It’s the most highly anticipated trip of the year. So it’s no surprise Santa takes out travel insurance to ensure he’s covered if the unexpected occurs on his round the world adventure.
So what kind of claims might jolly old Saint Nicholas need to make? Travel Insurance Direct has set the tinsel straight with some unforeseen events both you and Santa might face when travelling this festive season.
Image: Tyler Olson/Shutterstock
Medical expenses
Santa isn’t as young as he used to be, not to mention he’s running a pretty high BMI from all those mince pies Mrs Claus makes.
As such, he’s listed himself as having a pre-existing medical condition. Santa is automatically covered for certain medical conditions, like if his boots aggravate his bunions or if contracts dengue fever while delivering pressies in Cambodia.
For everything else, he makes a point of reading his PDS pre-trip to ensure he knows what he’s covered for. You should too.
Dental
Santa might have a sweet tooth, but one thing he takes excellent care of is his teeth.
However, were he to crack a molar while snacking on sugared almonds over the United Kingdom, his travel insurance would cover his emergency dental care.
After all, the last thing anyone wants to be carrying on their trip is a tooth ache or a dental bill.
Emergency medical treatment
One of the undeniable perks of Santa’s job is getting to sample the country’s culinary delights as he moves from house to house – a little gingerbread in Germany, some panettone in Italy.
However, should a humble piece of Christmas cake leave Santa feeling a bit crook (and truly put the ‘gastro’ in gastrotourism), he’d be covered for a trip to the doctor and any interruptions to his travel itinerary.
Don’t be a turkey when it comes to eating overseas – be careful consuming local street food and err on the side of bottled water if you’re worried about catching a bug.
Lost belongings and misplaced pressies
Santa’s carrying some pretty precious cargo – from stocking stuffers to big ticket items. So the last thing he wants is for his gifts to get lost as he’s flying across the country.
Santa takes out additional cover for his more valuable presents, as well as the iPad he keeps in the front of the sleigh for emergency access to Google Maps.
If like Santa, you’re flying with valuable pressies or personal items, ensure you have them listed on your policy and that you keep your receipts.
Additional expense
Because many hands make light work, Santa takes his Head Elf with him on the journey to ensure Christmas runs like a well-oiled machine.
Should his Head Elf become ill or injured on the trip, Santa is covered for any additional travel or accommodation expenses he may have to fork out to get back to the North Pole in a hurry.
Should your trip suddenly get cut short because something happens to you or a member of your travelling party, your travel insurance is there to lend a helping hand.
Cancellation costs
Once all the presents have been delivered and the reindeer safely tucked up in the barn, it’s no surprise Mr and Mrs Claus like to take a tropical holiday to recover from the silly season.
Should Santa injure himself in the workshop or if Mrs Claus were to become sick, their travel insurance for the holiday would cover any cancellation costs.
Taking a trip in 2015? Buying your travel insurance well in advance covers you for any unforeseen events that might pop up between now and your departure date.