Insurance is never an exciting thing to think about, even when it’s connected to travel. It’s not as much fun as deciding what museums to go to…or what hotel to stay at. It doesn’t make for beautiful, glossy photos in the travel guides. But, it’s one of the most important parts of travel planning and it can literally be a lifesaver if you encounter issues during your trip.
Here are some of the useful things that travel insurance can help you with….
Lost Luggage
One of the most common issues while travelling can be a little less annoying with travel insurance. If your luggage is lost or significantly delayed, your travel insurance can help cover the cost of replacing the missing items. Most travel insurance includes some sort of compensation for lost luggage, but the requirements that must be met vary between companies and policies. Make sure to read your policy closely.
Travel Delays
Missed or cancelled flight? Your travel insurance may be able to help! Many travel insurance policies include provisions for helping with the expense of changing travel plans.
Trip cancellations
If the unexpected happens and you have to cancel your trip, travel insurance can help reimburse you for your travel expenses…especially if your pre-paid expenses don’t offer an option for a refund. Not all policies include trip cancellation and many of them have limits on what is considered a covered reason for cancelling, so make sure you read and choose your policy carefully. Purchasing your policy as quickly as possible after booking can increase your cancellation options.
Medical Insurance
Unfortunately, a fair number of people do fall ill or become injured during their travels. And, depending on your destination, your personal insurance may not provide adequate coverage. Travel insurance that covers medical expenses can help make sure you have the best protection in case of an illness or accident.
Evacuation
While no one likes to think about the worst case scenario, the truth is bad things do sometimes happen. If you ever need to be evacuated—be it for a medical emergency, natural disaster, or other reason—travel insurance can help with the arrangements and expense.
The most important thing about travel insurance…
…READ THE POLICY! Every company and every policy is different in exactly what they cover. Before you purchase, read the policy closely and take the time to compare it with others. Make sure that you know exactly what is and isn’t included. There’s nothing worse than needing your insurance in a crisis…and then finding out that something isn’t covered.
This is particularly if you’re going to be riding or participating in other ‘extreme risk activities’ such as rock climbing, skydiving, or skiing. Many policies do not cover accidents that occur during these activities or, if they do, they may have requirements for particular safety equipment such as riding helmets. You may need to buy special insurance to cover you during these activities.
What about cost?
There are all types of travel insurance plans available to fit every budget. Many of them are very affordable. The earlier you purchase your policy, the less expensive they tend to be…so it’s a good idea to look into insurance options early on in your travel planning.
And don’t forget a copy of your policy
Last, but not least, don’t forget to pack a hard copy of your policy. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but if you do…it’s best to have a copy at hand.
