A frequent traveler who visits international destinations for personal or professional purposes knows the importance of a passport. A passport is not just a travel document. It is the highest form of identity proof that you are a citizen of a particular country. It is an essential document you need for traveling abroad.
Like any other document or precious material things, there is a possibility that you may lose a passport. It can cause a lot of hassles, use of precious time, and valuable money to get back home safely. Thus, overseas travel insurance that covers loss of passport becomes essential.
Suppose you are on a business trip to a foreign country and lose your passport. There’s nothing more nightmarish than being stuck in a foreign country. In this blog, we have laid down essential steps that you can follow to reach back home safely. It also provides helpful travel tips and the importance of taking international travel insurance.
Register a Police complaint
When you understand that you have lost the passport, visit the police station. The first step is to register a police complaint explaining in detail about the passport theft.
Remember, the report is essential for claiming the travel insurance cover as well.
Reach Your Homeland Embassy
Once you get the report from the police station, your next stop should be the embassy of your country.
Search for your country’s missions in a foreign country and make contact immediately. You can check the office location and contact numbers online. Explain to them the situation. The authorities are always ready to assist the citizens.
Apply for a duplicate passport or emergency certificate
There are two viable solutions to travel back home safely. Either you can apply for a duplicate passport or get an emergency certificate.
It takes one week to process and issues a duplicate or new passport. It takes time because the passport gets printed in your homeland. Your embassy will help you throughout the process.
The second option of an emergency certificate is available if you are in a hurry. It’s a one-time document issued for people who lose a passport.
Get lost visa
Along with the new passport, you must get back the lost visa from the respective embassy of the foreign country. To achieve this objective, visit the embassy. It usually takes 2-4 days to issue a new visa.
But, if you have your flight scheduled before you get the passport or certificate, contact the airline officials and notify them of your situation. Try if rescheduling your flight is possible. Do it as early as possible, without wasting time.
If you have international travel insurance, it can save a lot of money even when you lose your passport. Travel insurance provides compensation for reasonable expenses incurred for obtaining duplicate passports overseas. Therefore, if you have opted for a travel insurance cover, know how to claim it.
Claim your insurance cover for the passport loss
When you reach back home safely, contact your insurance company. You can successfully claim the travel insurance cover for the loss of passport if you submit the following documents:-
-Copy of the report received from the police station
-Receipt of all the expenditures for acquiring a new passport
-NEFT form and Pre-printed canceled cheque
Note that the required documents may differ from one insurer to another.
Travel Tip & Passport Safety
-Now that you know the importance of passport and how losing it can cause difficulty, follow these travel trips and passport safety:-
-Always take photocopies of the passport, visas and other relevant documents. You can scan them and store them online. These documents will help you in getting a new passport quickly. The travel insurance claim gets easy, as well.
-Keep the photocopies separately on your bag and luggage.
-While staying in the hotel, keep the passport in a safe lock or at places that can be accessed by you alone.
Future Generali is one of the global players with more than 125 branches across the world and India, offering comprehensive insurance solutions to customers with its product offerings. International travel insurance offers global service with complete protection. It also has a worldwide emergency/medical assistance. For more information on travel insurance visit this link.
