Ultimate Guide to Travel Insurance Claims in Singapore (2020)
Most Singaporean travellers are all too happy buy travel insurance and immediately forget all about it... Until some travel delay or theft happens and they realise they don't know how to make a claim. Don't be like them! Here's an easy peasy guide to the travel insurance claim procedures for common insurers in Singapore.
3 Easy Steps to Making a Travel Insurance Claim
While there is some variation from insurer to insurer - for example, some have an online claim portal while some deal by snail mail - the general process of making a travel insurance claim goes like this:
Step 1Contact the Insurer
Should you require emergency assistance, contact the insurer's hotline immediately. Even if it is a non-urgent claim, you should still contact the insurer as soon as possible. Every insurance policy has a cut-off time for claims, be it 7 days or a month from the incident, so it is best to do it ASAP.
Step 2Prepare Supporting Documents
To avoid giving the insurer a reason to reject your claim, find out from the insurer what supporting documents you need for your claim. These can sometimes be in written form, e.g. an email from the airline about your flight delay, police report for theft, receipts for lost items and so on.
Step 3File Your Claim
Finally, now that you have assembled all your supporting documents, you can file your claim according to the insurer's procedure. Some insurers allow you to claim online or even via an app, but you may need to mail or deliver the original supporting documents to them.
Travel Insurance Claim Procedures for 5 Popular Insurers
Looking for information on travel insurance claim procedures from popular travel insurers like NTUC Income, MSIG and FWD? Or curious to see how the different insurers' claim procedures stack up? Here is a handy guide.
Travel Insurance Claim Procedures for 5 Popular Insurers
NTUC Travel Insurance Claim
Travel Insurance Claims Hotline
Claims Cut-Off Time
Claims Processing Time
The following claims can be done online via the NTUC travel insurance claims portal: Cancelled trip, shortened trip, losses or damages, medical expenses, travel delays and baggage delays. You will see a list of required supporting documents when you try to make a claim online - these can be uploaded together with your claim.
Medical expenses can also be claimed online, but you will have to submit the original hospital, medical or ambulance bills and receipts to NTUC Income. This can be done by mail or in person at an NTUC Income branch.
For all other claims, you will need to submit claims by mail. Download the travel claim form on the website and send it together with supporting documents.
If you need to see a doctor after your trip, you will need to do it within 3 days of your return to Singapore. Visit a GP clinic on the NTUC Income panel and you can pay for it using your NTUC Income eCard (instructions in your policy activation email) so there is no need to pay cash upfront.
MSIG Travel Insurance Claim
Travel Insurance Claims Hotline
Claims Cut-Off Time
Claims Processing Time
You can make most common travel insurance claims online via the MSIG website. This mobile-friendly interface allows you to fill in the claim form quickly, upload documents, and even receive the payout by FAST transfer or PayNow. This is definitely convenient for busy people who have to go straight back to work after travelling.
You can also choose to submit your claim by email, mail or walk-in. Either way, you will need to send the supporting documents together with your claim - MSIG provides a checklist of required documents for different types of claims.
MSIG typically takes about 2 to 3 weeks to process a claim after receiving all required documents/information. If you need to get an update on your claim, you can email [email protected] and quote your claim reference number.
FWD Travel Insurance Claim
Travel Insurance Claims Hotline
Claims Cut-Off Time
Claims Processing Time
Log on to the FWD Customer Portal or fill in the FWD online claim form and upload the necessary documents together with your claim. Note that you may need to mail the original documents to the FWD office as well. Specific requirements vary depending on the type of claim.
For baggage delay, you can even make a claim on the spot, via WhatsApp. Just message "I've a claim" to +65 9128 8552 to start the process.
FWD travel insurance also allows you to seek medical treatment in Singapore without paying any cash upfront if you see a GP clinic from the FWD panel within 48 hours of your return. Simply download the FWD Flyer mobile app to generate your eCard for cashless treatment up to S$500.
For emergencies, you can call the FWD Emergency Assistance hotline at +65 6322 2072. Otherwise, the regular contact number is +65 6820 8888.
Aviva Travel Insurance Claim
Travel Insurance Claims Hotline
Claims Cut-Off Time
Claims Processing Time
You will need to make your claim within 7 days of the incident, so no procrastinating! If you are unable to meet this deadline, you may try calling Aviva at +65 6827 9966 (Mon to Fri, 8.45am to 5.39pm) to indicate your intent to claim and discuss it with a customer service officer.
