Understanding Travel Insurance in Nigeria: A Beginner’s Guide

This article has the beginner’s guide in understanding travel insurance in Nigeria.

This type of insurance is an important but often overlooked aspect of traveling, especially for those new to purchasing policies.

For travelers to Nigeria, having adequate travel medical insurance is crucial in order to financially protect yourself in the event of illnesses, injuries, or other unforeseen circumstances.

This guide will provide a beginner’s introduction to travel insurance tailored for travel in Nigeria – what it is, why you need it, what to look for in a policy, tips for purchasing, and what to do if you need to make a claim while in the country.

WHAT IS TRAVEL INSURANCE?

Travel insurance provides financial protection and assistance services for unforeseen circumstances that occur while traveling domestically or internationally.

Policies generally cover emergency medical expenses, trip cancellations or interruptions, lost baggage, and additional travel inconveniences. Travel insurance gives travelers peace of mind that sudden losses due to accidents, injuries, or illness will not be financially devastating.

For visitors heading to Nigeria, insurance can be extremely valuable in order to access quality healthcare or medical evacuation since costs are very high for foreigners.

WHY PURCHASE TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR NIGERIA?

There are a few key reasons why purchasing quality travel insurance is so important when visiting Nigeria:

• Emergency Medical Coverage – Medical care for foreigners is extremely expensive in Nigeria if paying out-of-pocket. Quality insurance will cover hospital visits in case of injury or illness so you don’t face massive bills. Most policies cover emergency room services, doctor visits, prescriptions, and medical evacuation.
• Emergency Medical Evacuation – If you experience a major medical emergency, evacuation from Nigeria back to your home country can cost upwards of $100,000 without coverage. Proper insurance is vital to cover this life-saving transportation.
• Protection Against Trip Cancellations & Interruptions – Flights getting cancelled or having to cut your trip short unexpectedly can be costly. Insurance provides reimbursement for these interruptions.
• Coverage for Lost, Stolen or Delayed Baggage – Lost luggage or having your belongings stolen can completely derail a Nigeria vacation. Baggage protection can lessen the financial impacts.
• 24/7 Travel Assistance Services – Quality insurers provide 24 hour assistance while traveling for things like embassy referrals, lost passport recovery, emergency message relay, and local medical provider information.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY FOR NIGERIA

When researching travel insurance for an upcoming Nigeria trip, here are key considerations to make:

• Emergency Medical Coverage & Evacuation – As highlighted earlier, medical coverage with evacuation is likely the most important feature for travelers in Nigeria in case of accidents, injuries, or illness. Minimums of $50,000+ are recommended.
• Cancel for Any Reason Coverage – CFAR coverage allows canceling your Nigeria trip for any reason at all and still receive up to 75% reimbursement. It provides great flexibility if needing to cancel last minute.
• Lost Baggage Protection – Losing bags can ruin a vacation, especially when heading on safaris or visiting remote areas of Nigeria. Seek policies that provide $2,000+ for short trips or higher for extensive travel.
• Adventure Sports Coverage – If you plan on doing activities like hiking, boating, fishing or safaris look for adventure sport add-ons so those are covered. Some policies exclude common vacation activities.
• Pre-Existing Condition Waiver – For those with pre-existing health issues, a waiver will cover emergency medical claims related to those conditions while traveling in Nigeria.

TIPS FOR PURCHASING TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR NIGERIA

Look for insurers that specifically cover travel to African countries or high risk areas that may exclude locations like Nigeria. Read the fine print carefully for any exclusions.

For trips exclusively in Nigeria, domestic travel insurance likely provides sufficient coverage at a lower cost. But for multi-country African adventures, opt for a comprehensive global policy.

Purchase within 21 days of initial trip deposit for waiver of pre-existing conditions and to receive cancellation coverage from the outset.

Understand policy tiers and upgrade if safety precautions like medical evacuation are needed for high risk journeys to remote areas within Nigeria.

For trips involving high adventure activities only available overseas, ensure sports like scuba diving and safaris have coverage before pursuing.

Consider cancel for any reason coverage which allows cancelling with flexible reimbursement terms even when standard fear clauses don’t apply.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU NEED TO MAKE AN INSURANCE CLAIM IN NIGERIA

• Contact Assistance Company ASAP – If hospitalized or needing emergency evacuation, call the assistance number on your policy right away so they can arrange care and payment as quickly as possible. Most insurers also have mobile apps with emergency assistance features.
• Keep All Documentation – Having documentation like receipts, police reports if items lost/stolen, and records from medical visits will be key when claims adjusters investigate what happened and determine valid payouts.
• Submit Claim Forms Within Timeframe – There is often a brief submission window ranging between 30 to 180 days following an incident where claim forms must be submitted by, so be aware of that deadline based on your specific policy.
• Provide Follow Up Details Promptly – Even after submitting a claim there may be follow up questions on details of what happened by insurance company staff. Be responsive to these inquiries to avoid claim denial over gaps in communication.
• Be Patient But Persistent – Depending on factors of the claim, review and payouts can take anywhere from 30 to 90 days. Check status regularly but don’t panic early on if processing is slow as long as you provided necessary information.

CONCLUSION

Preparing for safe and enjoyable travels to an amazing country like Nigeria always starts with purchasing proper travel insurance tailored to your exact trip parameters.

Following this beginner’s guide will shed light on why coverage is so important when visiting, what aspects to look for in policy features, tips for actually buying insurance for Nigeria vacations, and what you’ll need to provide if the unfortunate need arises to make a claim while abroad.

The next best step is discussing your upcoming travel plans with an insurance agent to determine the ideal policy that provides both sufficient safeguards and value for your budget and needs.