Travel insurance is one of the best tools to give you the peace of mind while away from home. Traveling is fun and exciting, but in order for any trip to go smoothly, proper planning is a must. Whether you are traveling for fun, vacation, business, or any other occasion proper planning of travel, lodging, packing, and entertainment can make for a perfect trip.
It easy to assume that your trip will go forward without a hitch, but that isn’t always the case. Consider the factors below when deciding whether or not you need travel insurance for your next get-away.
Travel insurance is insurance that covers medical expenses and other risk factors involved with travel. This covers travel both in the United States and outside of the abroad. Being on a trip away from home and especially in another country can be scary if something unexpected happens. Travel insurance will give you a way to deal with the unexpected, dangerous, or tragic.
Risk Factors Covered by Travel Insurance
There are many risk factors that are covered under travel insurance such as emergency evacuation. If the area you are visiting is hit with a natural disaster, a political situation, or another circumstance that requires evacuation, your expenses are covered by travel insurance. So consider both the political stability and geography of the region of your destination. One call to your travel insurance policy holder and arrangements can be made for a timely evacuation.
Cancellations, Accidents, and Delays
Another risk that is covered is trip cancellation or interruption. Sometimes unforeseen events cause you to cancel a trip or cut a trip short; travel insurance will reimburse you. The cancellation may not always be because of you. A hotel, airline, or cruise ship can go bankrupt or cancel your trip, leaving you with no recourse if you don’t have travel insurance.
Another risk covered by travel insurance is accidental injury, disablement, or death. It certainly is not what you want to think about when planning a trip, but if any of these events occur, your travel insurance will pay for the expenses involved. This includes the cost of an overseas funeral if needed. As unpleasant as the thought is, being prepared with travel insurance if something should happen is essential.
How many times have you been traveling only to get to an airport to find out your flight is delayed or your rental car is not ready? Travel insurance will cover expenses involved with a delayed flight or other delayed part of your travel. You won’t be stuck sleeping in an airport because you can’t afford a hotel. This includes lost, damaged, or delayed baggage. You will be covered with emergency replacement of your essential items and full replacement once you get home.
Theft, Legal Issues, and Rentals
Another aspect of travel covered by travel insurance is loss, damage, or theft of personal possessions. This includes travel documents. It could be as simple as something falling out of your pocket or a purse that is left behind. Travel insurance will cover the items that have been lost, damage, or stolen and assist you in the replacement of important documents to continue in your travels.
In some circumstances, especially when traveling overseas, legal assistance is needed. It could be a misunderstanding, a loss of documents, or mistaken identity. Whatever the circumstance, if you are in need of legal assistance, travel insurance can provide it for you. This could be anything from advice to representation. Again, it is unlikely that you will need this, but if you do, you don’t want to go without proper legal assistance especially in a foreign country.
Travel insurance also covers rental car damage and personal liability while driving a rental car. Often times this is covered through the rental car agency or through your own personal car insurance. However, this is not always the case in foreign countries so having this coverage as part of your travel insurance can be helpful.
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There are other types of travel insurance you can get for special circumstances. For example, if you are traveling to a country that poses high risk such as a war zone, a natural disaster site, or an area where a terrorist attack has taken place than this coverage is a great idea. Another special coverage is for high risk sports such as scuba-diving, rock climbing, or skiing. It is important to note that coverage usually does not apply if a war or act of terror breaks out once you arrive. Coverage is only if you are going to assist in an area that has already experienced one of these things.
Specialized travel insurance is also available for groups. Traveling in groups adds to the risk factor. There is more luggage, are more accommodations, and there is simply more to keep track of when traveling in a group. The State Department highly recommends obtaining travel insurance when traveling with a group outside of the United States.
How to Get Travel Insurance
There are a few different options available when you start looking for travel insurance. The first option is to check with your credit card company. Many credit cards will give you travel insurance if you use your card to pay for your trip, car rental, lodging, etc. However, the coverage will not be as extensive as an individual plan. You have to determine the risk of where you are traveling to and decide if the basic credit card coverage is enough or if you need more.
Another option is to purchase a travel insurance policy through an insurance provider. A positive thing about this option is that you can customize your plan to fit your travel needs. Many travel insurance plans offer options such as US travel coverage, international coverage, valuables coverage, medical coverage, emergency travel services, cancellation policies or a combination of any and all of the above. Customizing a policy to your specific trip can be very reassuring.
Of course there is a cost to travel insurance, but it is well worth the investment to protect your travel time, your belongings, your family, and the money you will be spending on your vacation. Being in an unfamiliar place when there is an emergency is difficult. Having travel insurance means that you can make a phone call and someone will help you get what you need.
One way to find an affordable price for travel insurance is by comparing quotes and rates through our online comparison tool. Our online tool gives you the basic information you need to see what company would be fit your travel needs. Going without travel insurance is risky. Being covered can give you the piece of mind to enjoy your trip and relax. Look at your options for travel insurance by comparing travel insurance quotes online now!
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