How Travel Insurance Covers Unplanned Stopovers and Layovers?

• Written by Mudit Handa

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Nisha was flying from Mumbai to New York with a connecting flight from London. Everything was fine until a mechanical issue grounded her flight in London, causing an unexpected 15-hour layover. During the delay, Nisha was still determining how she would afford her hotel stay in an expensive city like London. If she had a comprehensive travel insurance policy, she wouldn’t need to worry. This scenario demonstrates how essential travel insurance can be during unplanned stopovers and layovers.

Unforeseen stopovers and layovers can be frustrating and expensive while travelling to a foreign country or navigating long-haul international trips. Having the right comprehensive travel insurance plan can help you in stressful situations and compensate you for the inconveniences. Let us understand how travel insurance covers unplanned stopovers and layovers, what is included in such coverage, and tips to ensure you get the most out of your policy.

Understanding Stopovers and Layovers

Understanding the difference between stopovers and layovers is important to knowing what travel insurance covers. 

1. Stopover: A stopover is a scheduled stop in a country or city that lasts more than 24 hours. For example, if you fly from Delhi to Norway with 48-hour stopover flights in Istanbul, you would have time to explore the city before continuing your journey.
2. Layover: A flight layover, on the other hand, is a brief stop between connecting flights, typically lasting less than 24 hours. For instance, if you are flying from Bengaluru to Amsterdam with a 3-hour layover in London, you are likely spending that time in the airport waiting for your next flight.

While both stopovers and layovers are part of planned itineraries, unexpected ones can occur when flights are cancelled, delayed, or rescheduled. This is where travel insurance plays a crucial role.

How does Travel Insurance Cover Unplanned Stopovers and Layovers?

The levels of coverage for unexpected layovers and stopovers vary from insurer to insurer and policy to policy. Typically, travel insurance handles the disruptions in the following ways:

Trip Delay Coverage

Trip delay coverage is one of the most common ways travel insurance covers unexpected stopovers and layovers. This feature is designed to provide financial assistance when your trip is delayed due to airline issues, adverse weather, or unforeseen circumstances. Travel insurance typically provides coverage for the following:

• Cost of hotel accommodation if you are stuck overnight
• Costs of meals during the delay.
• Transportation cost (to and from the airport).
• Communication expenses incurred to inform your loved ones or make alternative arrangements.

The level of coverage varies by policy and from insurer to insurer. For example, the International Travel Insurance — Explore Silver plan from Care Health Insurance offers no coverage for trip delays. In contrast,Explore Gold and Explore Platinum plans offer $25 per set of 4-hour delays, up to $150. 

Trip Interruption Coverage

In case of situations like political unrest, family emergency, or sudden severe illness your trip might be interrupted, leading to unplanned stopovers or extended layovers. Trip interruption coverage covers any additional expenses incurred when you must reroute your trip or cut it short.For instance, you are flying from Delhi to Tokyo with a layover in Singapore, and while in Singapore, a family emergency occurs that requires you to delay your onward travel. Trip interruption coverage in your travel insurance could pay for additional hotel nights and alternative flights. 

Missed Connection Coverage

You may even miss your connecting flight if the flight gets delayed. In that scenario, missed connection coverage can compensate you. This is especially helpful during layovers, where a missed connection might lead to unexpected stopovers or additional layovers. Generally, insurance policies cover the following expenses:

• Rebooking charges for new flights.
• Accommodation cost, if you are stuck overnight.
• Transportation and meal costs during your unplanned stopover.

For instance, you are flying from Bengaluru to Norway via Doha. If your flight to Doha is delayed by 6 hours due to a technical problem, causing you to miss your connection to Norway, missed connection coverage can cover the cost of booking a new flight and compensate you for any unplanned hotel stays.

How to Maximise Your Travel Insurance Benefits?

You can follow below steps to make the most of your travel insurance coverage for unexpected layovers and stopovers:

Choose the Right Policy

Not all travel insurance policies offer the same level of coverage for stopovers, and layovers. Look for policies that include trip delay, cancellation, missed connection, and interruption coverage. 

Understand the Coverage Limits

Each policy will limit how much you can claim for trip delays and interruptions. Knowing these limits will help you avoid surprises during a claim. For example, if you have Care Explore Gold – International Travel Insurance from Care Health Insurance Company, then you get up to USD 500 for trip interruption.  You can then try finding a hotel that fits that budget to ensure full reimbursement.

Know the Minimum Delay Period

Some policies only cover unplanned stopovers and layovers after a certain delay period. Be aware of your policy’s minimum delay period to determine whether you are eligible for coverage during shorter delays. 

Keep All Receipts

Make sure to keep all the bill receipts for hotels, transportation, meals, etc., incurred during your stopover or layover, along with a statement from the airline for the delay. These documents play a crucial role as they are proof of claim.

Get in Touch with the Insurer Instantly

In the event of a delay or interruption, notify your insurer immediately via their 24/7 customer care lines, which can assist you in rebooking flights or booking accommodations during the delay.

Final Words!

Unplanned stopovers and layovers can add significant stress and expense to your travel experience. Fortunately, a comprehensive travel insurance plan can reduce burdens by covering unexpected costs such as hotels, meals, and transportation. Whether it is a family emergency, technical issue, weather delay, or medical emergency, the right travel insurance policy ensures peace of mind. Knowing the coverage limits available and policy terms can help you navigate unexpected disruptions with ease. 

>> Also Read: How Does Insurance Work in International Travel

Disclaimers: All plan features, benefits, coverage, and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Kindly refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.