(Ecns.cn)--Only when the whole country was devastated by the subway collision that injured 260 people last Tuesday in Shanghai, an accident that resembled the bullet train collision on July 23, did quite a few Chinese start to consider insurance for the coming National Day holiday, since as many as 3 million of them are expected to travel.
"It never came to my mind before that I might need insurance, but given the growing number of accidents, I will apply for it this time," said Cheng Hao, a resident of Beijing. Like quite a few in the country, he has also booked a tour for the seven-day-long holiday.
Again, like so many other confused Chinese, Cheng is at a loss when he thinks about applying for one. "I'm considering traffic insurance, but I have no idea which one to purchase," Cheng complained to the state-run People's Daily.
If one is a regular business traveler in China, obtaining the one-year accident insurance is more economical than a single purchase for each trip. Many insurance companies in the country have now developed a comprehensive one-year traffic insurance package, which covers all forms of transportation including airplane, train, ship, bus, subway, taxi, and electric car, and the insurance premium ranges between 20 yuan ($3) to 400 yuan ($62.6).
Short-term tourists like Cheng Hao, can also choose the comprehensive traffic insurance package with a shorter duration for a few weeks or a month. Accordingly, the insurance premium is lower！20 to 50 yuan ($3- 8).
Besides taking out traffic insurance, travel accident insurance is also recommended this time. Quite a few insurance companies have now promoted such services for tourists. Usually, the insurance period lasts from 1 - 30 days. But, different companies provide different packages; it's thus important to check all the items in a package. Backpacking travelers to southwestern China's Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet regions in particular, should pay attention to the rescue service included in the insurance package. Many medical first aid institutions have yet to be set up in such remote regions and the chances of getting first aid amid desolate and uninhabited areas is slimmer. Therefore, it is important to call the insurance company the second one falls into despair. They may be able to initiate a plan to offer the help in time.
Along with the popularity of outdoor explorations in the country, related insurance plans are now available for a few extreme sports enthusiasts. If one is one of such group, one can pay a fee that is only four times the regular insurance premium before diving into the hobby.
Whenever you try to book a tour in China through travel agencies, it's better to apply for liability insurance. However ridiculous it may sound, the insurance is even more important for domestic tourists as there are a certain number of travel agencies in China that try to shirk their responsibilities for their clients.
"We usually transfer the insurance indemnities directly to the tourists, once the responsibilities are determined according to the liability provisions," explained Li Hui, customer manager of the Sunshine Insurance Group. Agencies are not responsible for any accidents. Injuries occur during free activity time according to China's law.
