Everyone knows that it’s important to have insurance, but when you’re in a foreign country, it can be confusing to figure out what kind of insurance will best suit your needs. In this article we’ll talk about the different types of insurance and how to interpret them when you’re trying to communicate with a spanish-speaking agent or representative from an insurance company.
When you purchase insurance, there are two types of basic things that are insured:
Indemnity and guarantees. Indemnity refers to the compensation paid to the insured in case of an accident or other event which negatively impacts their person or property. Generally this is expressed as a daily rate, e.g., fifty dollars per day for any hospitalization after an accident.
Other examples of indemnity are: loss of life, limb or function of any part of the body; dismemberment due to an accident; sickness, disease or physical illness.
Guarantees protect you against loss, damage or accidents involving your property while it is in someone else’s care (such as a hotel) or being transported from one place to another.
Documents required to enquire abt the insurance?
In order to purchase insurance in spanish-speaking countries, you should have the following information on hand: your passport number and expiration date, where you’re going to be traveling, how long for and whether or not you need a visa. From there, you can work with the insurance agency to figure out what kind of coverage you need. Here are some common questions and how to interpret the responses:
- ¿qué tipo de seguro necesito? (what kind of insurance do i need?)
- Se necesita una cobertura de viaje internacional (you need an international travel insurance policy)
- ¿cuánto tiempo durará? (how long will it last?)
- Estará vigente desde el 1ro. Hasta el 30 de noviembre del 2022 (it will be valid from the first of november until the 30th of november of 2022.)
- ¿cuánto vale? (how much does it cost?)
- Cuesta $13.320,10 dólares más iva (it costs $ 13,320.10 plus vat)
- Se necesita una cobertura de viaje internacional (you need an international travel insurance policy)
- El seguro cubre gastos médicos y de repatriación (the insurance covers medical expenses and repatriation)
- ¿cuáles son las exclusiones? (what are the exclusions?)
- El seguro no cubre las consecuencias de un consumo de drogas o alcohol (the insurance does not cover the consequences of a drug or alcohol consumption.)
In general, when you purchase insurance in a foreign country, you will need to pay for the full length of time you’ll be covered, regardless of when you arrive and leave. For example, if you buy insurance that is valid from november 1st to december 15th, then it will be valid for exactly thirty days, even though the time you’re physically present in the country might only be ten days.
Insurance companies are generally accustomed to international travel, so it shouldn’t be difficult to purchase what you need. Telling them where you’re going might help them recommend an appropriate plan better suited to your situation. The most important thing you should take away from this article is that having insurance is extremely important if you are traveling abroad. Accidents do happen, and there’s nothing worse than being stuck in a foreign country without any means of support.