Travel insurance for Chile

First and foremost, even of the most basic of international travel insurance policies will include medical insurance, to help cover the cost of any medical emergencies you experience or medical assistance you require while in Chile. You’ll typically also be covered for medical evacuation/repatriation if necessary.

Comprehensive travel insurance policies can include cover for pre-existing medical conditions, but you’ll need to formally flag any condition(s) you have with the insurer before you take out the policy. Otherwise, you won’t be covered for any medical or emergency assistance you require relating to said condition(s).

You may also be covered for coronavirus-related health expenses, but it’ll usually be an optional extra that you’ll need to pay an additional premium for.

Depending on the level of cover you take out, you may be covered for damage to or the loss of your personal effects and valuables. This can include, but isn’t limited to, your phone, cash and credit cards, your passport and your luggage.

While this type of cover will typically protect you against theft or loss, it won’t cover you in the event that your belongings are lost or stolen due to your own negligence.

While visiting Chile, visitors will want to look out for pickpocketing, which often happens in busy, crowded spaces including public transport, outdoor cafes, markets and shopping centres.¹

In the event that you experience disruptions or trip interruptions, or your trip is cancelled entirely due to unforeseen circumstances, cancellation cover may help to cover some of your trip costs, or the costs stemming from a delay to your travel plans.

For example, if a connecting flight is delayed and you have to spend a night in a hotel as a result, travel insurance may help to cover the resulting accommodation costs. If your trip has to be cancelled entirely, your travel insurance could cover certain costs including booked flights and accommodation.

However, you won’t be covered for trip cancellation in all scenarios. Check the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) of any policy you’re thinking of taking out to see what scenarios would be covered.

If you’re planning on renting a vehicle in order to see the Atacama Desert or Patagonia and the Andes (or any of the myriad other beautiful sights that Chile has to offer), you may want to look for a policy that includes rental vehicle excess cover.

This will save you having to pay a car insurance excess out of pocket in the event that you crash your rental vehicle. Different insurers and policies will offer varying amounts of rental vehicle excess cover, but while it will be included on some comprehensive travel insurance policies, for others you will need to add the additional cover as an optional extra.

Personal liability cover provides financial protection in the event that you cause harm to someone else or damage to their property. If you’re responsible for someone being injured or otherwise in need of medical assistance, personal liability cover may help to cover their medical expenses, saving you from paying them out of pocket.