By Pankaj Babbar, licensed advisor at SAI Insurances · 3 min read
1-minute read
The short answer
- Call the insurer's emergency assistance line first whenever you safely can — the number is on the policy card or confirmation.
- In a true emergency, get care first and call as soon as possible afterwards.
- The assistance team may direct you to a clinic or hospital and sometimes arrange to pay it directly.
- Keep every receipt and report — bills, prescriptions, the doctor's notes, any police report.
- Submit the claim form before the deadline in your policy. Deadlines vary, so check yours.
Detailed guide · 2 min read
Before anything happens: save the number
Every visitor and Super Visa policy comes with a 24-hour emergency assistance phone number. Put it in your phone and your parent's phone, and keep a copy of the policy number with their passport. When something happens, you won't have time to dig through emails.
Step 1: Call the assistance line
If the situation allows, call before going to a clinic or hospital. The assistance team can confirm coverage, tell you where to go, and in some cases arrange to bill the hospital directly so you don't pay up front. Many policies require you to contact them, and some reduce what they pay if you don't.
Step 2: In a real emergency, care comes first
If it's life-threatening, call 911 or go straight to the emergency department. Then call the assistance line as soon as reasonably possible — often a family member can make the call while your parent is being treated.
Step 3: Collect the paperwork as you go
- Itemized bills and proof of payment
- The doctor's or hospital's medical report and diagnosis
- Prescription receipts
- Ambulance or taxi receipts related to the emergency
- A police report, if an accident was involved
Photograph everything as a backup. Missing documents are a common reason claims slow down.
Step 4: Fill in the claim form
The insurer will send or link a claim form. Answer every question fully and attach the documents. The insurer may ask for your parent's medical records from home to check the claim against the health questions on the application — that's normal, which is why accurate answers at purchase matter so much.
Step 5: Watch the deadline
Policies set a time limit for submitting claims after treatment. It varies by insurer, so check yours and send the claim as soon as you have the documents rather than waiting until the end of the visit.
If a claim is refused
Ask the insurer for the reason in writing and which part of the policy it relies on. Sometimes it's a missing document; sometimes it's an exclusion — see what Super Visa insurance doesn't cover. Insurers have an appeal or complaint process you can use.
How we help
If you bought through us, message us when something happens. We'll help you understand the next steps, the paperwork the insurer needs and what the policy says — in English, Hindi or Punjabi. The insurer makes the claim decision; we help you through the process.
This article is general information, not insurance advice. Claim procedures, notification requirements, direct-billing arrangements and deadlines vary by insurer and policy — follow the instructions in your policy wording, and contact your advisor or the insurer with questions.