months.)

We provide cover for personal items. Please see the table of benefits in the Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Document (on page 23) for limits applicable for your level of cover.

As part of your standard travel insurance with Budget Direct Insurance, leisure skiing and snowboarding on marked slopes with or without an instructor is covered by your policy.

Off-piste skiing is not covered by your travel insurance.

If you are unable to continue travelling and are forced to shorten your trip due to you suffering from a serious sickness or injury, we will pay for the transport expenses (air, sea or land travel) and accommodation costs that you have paid or have agreed to pay under a contract and which you cannot get back (including the travel agent’s cancellation fee).

If you are unable to continue travelling and are forced to shorten your trip due to death, serious sickness or serious injury suffered by you, your family member or travelling companion, we will pay for the transport expenses (air, sea or land travel) and accommodation costs that you have paid or have agreed to pay under a contract and which you cannot get back (including the travel agent’s cancellation fee). We will also pay for reasonable transport expenses (for air, sea or land travel on economy class) for your return to Singapore.

Yes, we will pay for the reasonable expenses paid by you to a medical practitioner, hospital and/or ambulance for emergency medical or surgical treatment, hospital charges and/or ambulance hire as considered necessary by a medical practitioner for you to be treated while overseas, up to a period of 60 days from the date of your first treatment or up to the limit shown on your Policy Summary, whichever is reached first.

We will also pay for the reasonable expenses paid by you to a specialist for medical treatment, only if the specialist medical treatment is considered necessary by a medical practitioner and has been referred by a medical practitioner (excluding dental treatment).

Yes, we will only pay the necessary emergency dental treatment expenses incurred outside Singapore to replace sound and natural teeth or a fractured jaw at the direction of a medical practitioner as a result of injury suffered by you during the trip. The maximum amount we will pay under this overseas accidental dental expenses benefit is shown on your Policy Summary. The overall compensation payable under the overseas medical expenses benefit (including the overseas accidental dental expenses benefit) shall not exceed the limit shown on your Policy Summary.

Dental treatment resulting from tooth, gum or oral diseases, or from the normal wearing of your teeth is not covered.

Yes, we will pay for the reasonable expenses paid by you to a specialist for medical treatment, only if such specialist medical treatment is considered necessary by a medical practitioner and has been referred by a medical practitioner (excluding dental treatment).

Yes, if you suffer an injury or sickness during your trip while overseas and need to get treatment when you return to Singapore, we will pay for the reasonable expenses paid by you to a medical practitioner, hospital and/or ambulance service for medical or surgical follow-up treatment, hospital charges and/or ambulance hire (in relation to that injury or sickness) in Singapore considered necessary by a medical practitioner.

If you did not get medical treatment when you were overseas, you must do so in Singapore within 48 hours of your return. We will only pay for the treatment you receive during the period of 30 days from the date of your first treatment in Singapore or up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary, whichever is reached first.

If you had received medical treatment overseas, we will pay for you to continue receiving treatment in Singapore, during the period of 30 days from the date you return to Singapore or up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary, whichever is reached first.

Yes, if you suffer an injury or sickness while on a trip and you have to be hospitalised overseas for at least 3 complete days, or your medical condition does not allow you to return to Singapore for medical treatment. If no adult family member is with you during your stay in the hospital, we will pay for reasonable transport expenses (for air, sea or land travel, on economy class) and accommodation expenses (for a standard room). This is for one family member or travelling companion to travel and stay with you until you are confirmed medically fit by a medical practitioner to continue with your trip or to return to Singapore, or for up to 30 days from the date the trip ends, whichever is reached first.

Yes, if during the trip, you are confined in a hospital overseas:

• as a result of sickness or accidental injury;
• within 30 days of the sickness or accident causing the injury; and
• such confinement is considered medically necessary by a medical practitioner,

we will pay you the amount for this cover as shown in your Policy Summary. The amount will be paid for each complete day (24 consecutive hours) of confinement from the time you are confined and up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary. Every complete day of confinement shall be counted towards the total number of days of confinement even if the days do not run consecutively.

Yes, if you unexpectedly suffer an injury or sickness while overseas, we will pay for the necessary and reasonable expenses paid by you to a Chinese medicine practitioner or a chiropractor for treatment (whether in Singapore or overseas).

If you did not get the treatment when you were overseas, you must do so in Singapore within 48 hours of your return. We will pay for the treatment you receive during the period of 30 days from the date of your first treatment in Singapore or up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary, whichever is reached first.

If you have received the treatment overseas, we will pay for you to continue receiving treatment in Singapore, during the period of 30 days from the date you return to Singapore or up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary, whichever is reached first.

