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Check the actual policy’s relocation, residence, work and duration wording, then identify how to obtain assistance and submit a claim. A policy document and an emergency contact are useful only if you understand which event the policy covers and what the insurer asks you to do when something happens.
Read beyond the headline cover amount
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office recommends checking the full trip duration, places and activities against insurance terms and carrying policy and assistance details. It also distinguishes travel insurance from arrangements for living abroad. A quoted maximum benefit does not answer the separate scope and claims-process questions for a move. UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: Foreign travel insurance.
Make an assistance and claims card
Read the insurer’s own documents and ask it about anything unclear. The card below is an index to the policy, not a replacement for its wording. Keep sensitive supporting evidence private and use the claims channel the insurer confirms, rather than a contact supplied by an unsolicited caller.
| Question | Policy location | Answer to obtain |
|---|---|---|
| Does it cover this move? | Residence, territory and duration terms | Relocation and work confirmation |
| Who do I contact? | Assistance instructions | Overseas contact method |
| Is approval needed? | Claims or treatment authorisation terms | When and how to request it |
| What evidence is needed? | Claims documentation section | Receipts, reports and submission method |
Practise locating an instruction
Illustrative exercise: imagine you need non-emergency treatment shortly after arriving. Without guessing whether it is covered, find the policy section that describes assistance or authorisation and the contact able to answer. Note where a claim reference and receipts would be stored. A successful rehearsal means finding the instruction, not demonstrating that a hypothetical claim would be paid.
If an incident occurs
Follow local urgent-care instructions when immediate help is needed. For insurance questions, use the policy’s assistance and claims process and retain genuine records. If a claim is disputed, ask the insurer for its written explanation and relevant complaint route. Do not infer a right to reimbursement from another traveller’s claim or an advertised benefit alone.
Keep the next action in your moving planner. For the country-specific authority, use our destination directory.