Travel insurance for India

If you’re travelling to India and have a pre-existing medical condition, we may be able to provide cover with a Single Trip or Backpacker policy.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, then it’s vital that you declare it when you take out travel insurance for your India trip. This way, you'll know whether or not we are able to cover you, should anything happen.

If you have any questions about the medical screening process or you’re unsure what pre-existing conditions are not covered, please call us on 0371 200 0428 (from 9am to 5pm - Monday to Friday). 

According to the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), when travelling to India, you should be up to date with routine vaccinations such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and the diphtheria-tetanus-polio vaccine. Most travellers visiting India will require vaccinations for hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid; some travellers may also need vaccinations for cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), rabies and tuberculosis (TB).

If you’re travelling from a country that has a risk of yellow fever, then you will also require a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

If you need help or support while you’re in India, we can provide 24-hour emergency medical assistance and also a GP telephone and video consultation service. We also have a legal helpline for our policyholders. For contact information, and to find out if any exclusions apply, please consult your policy documents.  

If you’re a British citizen and you’re visiting India for holiday purposes, you can apply for an e-visa online. You can choose an e-tourist visa that lasts for 30 days, one year or five years, but continuous stays for each visit cannot exceed 180 days.

If you’re not visiting India as a tourist, then you can also get an e-business visa, an e-conference visa, and e-medical visa or an e-medical attendant visa. 

When you’re travelling around India, you need to be aware of regional variations. Over 20 languages are spoken in India and many of the 29 states and seven union territories have their own laws. Before you visit each state, you should research the local laws and ensure you’re aware of the customs of the region. If you’re visiting religious or sacred sites, then you should also make sure you’re dressed respectfully.

If you’re visiting different states, then India has a great train network where you can take in amazing views as you travel. The train system is reliable and affordable, but you should aim to travel in first or second class. Much like you would if you were travelling in the UK, you should remain vigilant while on board and you should take particular care of your valuables. If you’re covering large distances, then India also has a good network of internal flights.

For travel within cities, local buses are incredibly popular. Although you can hire a car, many traffic rules are not observed by locals, which can make driving difficult. As a result, most tourists use public transport instead. Rickshaws and taxis are both popular, but they are prone to scams, so you should not get into them alone. When travelling by rickshaw, you should be particularly vigilant of people trying to steal your valuables.