Travel insurance often appears as the last line of dialogue - after the tour, flight and transfer. The client sees a small amount, quickly agrees and believes that he is now protected from any troubles. The problem is discovered later: a specific risk is not covered, a deductible applies, the activity is not declared, or the application is not submitted according to the procedure.

The task of a travel agent is not to promise payment and not to replace the insurer. The agent’s useful role is different: to collect facts about the trip, help the client compare conditions, pay attention to restrictions and convey a clear algorithm of actions. This approach makes insurance part of a quality service, and not a formal annex to the booking.

Why you can’t choose a policy based only on price

  • The same sum insured does not mean the same list of covered events.
  • Deductibles, limits on individual services and the method of organizing assistance directly affect the client’s expenses.
  • A chronic condition, pregnancy, sports, work or riding a motorcycle may require special conditions.
  • Medical expenses coverage does not always include trip cancellation, baggage or flight delays.
  • Even a suitable policy may not work if the application deadlines are violated or documents are not collected.

A good policy is not the most expensive and not the cheapest. This is an agreement, the terms of which correspond to a specific trip and are clear to the client before payment.

The principle of informed choice

First, define the boundaries of your role.

The agent can explain the structure of the product, show the differences and help solidify the choice. But the decision on coverage of a specific event and payment is made by the insurer under the contract. Therefore, avoid the words “will definitely cover”, “they will return everything” and “there will be no problems”. If the condition is unclear, request written clarification from the insurer before processing.

12 questions for the client before selection

  • Which countries is the client traveling to and will he be transiting through them?
  • What are the exact travel dates, including travel before returning home?
  • What is the age and number of all insured travelers?
  • Are there any chronic conditions, regular treatments, pregnancy or recent surgeries that need to be checked against?
  • Are you planning to go skiing, diving, trekking, racing, renting a motorcycle or other high-risk activities?
  • Will the person be relaxing, studying, working physically, or performing professional tasks?
  • Do you need expense protection for trip cancellation or interruption?
  • Do you have expensive luggage, technology, sports equipment or multiple flights?
  • Does the country, visa application center, tour operator or organizer require specific coverage?
  • Is the client willing to pay a deductible, or would they prefer a policy without one?
  • Do you need help in a specific language and is the stated channel of communication with assistance convenient?
  • Do you already have coverage from a bank, employer, or other policy and have its actual terms and conditions been verified?

Collect a travel risk map

After the questions, translate the answers into a short risk map. Do not automatically add all possible options to the client: separate mandatory requirements, significant risks of this particular trip and additional amenities.

  • Medicine: emergency care, hospitalization, medications, dentistry, transportation and repatriation.
  • Special conditions: exacerbation of chronic diseases, pregnancy, age restrictions and previously known diagnoses.
  • Activities: regular recreation, amateur or professional sports, route altitude, transport and work.
  • Trip: cancellation, interruption, missed connection, flight delay and forced extension of stay.
  • Property: luggage, documents, equipment, sports equipment and liability to third parties.
  • Service: round-the-clock assistance, language of communication, non-cash organization of assistance or subsequent compensation.

Check route and validity period

  • The coverage area includes all route and transit countries.
  • The policy begins before departure and ends after actual return.
  • The number of insured days corresponds to the entire trip.
  • The policy contains correct names, dates of birth and document details.
  • The official requirements of the country of entry or visa procedure, if applicable, have been met.
  • For multiple trips, the limit of days per trip and the total validity period have been checked.

Read not only the coverage, but also the restrictions

The terms of the contract are more important than the advertising name of the program. For each significant risk, find four answers: what is considered an insured event, what the limit is, what part the client pays, and what actions or circumstances exclude payment.

  • General deductible and individual deductibles by risk.
  • Limits on dentistry, medications, communications, accommodation, transportation and luggage.
  • Pre-existing diseases and conditions that are covered only in limited cases or not covered.
  • Alcohol, violation of safety rules, driving without the necessary documents and other exceptions.
  • The requirement to agree on expenses with assistance before payment, except in truly urgent situations.
  • Notice period, list of confirmations and procedure for filing an application for reimbursement.