Note that you may need to follow up on your claim with the original documents in hard copy, to be mailed or delivered to the Aviva main office. This is typically for any claim that involves reimbursing your upfront expenses. Make sure to indicate your policy number as well.
You can follow up on your claim status easily by logging onto the Aviva claims portal and entering your claim reference number.
For Overseas Emergency Assistance, Aviva maintains a separate 24-hour hotline at +65 6460 9391.
AIG Travel Insurance Claim
Travel Insurance Claims Hotline
Claims Cut-Off Time
Claims Processing Time
Not only do they maintain a 24-hour overseas emergency assistance hotline at +65 6733 2552, there is also a separate 24-hour travel claims hotline at +65 6224 3698. That's useful for those travelling to places with a big time zone difference from Singapore.
AIG travel insurance claims can be done online via the online claims portal. You need to submit the supporting documents (which are stated on their website) and the claim needs to be done within 30 days. Alternatively, you can mail the form and documents to AIG's office.
AIG promises to settle most claims within 10 business days, although this will be delayed for complicated cases or if documents are missing. You will get updates by mail or email, or you can call the claims hotline to follow up.
What Supporting Documents Do You Need?
| Travel Insurance Claim | Supporting Documents | |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Expenses / Personal Accident | Original medical bills and receipts, medical report or discharge summary stating date, cause and nature of injury/illness, police report (for accidents) | |
| Loss of Personal Belongings | Police report of lost items, property loss irregularity report, original purchase invoice and/or warranty card | |
| Damaged Personal Belongings | Property damage irregularity report, photos of damaged items, diagnostic report from repairer stating cause and extent of damage, repair bill or quotation, original purchase invoice and/or warranty card | |
| Baggage Delay | Written confirmation from carrier/airline on period of delay or baggage return acknowledgement | |
| Travel Disruptions (Delays, Overbooking, etc.) | Written confirmation from the airline/carrier, written confirmation from the tour agent/carrier/hotel on amount refunded and additional charges | |
| Travel Cancellation / Curtailment | Written confirmation from tour agent/carrier/hotel on the extra charges incurred, hotel accommodation confirmation advice or travel deposit receipt | |
| Travel Cancellation / Curtailment (if death or sickness is the cause) | Death certificate, proof of relationship with the person who is sick or dead, medical report certifying the diagnosis and that the insured is not fit to travel | |
| Rental Vehicle Excess | Rental vehicle agreement, police report/evidence of motor accident (e.g. photographs), original excess payment receipt, repair bills | |
| Personal Liability | Letter of claim or documents received from the 3rd party, photographs of damaged 3rd party property |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does travel insurance cover?
- Travel insurance generally covers expenses that arise from unexpected scenarios, such as flight delays or getting injured abroad. However, there are some things that travel insurance does not cover, such as pre-existing conditions. For example, if you know you have asthma, the insurer will not cover your asthma attack abroad since you should have provided for that contingency yourself. Also, each travel insurance policy has exclusions, which are scenarios that are too high-risk for the insurer to take on. Common exclusions are adventurous activities such as hiking above 3,000m, bungee jumping and skydiving.
How long do you have to file a travel insurance claim?
- It depends on the insurer. Some travel insurers have a tight 7-day window (starting from the date of the incident) in which you must make your claim; others have a more lenient 30-day window. But whichever it is, it is always best to do it as soon as you possibly can, just in case you need to obtain further documents (which may take some more time to produce).
Do you need receipts for travel insurance claims?
- When you want to claim reimbursements for upfront expenses, such as an extra night's hotel stay due to a flight delay, or overseas medical expenses, you must keep the original receipt. Most insurers will ask to see the original document. For claims such as lost or stolen personal items, you also need the original invoice of the item to prove the amount it was worth.
How long do travel insurance claims take?
- The lead time for processing an insurance claim depends on insurer itself, and on the complexity of the claim. Some insurers can take as little as 10 working days, while others may take weeks and weeks. If you are worried about cashflow, consider buying from an insurer known for quick claims processing. On top of that, there's also the claim itself. To expedite your claim, make sure your case is completely unambiguous, provide all supporting documents, and cooperate with the insurer's claims officer.