You must give us written report(s) of your medical condition from your Chinese medicine practitioner or a chiropractor (both overseas and in Singapore), together with original medical bills and receipts.

Yes, if you are not allowed to get on a form of public transport for which you had previously received confirmation, because it was overbooked, we will pay you the amount for this cover shown on your Policy Summary, except where:

1. you have received any form of compensation; or
2. other alternative transport arrangement was made available to you within 6 hours of the scheduled departure.

You must give us written proof of being denied boarding from the transport provider of the public transport or their handling agents.

Yes, if you miss your travel connection because of a delay in the arrival of the scheduled public transport which you took, and had received a confirmed reservation for that travel connection, and there is no other travel arrangement available to you within 6 hours of the scheduled departure of that travel connection, we will pay you a cash benefit of S$100 for every 6 consecutive hours of delay you suffer, up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary.

You must give us written proof of your missed travel connection from the transport operator (flight, train, coach or ferry with fixed itinerary) or their handling agents.

No, you will not be covered under our travel insurance, as we do not cover trip cancellation due to work commitments.

If you have bought your Policy more than 3 days before you are due to leave but are forced to abandon your trip because the travel agency, transport provider or tour operator is no longer operating for business and they cannot provide part or all of your trip, we will pay for the transport expenses (air, sea or land travel) and accommodation expenses that you have paid and which you cannot get back (including the travel agent’s cancellation fee) up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary.

Yes, you are required to report to the police immediately at the place of accident/ theft/ robbery and furnish us with a copy of the police report.

You may also call our 24-hour hotline at +65 6540 2199 if you need further assistance.

No, either Budget Direct Insurance or our assistance company will arrange and decide on the most appropriate method of transport and the destination to move you to, based only on medical necessity and the severity of your medical condition.

Yes, if there is a loss or damage to your rental vehicle due to an accident during your trip, we will pay for the excess or deductible of the motor insurance covering the rental vehicle and for which you are responsible for, up to the limit shown on your Policy Summary.

In order to claim, you must show that:

• The rental vehicle is rented from a licensed rental agency and you were named as either a driver or co-driver of the vehicle; and
• you have obtained comprehensive motor insurance when hiring the rental vehicle so that the said policy will pay for the loss or damage to the rental vehicle throughout the rental period, beyond the excess or deductible which you are responsible for.

Yes your policy includes cover for acts of terrorism. This includes terrorist kidnapping and hostage-taking as well. Please note, though, like most insurers we do not cover acts of terrorism, which involve the use of Nuclear, Chemical or Biological warfare (NCB).

Yes, our travel insurance policy covers you when you are trekking, provided it is for leisure and you are able to show the following:

1. you did not venture higher than 4,000 metres above sea level during the trek;
2. you trekked in a public place;
3. the trek was organised by a recognised tour operator or activity provider or under the guidance and supervision of licensed guides or instructors of a recognized tour operator or activity provider; and
4. you wore the necessary safety equipment and followed the prescribed safety procedures, rules and regulations of the licensed guides or instructors.

Our comprehensive travel insurance policy will cover you when you cancel due to an airline strike.

But you would only be covered for this event if you bought the policy beforehand. If you buy your policy once news of the airline strike is in the public domain, then you won’t be covered.

Advice on single trip and annual travel insurance plans

At Budget Direct Insurance your policy, either a single trip or annual plan, will cover you for financial losses arising from claims directly or indirectly caused by a strike if:

* For Single Trips: You bought the insurance policy before a relevant authority (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) issues a travel advice on the strike or before the strike is reported in any media.

* For Annual Plans: You booked your trip before the travel warning announcement by the a relevant authority (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) issues a travel advice on the strike or before the strike is reported in any media.

* If you buy your insurance policy AFTER the strike is reported by the media or following a relevant authority’s (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) issuance of travel advice on the event, then your policy will not cover you for claims directly or indirectly caused by the strike.

Yes, you are covered under the policy as we will automatically extend your period of insurance while you are overseas at no additional premium for the first 14 days from the Policy End Date as shown on your Certificate of Insurance if :

• the public transport you are travelling on to return to Singapore is delayed and you cannot complete your trip by the Policy End Date and you did not cause the delay; or
• you are admitted into a medical centre or a hospital or are quarantined overseas as advised by a medical practitioner and you cannot complete your trip by the policy end date.

Yes, you are covered under the policy as we will automatically extend your period of insurance while you are overseas at no additional premium for the first 14 days from the Policy End Date as shown on your Certificate of Insurance if:

• the public transport you are travelling on to return to Singapore is delayed and you cannot complete your trip by the Policy End Date and you did not cause the delay; or
• you are admitted into a medical centre or a hospital or are quarantined overseas as advised by a medical practitioner and you cannot complete your trip by the policy end date.

