Hollard updates its travel insurance policy

Uriah Jansen, MD of Oojah Travel Protection which administers Hollard Travel Insurance.

Hollard Travel Insurance has recently updated its travel insurance policy, which will prove to be of great value to brokers and clients alike. The updated policy allows travellers to claim for medical expenses, without first gaining authorisation from Hollard, for life-threatening medical emergencies.

Authorisation of medical expenses while travelling has been a point of contention for travellers, particularly given the nature of certain emergency situations. “There are certain conditions in which travellers don’t have the time to sit down and phone for authorisation,” says Uriah Jansen, MD of Oojah Travel Protection which administers Hollard Travel Insurance.

As such Hollard investigated which conditions are life threatening and have come up with a list, including cardiac arrest, strokes, seizures, constricted airways and heavy bleeding among others. In these cases, travellers would only need to gain authorisation for treatment given once they are stable.

Uriah says Hollard’s offering is unique in that the insurer will not argue about paying the unauthorised medical expenses of travellers who have suffered from one of these conditions. She says that when it comes to other insurance products, the only clause that can spare travellers from gaining authorisation is if they are unconscious or travelling alone.

Cancel for any reason

Hollard has also recently updated its cancel for any reason product to include cover for senior travellers. The product, which was first launched two years ago, enables travellers to cancel their trips for any reason.

Uriah explains that most cancellations must be unexpected and related to a specific event in order for payment to be refunded but with ‘cancel for any reason’ insurance, travellers could, for example, book a trip knowing their elderly parent is sick and then should they tragically pass away before the trip happens they would be able to cancel and receive 50% of their money back.

The volatility of international travel at the moment makes this an interesting product for travellers to consider because should a terror attack occur at a specific destination, travellers are able to cancel should they be concerned for their safety.

The only condition is that travellers must take out this cover within 24 hours of booking their trip. Uriah says travellers sometimes forget that travel insurance is the same as any other kind of insurance, pointing out that you would not be able to take out car insurance after having had an accident.