Affinity Enterprises advises you to check your policies when travelling overseas.

Bathing suit. Check. Health coverage. Check. The silly season is just two months away and many of us will be jet-setting to our holiday destinations. Affinity Enterprises reminds all South Africans to ensure that their policies are up to date when planning an overseas trip.

“Whether you are going to an exotic retreat, city break, cruise, safari, beach holiday, yoga retreat, or even back backing it’s important that you have the right coverage to ensure your trip is unforgettable for all the right reasons,” says Murray Hewlett, CEO of Affinity Enterprises.

“Ensure you are comprehensively covered especially if you’re travelling out of the country. Contact your medical scheme to find out about the cover you have with them while you travel. Map out important locations, like where you will stay and the closest medical facility before you leave. Draw up a list of emergency contact details and keep them on you at all times. Also, keep a copy in your luggage.”

Murray recommends that you go through all your existing policies carefully to avoid duplicating cover.

When purchasing a holiday flight ticket with a credit card, for example, there may be a certain amount of travel insurance included that offers cover for trip cancellations and interruptions, lost or stolen baggage and travel documents, and emergency evacuation in the case of natural disasters.

Before buying extra cover for high-value items like cameras or laptops, check your household insurance policy to see whether portable items are included under the specified section.

Driving in a foreign city can be confusing and stressful and this may increase the risk of having an accident in a rental car. Having adequate cover for this eventuality will save you from possible excess payments. Before signing for extra cover from the rental agency, however, check your existing travel insurance policy as it may include cover for the excess as a result of accidental damage or theft.

Lastly, keep in mind that some medical schemes may exclude pre-existing medical conditions and costs when travelling overseas so always check with your provider. Unlike medical aid, medical insurance policies (like Affinity Health) do not cover medical treatment received while travelling outside the borders of South Africa. Premiums, however, are not suspended while travelling and continue as normal.

About Affinity Enterprises

Affinity Enterprises Holdings is a diverse and proudly South African financial services group operating nationwide from Gauteng. Affinity Enterprises believes in holistic development. The success of the Affinity suite of insurance products comes off the back of identifying operational and client-facing gaps in the insurance market. By repositioning and repackaging our products we have been able to sustain growth of 100% year-on-year.

Affinity Enterprises parents subsidiary companies that specialise in financial, healthcare and insurance-related services. One of which includes Affinity Health, which aims to provide premier quality, affordable medical insurance to South Africans, and strives to give clients peace of mind and the highest standard of service when they are faced with injury or illness.

Since the establishment of Affinity Health in 2011, Affinity Enterprises Holdings has been nurturing optimal value for its stakeholders, aligning our business objectives with a client-centric approach to product design and service delivery.  The South African insurance market is highly competitive, driving innovation and value for consumers – a hallmark of this being market-changing product development; this is where Affinity Enterprises has excelled. Our Core Divisions include Health Insurance; Dental Insurance; Funeral Cover; Emergency Medical Services; and Integrated Emergency Response. Follow us on Facebook, or log onto our website.