After the Covid pandemic, we now live in a different world when it comes to health. And it’s more than advisable to take out travel insurance for your trip to Colombia.
There are many questions that all travelers ask themselves about whether or not they should take out travel insurance. But by the time you need it, unfortunately, it’s too late to ask.
Here’s our advice to help you choose the right insurance for your trip to Colombia.
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
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Exclusive 5% Off Discount For you
Best Travel insurance for Colombia
Since the difficulties we experienced during the Covid-19 period, it's more than advisable to take out travel insurance. Our partner offers the best rates and a 5% discount for blog readers!
Which travel insurance to choose
Have you decided to take out travel insurance for your next trip to Colombia? Here’s a little chart to help you choose your insurance…
From our point of view, our partner offers the best rates with the best coverage, plus a special 5% promotion for blog readers.
This table is just a small sample of what’s covered, so it’s up to you to find out more and get a customized quote!
| Ex. for 3 weeks (-74 yo) | Medica 45 USD | Top 90 USD | Premium 115 USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repatriation | up to $250.000 USD | up to $250.000 USD | up to $500.000 USD |
| Medical assistance | up to $100.000 USD | up to $100.000 USD | up to $200.000 USD |
| Luggage | – | up to $1500 USD | up to $3000 USD |
| Trip delay | up to $500 USD | up to $500 USD | up to $3000 USD |
| Adventure sports | Included | Included | Included |
| Accidental death or permanent diability | up to $5.000 USD | up to $10.000 USD | up to $25.000 USD |
| Natural disaster evacuation | up to $30.000 USD | up to $30.000 USD | up to $50.000 USD |
| Search and rescue | up to $5.000 USD | up to $5.000 USD | up to $10.000 USD |
| Trip Cancellation | – | up to $2.500 USD | up to $10.000 USD |
| Get the 5% discount | Get the 5% discount | Get the 5% discount |
If you’re still unsure, we’ve prepared a FAQ to help you make your decision.
Good to know
Please note that each insurance contract has its own specific features
Every insurance contract is different, and every insurance company has its own specificities. This information is deliberately general and is given for guidance only. It is your responsibility to check with your insurance company for the exact terms and conditions of coverage in the cases below.
What is travel insurance?
Travel insurance is a contract that covers the unexpected during your trip. This could be for minor medical expenses, hospitalization or even repatriation.
It’s a good idea to take out travel insurance before you leave (and it’s sometimes even compulsory), because social security abroad doesn’t work the same way as it does in France, and the cost of care can quickly blow your budget.
Here are the main benefits covered by standard travel insurance. Coverage may vary depending on the contract and options chosen.
Routine medical expenses
When you need to see a doctor for a non-urgent concern that requires treatment (a cold, the flu…)
Accident
When you’ve had an accident and need to be treated quickly.
Hospitalization
When you spend more than 24 hours in hospital, following an accident or illness. In this case, the insurance often covers your care directly, without you having to pay in advance.
Medical repatriation
If your state of health requires you to return to your country of origin
Third-party liability
When you have unintentionally caused damage to property and/or bodily injury to a third party. Typical example: you hit a passer-by while riding your bicycle. The bystander will need medical attention, which your travel insurance may cover. Note, however, that this rarely applies to road accidents.
Luggage
Most insurance contracts include coverage for lost luggage.
In the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic, travel insurance companies have had to face up to new issues and introduce new coverages linked to the global health situation.
Today, most travel insurers offer special Covid-related coverage. Cover is always conditional on proof that you have tested positive for Covid 19.
Depending on the contract, Covid cover may include medical expenses, hospitalization, repatriation, extended stay, visit to a relative, early return..
Some insurances offer a “cancellation” option that covers the cost of cancelling your trip if you take out Covid prior to departure, or if a family member is hospitalized or dies as a result of Covid.
Exclusive 5% Off Discount For you
Best Travel insurance for Colombia
Since the difficulties we experienced during the Covid-19 period, it’s more than advisable to take out travel insurance. Our partner offers the best rates and a 5% discount for blog readers!
Special risks in Colombia
Overall, if you’re going on a trip, taking out travel insurance is a good idea, whatever the country or length of your stay. We’ll explain in a moment, but it covers you in the event of illness, bodily injury, loss of luggage and so on.
Colombia carries a number of health risks that require special attention (mosquitoes, yellow fever, water that’s not always drinkable, extreme heat on the coast, altitude-related mountain sickness, encounters with animals of varying degrees of friendliness, etc.).
Choosing your travel insurance
There’s no such thing as the best travel insurance, just the one that meets your needs. To find it, all you need to do is ask yourself the right questions:
- How long will my trip last?
- What are my destinations?