We will not pay for dental treatment resulting from tooth, gum or oral diseases, or from the normal wearing of your teeth.

Yes, we will pay the necessary emergency dental treatment expenses incurred by you outside Singapore to replace sound and natural teeth or a fractured jaw at the direction of a medical practitioner as a result of an accidental injury suffered by you during the trip. The maximum amount we will pay under this overseas accidental dental expenses benefit is up to a period of 60 days from the date of your first treatment or up to the limit shown on your Policy Summary, whichever is reached first.

Yes, we will help cover the cost of your necessary medical, surgical, hospital and dental treatment due to an accident or sickness suffered during the period of insurance. The amount we cover will be up to the limit shown on your Policy Summary.
NOTE: We only cover people who are travelling overseas for business or on holiday. We don’t cover travel for the purpose of getting medical treatment overseas.

If an insured person dies after suffering an injury or a sickness while overseas during a trip, we will pay for the necessary expenses our assistance company has to pay to bring the body back to Singapore or to the home country, up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary.

What we do not cover:

We will not pay for loss or liability directly or indirectly caused by claims resulting from services not arranged by our assistance company or not approved by our assistance company or us.

Coverage is dependent on your plan. You are covered if you selected car/coach/train as your mode of transport OR if you selected plane as your main mode of transport, and opted for this extra cover by paying an additional premium.

If your car is immobilised for 6 consecutive hours or more following an accident or breakdown, we will:

• arrange to transport you back to Singapore or your next destination, and pay the costs up to a maximum of S$200 per insured person;
• in the event of an accident or breakdown of the car, we will pay for the transportation of the car back to Singapore or to the rental company or to the nearest workshop overseas, up to S$2,000; and
• pay for reasonable overseas emergency telephone calls made to our assistance company or to us by you or an insured person, up to S$100 per insured person.

All decisions on the most appropriate method of transport will be made by our assistance company.

Please note, we will only pay such amount of your claim under this cover which is in excess of what you have claimed under your primary car insurance cover (if any and where applicable).

We cover scuba diving provided it is for leisure and you must show the following:

• you or the insured person holds a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certification (or similar qualification recognized worldwide) and dives with a companion who holds a PADI certification (or similar); or
• you or the insured person dived with a qualified instructor,

and the dive is not deeper than the depth as shown in the PADI certification or 30 metres, whichever is less deep.

Yes, you are covered for rock-climbing on man-made walls but you will not be covered for mountaineering or outdoor rock-climbing.

This means any injury, sickness or medical condition:

• which you or the insured person knew about before the start of your trip;
• which you or the insured person have received diagnosis, consultation, medical treatment or prescribed drugs for in the 365 days before the start of your trip;
• which you or the insured person have been asked to get medical treatment or medical advice for by a medical practitioner within 365 days before the start of your trip (regardless whether medical treatment or medical advice was actually received); and/or
• (in the case of Annual Cover) which you have made a claim for on a previous trip or trips,

and shall include any complications arising from that injury, sickness or medical condition.

Our restricted countries include Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Somalia and such other countries which we may add from time to time. Any changes will be updated on our website.

Travel documents means passport, visas, entry permit, conveyance tickets and accommodation vouchers.

No, we don’t cover participation in any sports (whether professional or not) in which you or the insured person could receive any form of prize including money, donation, sponsorship, award or certificate.

No we do not cover extreme sports which involve speed, height, danger, a high level of physical exertion, highly specialised gear or spectacular stunts, whether in a competition or not, and whether in a team or done alone. For example we do not cover hunting, caving, potholing, paragliding or parachuting, hang-gliding, skydiving, abseiling, aerobatics, building antenna span and earth (BASE) jumping, cave diving, free flying, ice climbing, wingsuit flying and dragon-boating.

Please refer to our policy documents to get an extensive list of what isn’t covered under extreme sports. If you are uncertain then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Travel insurance helps protect you against unforeseen events whilst you’re overseas. You may need medical attention, which can become expensive if these are not covered by your travel insurance. Your health insurance may not cover your medical expenses incurred outside Singapore.

Your travel insurance will also cover you if you lose your luggage, or cancel your trip due to sickness or injury.

We recommend you buy your travel insurance as soon as you’ve paid for your trip. That way you make the most of your cover as it protects you in certain situations where you may need to cancel or postpone your trip.

You can get a quote and buy our travel insurance online at budgetdirect.com.sg or call our friendly Customer Care team at 6221 2111. Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 8pm and Saturdays, 9am to 3pm (Closed on Sundays and public holidays).

