A trip to Indonesia is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, replete with thousands of islands, volcanoes and abundant temples.
The cost of exploring this unique and beautiful country is significant, but buying a comprehensive travel insurance policy can provide a financial safety net if things go wrong either before or during your Indonesia trip.
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Trip Cancellation Insurance for Putting Komodo Island on Hold
The best travel insurance policies package together valuable benefits for pre- and post-departure disruptions, including trip cancellation insurance. This type of coverage can provide compensation should something unexpected force you to cancel your trip to Indonesia.
Trip cancellation travel insurance can reimburse you for nonrefundable and prepaid deposits if you need to cancel a trip because of an issue covered by the policy.
Trip cancellation insurance typically covers:
- A national transportation strike
- A serious family emergency
- A sudden job layoff
- Death, illness or injury to you, a close relative or travel companion
- Severe weather
‘Cancel for Any Reason’ Travel Insurance
A basic travel insurance policy may not cover all of the reasons why you would cancel a trip, such as if you cancel a trip after reading disappointing reviews for your booked boutique resort in Bali.
If you want more flexibility to change travel plans, consider adding “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance to your travel insurance policy. This coverage will increase your policy price by about 50%, but you will have the freedom to cancel your trip for any reason as long as you do so at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure.
You generally have to purchase CFAR when you make your first trip deposits. CFAR generally compensates 50% or 75% of your nonrefundable trip outlays.
Travel Delay Insurance: Waiting to See Borobudur Temple
It will likely take more than one flight to reach Indonesia from the U.S. Multiple connections increase the likelihood that delays might impact your itinerary.
Imagine your itinerary is Philadelphia to Frankfurt to Istanbul to Bali, and the airport in Istanbul shuts down due to a security emergency at the airport and you’re stuck in Frankfurt overnight. Your travel delay insurance can cover the cost of a one-night hotel stay, a meal, transportation to a hotel and a few personal care items. Losses are also covered if your delay causes you to forfeit prepaid and nonrefundable trip experiences.
The delay will have to typically last at least a minimum amount of time, such as six or 12 hours, before your coverage kicks in. Be sure to get a report from the airport, and also save receipts. You will need to submit all of this documentation when you file a claim.
Trip Interruption Travel Insurance for Bye-Bye Bali
Imagine you’re on an exciting river-rafting excursion on the Ayung River when you get a call and learn that a fire damaged your home.
If you want to return home to sort out the incident, your trip interruption insurance benefits can pay for a last-minute plane ticket home, a taxi to the airport and prepaid, unused and nonrefundable trip expenses that you forfeit due to your covered early departure.
Insurance won’t cover every reason for cutting a trip short. For example, travel insurance won’t cover your losses if you get into a fight with your significant other and want to return home early.
‘Interruption for Any Reason’ Travel Insurance
“Interruption for any reason” (IFAR) travel insurance gives you more leeway to return home from a trip earlier than planned. With this upgrade, you’re reimbursed for any reason you pull the plug on a vacation.
IFAR reimburses you for up to 75% of prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs. If you opt for this coverage, you can expect to pay between 3% and 10% more for your travel insurance. Note that IFAR benefits don’t apply until you’re a specified amount of time into your trip, such as 48 or 72 hours.
Travel Medical Insurance
It’s prudent to check to see if your health insurance covers travel outside the U.S. if you’re planning a trip to Indonesia. Your health insurance may have no or limited coverage in foreign countries. That’s why travel medical insurance is essential for international travel.
If you need care for an injury or illness, your travel medical insurance can cover the cost of medical services, such as X-rays, medicine and a hospital stay. Without travel medical insurance, you would likely be personally responsible for those medical bills.
Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance
Medical evacuation may be necessary if you’re in a remote Indonesia island and need medical care.
“If you are injured or fall ill while there, you might need help communicating with the local medical team,” says Scott Adamski, spokesperson with AIG Travel. “Depending on the severity of your condition, you might require immediate transportation in order to get you to an appropriate medical facility.”
Emergency medical evacuation in southeast Asia can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, but medical evacuation travel insurance can reimburse those costs, up to your policy limits.
Baggage Insurance
During your travels in Indonesia, your trip might involve a lot of travel from island to island on ferries or small planes, says Adamski.
“Delays on these smaller island-hopping trips pose an increased chance for baggage loss, so it’s best to have a plan that includes coverage for baggage delay or baggage loss,” he says.
Baggage insurance can reimburse you the depreciated value of lost, stolen or damaged baggage, up to your policy limits. Your possessions are also covered during your trip, but there may be exclusions. Make sure cameras, laptops and other electronics are covered by your policy if you plan on taking them.
Your policy will also outline how depreciation affects your baggage insurance reimbursement and will list exclusions. For instance, high-end jewelry may be excluded and cash is not reimbursable.
It’s important to note that you usually have to first file a claim with your airline or home or renters insurance before you file a baggage claim. If you’re not fully reimbursed, your baggage insurance can make up the difference.
Baggage Delay Insurance
Baggage delay insurance can help pay for toiletries and a change of clothes if your luggage arrives after you to your destination. It compensates you for items you buy to help keep you comfortable while you’re waiting for your bags. Baggage benefits don’t kick in until after a required waiting period, for example 12 or 24 hours, so be sure to check the details in your policy.
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Adventure Sports Coverage
Many visitors to Indonesia plan to enjoy adventure activities on both land and sea.
Read your policy document carefully to see if the activities you plan to participate in are covered. For example, it’s common for standard travel insurance plans to exclude skydiving, deep-sea scuba diving and hang gliding. If you want coverage for this type of thrill-seeking fun, consider buying a travel insurance policy with a sports adventure upgrade.
Tips for Buying Travel Insurance for a Trip to Indonesia
Adamski recommends purchasing travel insurance within 15 days of the initial deposit date for the trip. Doing so will ensure that early-purchase provisions of the travel insurance policy apply, such as the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver, CFAR and IFAR.
“For a trip to Indonesia—as with virtually any international destination— I would recommend purchasing a travel insurance plan that includes coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, travel medical expense, medical evacuation and baggage,” Adamski says.
Another advantage to buying travel insurance early is that you get the maximum length of time for trip cancellation benefits.
If you aren’t ready to purchase travel insurance when you put down deposits, you can still buy travel insurance up to 24 hours prior to your trip departure date.
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