- What kind of activities will I be doing there (mountain hiking, scuba diving, extreme sports, etc.)?
- Will I be accompanied by children?
Little by little, your needs will take shape, and so will the insurance that’s right for you.
To help you make sense of the exceptions, deductibles, etc., here are the key points to bear in mind when choosing your travel insurance.
Coverage from the 1st euro
It’s very important that your insurance policy covers you from the very first euro you spend, and not in addition to Social Security. This saves you time and effort in obtaining reimbursements.
Deductible and waiting period
The deductible is the amount that will not be reimbursed. The waiting period is the length of time during which the insurance does not cover you. Choose a contract with no deductible and no waiting period.
Medical expense limits
A good travel insurance policy should be able to cover major medical expenses in case of need. This means a ceiling of at least €100,000.
Exclusions
Ask your travel insurance advisor any practical questions you may have, so that you can find out the little details that really matter. All travel insurance includes exclusions. Find out about them before you take out your policy, to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
24/24 assistance in the event of a problem
A must! A good insurance policy has a 24/7 assistance platform. So it’s vital to make sure that the insurance you choose can be contacted at any time, for advice or emergency assistance.
Health and hospitalization cover
If I fall ill and have to be hospitalized, do I have to pay in advance? Will I be fully reimbursed? What are the formalities involved? What is the average reimbursement period? If I have receipts in Spanish, do I need to have them translated? And all the other questions you might have – that’s the heart of the matter!
Basic medical care that does not require hospitalization
This could be a visit to the doctor for a cold, or a hospital visit that doesn’t require hospitalization, such as a sprained ankle. In most cases, you’ll have to pay in advance, and keep all the documents relating to your treatment with you. Invoices, of course, but also medical reports, proof of payment, test results, prescriptions… Even if the documents are in Spanish, no problem there. All these documents must be sent to your insurance company for reimbursement.
When hospitalization is necessary
If you have suffered a serious injury or contracted an illness requiring hospitalization for more than 24 hours, you should contact your insurance company’s assistance platform as soon as possible to inform them of the situation. If you are not in a position to do so, a companion can take charge. Talk to the people around you, so that those traveling with you are aware of this important step. In most cases, this will enable the insurance company to take over and save you from having to advance the costs.
Exclusive 5% Off Discount For you
Best Travel insurance for Colombia
Since the difficulties we experienced during the Covid-19 period, it’s more than advisable to take out travel insurance. Our partner offers the best rates and a 5% discount for blog readers!
Baggage coverage
Coverage for lost luggage differs according to the policy you choose, but it’s one of the aspects most emphasized in insurance contracts, as it frequently happens that your luggage is lost by the airlines.
You’ll have no trouble finding this information, and most policies offer financial assistance, albeit with varying ceilings. But they’re often more than enough to buy a few things to get your trip off to a good start.
Theft or loss cover
Okay, so travel insurance sounds good when it comes to health and baggage problems. But what happens if I lose or have a valuable item stolen during my trip?
In most cases, theft of multimedia equipment is not covered, or is subject to a ceiling. In this case, each contract has its own specificities, so it’s best to find out beforehand.
In the event of loss of means of payment, some policies offer a cash advance, which can be used to start the process of reissuing stolen documents.
Repatriation cover
Repatriation is a joint decision between the local doctor, the insurance company’s medical advisor and the patient (where possible). It comes into play when the insured is unable to continue his or her trip due to a health problem.
This can be minor, as in the case of a backpacker who has broken his leg and will have to undergo months of rehabilitation. It can, of course, be much more dramatic, in the case of a serious medical condition requiring a rapid return to the country of origin. It’s a case-by-case decision.
Exclusive 5% Off Discount For you
Best Travel insurance for Colombia
Since the difficulties we experienced during the Covid-19 period, it’s more than advisable to take out travel insurance. Our partner offers the best rates and a 5% discount for blog readers!
Flight cancellation and delay cover
Most travel insurance policies do not offer this kind of coverage. This should be discussed directly with the airline that issued your ticket.
Car rental cover
Most travel insurance policies don’t include automobile liability coverage.
In practical terms, this means that in the event of a car accident, the policyholder ‘s medical expenses will be covered under the terms of the contract, but damage caused to third parties will not be covered: injured persons or damaged vehicle.
That’s why we always advise you to take out maximum protection with the rental company when renting a car in Colombia.
Coverage for after-effects of an accident
In the event of permanent disability following an accident, some insurance contracts can pay you a lump sum. Each company will have different ceilings. However, this remains a fixed amount, and not a possible monthly indemnity for life. If the disability is partial (affecting only one limb, for example) then it is possible that only a percentage of this capital will be paid out.
