Trip & travel insurance

Why is trip & travel insurance a must-have when traveling to Vietnam?

Although Vietnam has been ranked one of the most peaceful (#57 – GPI, 2019) and safest places (#9, Asia Peace Index ranking, 2020) in the world, unexpected things can still happen. While we make every effort to guarantee your trip to Vietnam goes smoothly and safely it is imperative to ensure you have adequate travel insurance should you fall sick, your bags go missing, or something is stolen.

Please note that travel insurance is mandatory for you to participate in any of ABROADER’s programs. However, we do not provide insurance in our standard programs. You will need to purchase this before your departure for Vietnam and be solely responsible for evaluating and determining the type, extent, and levels of any insurance plan you need/ desire for your planned travel period.

Besides Travel Insurance, we also recommend buying Trip Insurance because it covers the cost of your trip should you be forced to cancel your trip before you depart, while Travel Insurance only covers such costs as an emergency and medical evacuation, hospital fees, property loss, etc. which could possibly happen during the trip.

Tips for trips and travel Insurance

Time Issue

It is highly recommended that you purchase the travel insurance as soon as you make any payment for your trip (program fee, accommodations, etc). Please pay attention to the valid dates of the insurance and what it covers, to see whether you can claim the program’s irrecoverable fees in case of canceling your trip, or whether your insurance is valid from the time you check out from your home country or check in the host country, etc.

Types of insurance

Typically, services depend on the insurance provider that you choose, but there are three most popular types:

• Single Trip insurance: is applied for one trip of up to 3 months. This will not cover your traveling to various countries
• Annual Multi-Trip insurance: covers multiple trips for one year, with a maximum duration of 45 days/trip
• Backpacker insurance: covers up to 2 years, including 1 trip home for your study break and other trips within the covered geographical area

Insurance fee

The common rate is USD 50/month but it may vary depending on the company you work with and the specific policies attached, so please pay attention to the terms of the contract.

What should be cover

• Medical emergencies: Illness, accidents that lead to medical treatments, and even repatriation.
• Personal possessions: Lost and stolen luggage/belongings when abroad (phone, passport, laptop, etc.)
• Sports activities: Sports-related accidents, except for adventurous sports
• Cancellation: Your insurance should be able to cover the irrecoverable fees for you in case of unexpected events such as illness or family issues (which must be proven) that force you to cancel the trip
• Emergency assistance: Make sure they are contactable when needed
• Covid-19 treatment

What are (usually) not covered

• Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: You must be transparent with your insurance company about your medical conditions, or else your purchased insurance would be fully invalid
• Alcohol & Drug Abuse or other Law-breaking behaviors: Insurance is not valid for those who break the law. So make sure that you are not involved in using drugs, alcohol, driving without license, etc
• Driving motorcycles: In Vietnam, motorbikes are the most popular means of transportation. However, it is not a good idea to ride in traffic like Vietnam’s even if you are an experienced rider in your country.

Recommended providers

• Trusted by many of our previous students: Cultural Insurance Services International or International SOS Travel Protection
• Recommended by Forbes: Best and Worst Insurance Company
• First on Google search: World Nomads Travel Insurance

It’d be great if you found your helpful information about insurance on the upcoming journey in Vietnam. Should you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us or our Program Coordinator at apply@abroader.org.