What happens when a person gets on a plane without having purchased travel insurance? Do you have any kind of protection? The answer is yes and it is called compulsory travel insurance (CTI). The CTI is included in the price of the plane ticket. In fact, every time you pay for a ticket for any public transport with a capacity of nine or more people (boat, train, bus, metro, etc.), or other smaller vehicles in which the traction is done by cables (funiculars, chair lifts, etc.) you have already paid for it.
Protected by law
The purpose of this insurance is to compensate travelers when they suffer bodily harm (health care, permanent disability, temporary disability and death), or for any damages to or loss of their luggage, and sometimes for damages caused by delays. The amount set as compensation varies according to the type of transport. In the case of airlines, the regulation for this emanates from the Montreal Convention. Where can you consult it? Its transposition to the European Union is EC Regulation No. 889/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of May 13, 2002.
Remember this figure: 113,100 SDR
This rule states that the airline, by the simple fact of its condition, is responsible for all damages caused to passengers within the framework of the transport contract, and is liable up to the amount equivalent to 113,100 Special Drawing Rights (140,000 euros approximately).
But what is a Special Drawing Right? The SDR is a monetary unit that serves to to set these indemnities, among other things. The institution that reviews its value is the International Monetary Fund and it is equivalent to the amounts of certain currencies: the US dollar, the euro, the Chinese renminbi, the Japanese yen and the British pound.
“Keep your ticket until the end of the journey”
As you can imagine, death or cases of total disability are the ones that receive the maximum compensation. The limits decrease according to the severity of the damage. The same goes for luggage: a damaged suitcase is not the same as a lost one or a simple delay in its delivery. Incidentally, 21 days have to pass for luggage to be officially considered lost. If it appears earlier, it will be a delay.
Remember that to be able to claim this type of compensation you have to keep your ticket, whether printed or electronic.