Compare options using one table

  1. Write down the customer's trip profile and top three risks.
  2. Leave only policies that are suitable for the territory, dates, age and purpose of the trip.
  3. For each risk, enter the coverage, limit, deductible, and key exclusion.
  4. Separately compare the procedure for assistance: who organizes the service, whether you need to pay on the spot and how to contact the assistance.
  5. Show the client two or three suitable options and explain the differences, rather than just stating the price.
  6. Record the chosen option and provide the client with the full terms of the contract.

Option A is cheaper, but has a deductible and does not include your sports activity. Option B is more expensive, but corresponds to the route and covers the declared activity within the specified limit. The decision on a specific payment is always made according to the terms of the contract.

How to explain the difference without pressure

Example: a family travels to the mountains with a transfer

Two adults and a child are flying a connecting flight, planning to ski for several days and taking their own equipment. The basic medical policy is formally suitable for the country and dates, but this is not enough for an informed choice.

  • Check whether recreational skiing is included and whether coverage is limited to groomed slopes.
  • Check out search, slope transport and medical evacuation, not just hospital treatment.
  • Check the child’s age and the terms for an adult to accompany them if the child is hospitalised.
  • Check delayed or lost sports luggage and item limits.
  • Check the protection for missed connections and the need for confirmation from the carrier.
  • Add one day's reserve if return ends after midnight or the itinerary relies on ground transfers.

Prepare an action card before departure

  • Policy number and validity period.
  • Phone, instant messenger or assistance application and backup communication channel.
  • What information to provide when contacting: name, location, policy number and a brief description of the event.
  • When expenses need to be agreed upon in advance and what to do if it is impossible to contact immediately.
  • Documents to keep: medical reports, prescriptions, receipts, boarding passes, baggage receipts and carrier confirmations.
  • When and where should an application be submitted after the event?

If something happens, ensure safety and emergency care first. Then, as soon as possible, contact the assistance using the number from the policy, follow its instructions and save all documents and receipts. For procedures and exceptions, see the full text of the agreement.

A short note to the client

What to record in correspondence

  • Client answers that influence the choice: route, dates, age, purpose and activities.
  • Names of the programs offered and the date on which conditions were verified.
  • Key differences: risks, limits, deductible, exclusions and the procedure for contacting assistance or making a claim.
  • The client's choice without wording that the agent guarantees insurance payment.
  • The fact of transfer of the policy, full conditions and action card.
  • Contact the insurer or intermediary for questions that require formal clarification.

Mistakes that create false expectations

  • Add the cheapest policy automatically, without asking questions about the trip.
  • Saying “covers everything” without showing exceptions and limits.
  • Consider health insurance as protection against trip cancellations or baggage loss without inspection.
  • Failing to disclose sports, work, pregnancy or a chronic condition in order to lower the price.
  • Send only the policy file without application instructions.
  • Retell the terms from memory if the contract or program may have changed.
  • Promise the insurer's decision or the agency's own reimbursement of expenses.

How to implement a protocol in 30 minutes

  1. Add 12 questions to your brief or CRM template.
  2. Create a comparison table with columns for “coverage,” “limit,” “deductible,” “exclusion,” and “order of assistance.”
  3. Save two phrases: explaining the differences and refusing the promise of payment.
  4. Prepare a universal action card with fields for contacts of a specific assistance.
  5. Check the process on your last three bookings and add any questions you were missing.

Control before payment

  • The insurer and intermediary operate legally in the relevant market; necessary permissions or registry entries have been verified.
  • The policy corresponds to the territory, dates, age, purpose of the trip and declared activities.
  • The client saw the main risks, limits, deductibles and significant exceptions.
  • The names and details of the documents have been verified against the originals.
  • The procedure for contacting assistance is clear and accessible without the participation of an agent.
  • Full terms and instructions are saved offline by the client.
  • There are no promises of guaranteed payment in the correspondence.

What to measure once a month

The purpose of the protocol is not to make the consultation longer, but to reduce the number of inappropriate policies and situations where the client does not know what to do. Four indicators are enough to control.

  • The share of registrations where 12 questions are completed and the client’s choice is saved.
  • Proportion of clients who received an action card before departure.
  • The number of policy amendments due to incorrect dates, names or territories.
  • The number of calls after an event where the client did not know the procedure or did not save documents.

Main result

Insurance becomes a useful part of the trip when the choice begins not with the tariff, but with questions about the client. The agent shows the differences, honestly defines the boundaries, records the decision and transmits the instructions. The client understands what he is paying for and how to act, and the agent reduces the risk of conflicts without taking on the insurer's promises.