Add protection for your Spring Festival travels: insurance needed for driving, carpooling, and riding

       The annual “mass periodic migration”—Spring Festival travel rush—has officially begun, with the peak of public travel soon to arrive. However, at the same time, the rate of traffic accidents also increases. Coupled with the frequent occurrence of extreme winter weather, this brings more safety hazards to travel, and unexpected incidents occasionally happen on highways, railways, and air transport.

Did you give yourself an “umbrella” of protection for this Spring Festival? Insurance experts say that if you want your trip to be safe and smooth, don’t overlook the protective role of insurance before you go. Nowadays, buying various types of accident insurance has become easier and easier—you can insure yourself with just a few clicks online.

However, insurance experts say that even when choosing these insurance policies, which can cost as little as a few yuan, there are still tips to follow. Try to purchase appropriate coverage based on your own needs and financial situation, and determine the type and amount of insurance based on your travel plans.

“Risks are everywhere. What measures should be taken to transfer these potential risks?” In response to the public’s questions, insurance professionals say that during the travel rush, in addition to taking necessary safety precautions, purchasing suitable commercial insurance according to your mode of travel is also very essential.

With the gradual popularization of private cars and the convenience and freedom they bring, driving to visit relatives or travel during the holidays has become the top choice for car owners. However, don’t assume that having good driving skills means everything is fine—ensuring ample insurance for your beloved car and your family must be part of your travel plan.

Insurance experts say that citizens planning to drive themselves should ideally supplement their car’s insurance coverage before setting off. Compulsory traffic insurance, third-party liability insurance, and passenger insurance are the essential “standard” policies. Given that SUVs are more prone to theft, it is recommended that SUV owners also consider purchasing theft insurance. Additionally, comprehensive self-drive travel insurance and self-driving accident insurance can also provide protection for road trips. Currently, various property insurance companies offer multiple products for consumers, making it relatively convenient to purchase.

In addition to selecting insurance types, experts also suggest that before driving, citizens carefully analyze the potential risks they may encounter during the trip, thereby deciding which insurance policies to buy. When purchasing car insurance, check whether there are any restrictions on the driving area in the insurance terms, and pay special attention to the service network of the insurance company and its ability to handle claims in other regions, to ensure that your vehicle can receive timely claim services. Always carry the original insurance policy, the insured person’s ID, the vehicle registration, and the driver’s license, just in case.

Traveling by public transport

During the travel rush, most people choose to travel by rail, road, or air. Although these three modes of transport usually offer basic supplementary insurance, given the dense crowds traveling during this period, it is advised that those with travel needs purchase adequate commercial insurance.

Generally speaking, train tickets and long-distance bus tickets come with corresponding accident insurance, but due to considerations of customer affordability, the coverage amounts are often low and only provide basic accident protection. Therefore, before traveling during the travel rush, it’s best to supplement with sufficient commercial accident insurance to mitigate possible risks during the journey. For frequent travelers, spending around a hundred yuan on annual transportation accident insurance is a good idea; those using long holidays like Spring Festival can opt for a short-term transportation accident package product for just over ten yuan.

It’s particularly important to remind consumers that when purchasing personal accident insurance, they must read the insurance liabilities of each policy carefully and choose products that include coverage for accidental disability and accidental medical expenses to obtain more practical protection.

During the Spring Festival, many people choose to carpool to save trouble and expenses when going home or traveling. However, while carpooling is convenient, it comes with many risks—for example, in the event of a traffic accident, carpoolers may not be covered by insurance. Therefore, to prevent losses caused by unexpected incidents during carpooling, travel insurance should not be skipped, and both drivers and passengers should purchase travel accident insurance.

Currently, there is also self-drive travel insurance on the market. This insurance not only provides coverage for conventional risks such as the insured’s own accidents, acute illnesses, injuries, and medical issues, but also specifically covers the insured’s liability for bodily injury or death to passengers while driving. Moreover, such insurance has low premiums, short coverage periods, and targeted protection responsibilities, offering high cost-effectiveness.

Insurance experts also point out that although compulsory traffic insurance and commercial third-party liability insurance can compensate for damage to people and property outside the insured vehicle in terms of coverage scope and insurance amount, carpoolers cannot receive compensation because passenger liability insurance mainly covers injuries to passengers inside the vehicle. On the surface, it may seem that it can cover carpoolers, but the “liability clause” of such insurance explicitly states that non-commercial private vehicles used for commercial purposes are not eligible for insurance compensation.

During the Spring Festival, many citizens choose to join group tours for the convenience and ease—they don’t have to worry about arrangements as the travel agency handles everything. However, those who opt for group tours must not be careless about insurance.

According to the relevant regulations of the National Tourism Administration, travel agency liability insurance must be purchased by the travel agency itself, covering the compensation liability for losses suffered by tourists due to the travel agency’s own faults or negligence. It has become the “standard” insurance for all tour participants nowadays. But in the face of unpredictable risks from nature and the journey, insurance experts advise tourists that in addition to enjoying the liability insurance purchased by the travel agency, it’s best to purchase additional travel accident insurance for a “double layer” of protection.

It’s particularly important to remind travelers that when joining a group tour, they should first confirm whether the travel agency has arranged sufficient insurance coverage, especially checking whether the travel agency has purchased liability insurance, to avoid situations where tourists’ personal and property safety is not adequately protected in the event of an emergency.