Clients always ask me if travel insurance is really important. Here are four reasons when it is most important to buy travel insurance:
1. For expensive trips. You want to make sure you protect your travel investment with good insurance the same way you protect your home and your car with proper insurance. Most trips abroad are generally expensive due to the ever-increasing price of airfare. My escorted, ultra-small groups tours to Italy can be pricey when traveling as a couple. Since COVID-19 most of the travel industry has gone back to "free cancelation" policies. Check (or have your travel agent confirm) every single booking in your itinerary and ensure anything that is not fully refundable if canceled within 48 hours of departure/arrival is covered.
2. If you have or if you are traveling with someone who has any health issues or past health issues. If there is a remote chance you may need to see a doctor while you are traveling abroad, it is very important to be fully covered. Your personal health insurance may not cover payments to foreign doctors or medical facilities and even the best health insurance does not always cover medical transportation costs while abroad. A client of mine had a medical emergency mid-flight from Tennesse to France. The airlines had to make an emergency landing in Canada. He (and his wife) had to be medivac-ed back to the states. Had he not had travel insurance that included the medivac, he would be out close to $500,000. Check your personal health/medical insurance carefully and then supplement that policy with travel insurance.
3. Multiple Airline Carriers. In a perfect world, all flights would be non-stop. But more and more international flights are adding stops. Every stop you make between your home airport and your final destination is another opportunity for lost or damaged luggage. It is bad enough to lose your luggage, but even worse when it doesn't show up for two or three days. Make sure to buy travel insurance that allows you to purchase needed items immediately.
4. Political and/or Environmental Issues. If you are headed to the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, or any other political hotspot, it is best to insure your trip against any airport closings or travel warnings that keep you in or out of a country. Flying during hurricane season or in the winter can also be a gamble. Check with your travel agent (me) for insurance that reimburses for canceled or delayed trips due to weather.
These are just a few reasons why travel insurance is a good idea.
Full disclosure: Purchasing travel insurance doesn't mean everything is covered. Do your homework on the different policy options out there. They have enough options to cover as much or as little as you want. For a "no stress" decision with very little research needed purchase the Cancel For Any Reason policy. It is a little more expensive and has purchasing time constraints, but for peace of mind, it is invaluable. By the way - it was the only policy that covered you if you decide to cancel a trip due to COVID.
Ask me about my preferred Travel Insurance Provider here.
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