Travel: Why travellers should consider insurance when booking a trip

Travel disruptions are things we report on on a regular basis.

Airline schedule changes happen all the time.

Other unexpected events can leave travelers facing additional costs, including accommodation, transport and non-refundable event tickets, which is why every time you're about to embark on a trip abroad, you need to consider travel insurance.

Joining me on the line is the underwriting manager for Bright Travel, Kulegani Njogweni.

Kulagane, very good morning and welcome to the show.

Good morning, Africa.

Thanks for having me.

What are you finding to be the reason for people who've taken out travel insurance with you? What are they claiming for? What are the main reasons why they're coming back and saying, you know that money I paid you? I need access to the policy because of ABCD.

What is that ABCD?

Well, I mean, most people, they buy insurance purely for medical emergencies when they are traveling.

This we find as a misconception because the costs that you pay in care, they start as soon as you book the trip.

So we always encourage customers to buy their travel insurance as soon as they have paid for their trip.

Because think about it.

when you are planning your trip let's say your trip was in the next six months you've paid for your trip anything can happen before you embark on your travel and therefore it may lead to losses so we in terms of the customers they buy it for for for when they are on their trip which is medical expenses your luggage trouble to structure and we are saying to customers buy as soon as you can because cancellation is a real risk