In July 2004, Sheila Chaman was paralysed after she slipped an hour before catching a flight back to India [ Images ] from the US, where she had gone to visit her son. Chaman required three months of physiotherapy before she could walk again.

That's when the 21-day Travel Insurance Policy she had taken from Bajaj [ Images ] Allianz General Insurance before her overseas trip helped her. Says Chaman, "A visit to a doctor, even for a small problem, can burn a hole in your pocket. Hospitalisation is a step further - it makes you bankrupt. That's why a cover is needed even while travelling."