According to Seesam’s travel insurance product manager Marit Raag, the update to the travel insurance terms is a response to globally skyrocketing medical costs in recent years. In addition to many increased compensations, entirely new coverage options can also be added to the contract.

“The biggest change is that our medical coverage has increased from the previous €500,000 to €1 million. Although travel interruptions top the list in terms of the number of claims each year, the most significant financial impact comes from health issues that occur during the trip. Prices have gone up all over the world, including in countries that are considered affordable in terms of living standards. This means that solving health issues while travelling has also become more expensive. Compared to the previous year, the total amount of compensation paid out last year grew by 16%, primarily due to the increased costs of medical care. At Seesam, half of all travel insurance compensation payouts went toward covering medical expenses,” Raag explained.

According to the insurer, it does not take much to incur an expensive medical bill – serious cases can result simply from a sudden health issue, a sports or scooter accident or a fall in the mountains. When expensive transportation, such as a helicopter or even a private jet, is added to medical costs, the total amount of damages increases rapidly, leaving uninsured travellers to cover the high expenses themselves.

“The option to choose significantly higher coverage gives travellers peace of mind, and everyone can select it regardless of their travel destination. We definitely recommend opting for higher medical coverage for those travelling outside the European Union, where medical bills can be three to four times higher compared to Europe,” advised the insurer.

To keep up with inflation, Seesam also increased the first aid compensation for unexpected dental issues or accidents from €200 to €500. In addition to increased compensation, the validity period of travel insurance for pregnant women has been extended from 28 to 35 weeks, allowing expectant mothers to travel with coverage for a longer time.

Compensation in case of pet illness

According to a Seesam representative, another anticipated change in the terms will please pet owners. Specifically, the expanded travel interruption coverage now also includes damages if the dog or cat of the person travelling experiences an unexpected accident or falls ill before the owner's trip.

“For all pet owners, their four-legged friend is like a family member and their health issues usually mean that the owner cancels the planned trip. Until now, people had to cover the costs themselves in cases of unexpected issues involving their pets but now, under the expanded travel disruption coverage, Seesam will cover those damages,” the insurer explained.

In addition, people who have credit card insurance can now purchase additional travel interruption coverage from Seesam, in cases where the limits included with their card may not provide sufficient protection.

“As a completely new coverage option, we have added a rental car deductible protection for insured travellers, which helps in case of an unexpected traffic accident with a rental car or if someone damages the rental car in a parking lot. Until now, in the case of an accident, the deductible was covered by separate insurance offered by the rental company,” explained the Seesam representative.

For the first time, the basic travel interruption coverage now also includes ticket change costs up to €200.