You can also visit us at 190 Clemenceau Avenue, #03-01, Singapore Shopping Centre, Singapore 239924. We’re open , Mondays to Fridays, 9am to 8pm and Saturdays, 9am to 3pm (Closed on Sundays and public holidays).

You can pay online, over the phone, or visit us in person to pay using cash, credit card or cheque.

Once payment is complete, you'll receive an SMS and your policy documents will be emailed to you.

We will email your policy documents to you as soon as your purchase is complete. You will also receive an SMS to confirm your cover. You can check your details straightaway to make sure they are correct.

If you're on a Single Trip policy, you'll receive your documents via email only.

If you're on an Annual policy, you can choose to either go Paperless and enjoy a discount, or have your policy documents mailed to you.

If you notice any incorrect or missing details, call our Customer Care Centre at 6221 2111.

You may cancel your policy by notifying us. The cancellation will take effect from the date we receive your notice. You will receive a refund of your premium as set out below:

Single Trip Cover

• If you cancel your policy before the policy start date, you will receive a full refund with no cancellation fees imposed.
• If you cancel your policy on or after the Policy Start Date, there will be no premium refund.

Annual Cover

• If you cancel your policy before or on the policy start date, we will charge a premium of $50.00 (before any applicable GST).
• If you cancel your policy after your policy start date, you will receive a refund of 80% of the unused premium if no claims have been made or incidents reported on your policy.
• If you have made a claim, there will not be any refund of premiums.
• Any refund of the pro-rated unused premium will be computed as follows:

We would refund you via the same way as you have paid for your premium, e.g. if you have paid by cash or cheque, we would refund you by cheque. If you have paid by credit card, we would refund you through the same credit card.

You may do so by contacting the bank. However, please note that administrative fees may be imposed by the bank in accordance with its respective terms and conditions in the event of early redemption of the IPP (that is not due to policy cancellation). For more details, you may wish to check with your bank directly.

You may do so by contacting the bank. However, please note that the balance total outstanding amount under the IPP will become payable immediately. Do also note that administrative fees may be imposed by the bank in accordance with its respective terms and conditions in the event of early termination of your credit card account. For more details, you may wish to check with your bank directly.

Please complete the relevant section(s) of the travel claim form and submit it together with a copy of your passport (showing clearly the departure and return dates), air ticket, boarding pass and travel itinerary and all other relevant copy or original documents within 30 days after the occurrence of the event or when you return from your trip.

You may contact us at our 24-hour hotline at 6221 2199 if you are in Singapore or +65 6540 2199 if you are overseas.

If you have other insurance policies covering the same liability as this policy, we will only pay you our share of the claim and will not have any obligation to make any payment to you if you are entitled to seek indemnity under another insurance policy. This does not apply to the Accidental Death, Permanent Total Disablement, Overseas Hospital Confinement, Overseas Quarantine Allowance, Quarantine Allowance in Singapore, Travel Delay, Travel Misconnection, Trip Diversion, Overbooked Public Transport, Overseas Baggage Delay, Baggage Delay in Singapore, Hijack of Public Conveyance and Kidnap and Hostage covers.

If you are covered under more than one travel policy issued by us for the same trip, we will treat you as insured only under your policy which provides the highest benefit.

Yes, all documents (which are in foreign language) which you are submitting to support your claim(s) are required by Budget Direct Insurance to be translated into English by a certified translator at your own expense.

If there is physical loss or damage to your home contents due to fire when your home was left vacant in Singapore during your trip, we can choose to repair, replace or pay you a cash equivalent for the affected home contents covered under the policy. If we choose to pay a cash equivalent, we will deduct an amount for their wear and tear when we consider your claim and pay up to the limit for this cover shown on your Policy Summary.

Examples of the documents we may require include:

✓ Your or the insured person’s identity card, passport or other satisfactory identification documents
✓ Travel booking form
✓ Electronic ticket (e-ticket) confirmation
✓ Boarding pass
✓ Passport (certified copy)
✓ Proof of ownership
✓ Police report
✓ Medical records, reports and certificates signed by a medical practitioner and/or medical specialist (where applicable)
✓ Written confirmation of trip delay from the transport provider
✓ Original invoices and receipts
✓ Other documents which would help to prove the authenticity and/or value of your claim

• For you – an injury or sickness that results in a medical practitioner certifying that you are unfit to travel or continue with your trip.
• For your family member or travelling companion – an injury or sickness that results in a medical practitioner certifying that such injury or

sickness is dangerous to life and he/she requires immediate attention by a medical practitioner.