More and more, travelers are realizing that buying travel insurance can be a wise financial decision when planning a trip, especially when traveling internationally. Purchasing travel insurance protects your vacation investment, your belongings and most importantly, you from unforeseen events that can happen before or during a trip.
While many people think they may never need travel insurance, statistics show otherwise. In fact, according to a study performed for the US Travel Insurance Association, a national trade association of insurance companies, administrators and other providers, about one out of every six persons who buy travel insurance have a claim at some point.
Eliminating the financial risk of losing your travel investment gives you peace of mind so you can enjoy your vacation. While traveling, your medical bills, travel delay expenses, baggage losses and much more are covered, as well.
Many travelers assume their medical insurance, homeowners policy or credit card will cover them on the road, but this is not often true. Many medical plans either do not provide out-of-country benefits or if coverage is provided, it may be limited and not cover emergency transportation in cases when medical evacuation may be necessary. A medical evacuation can cost up to $100,000 or more.
Think your travel supplier will refund all your money? Airlines, cruise lines, hotels and tour operators are under no legal obligation to do so, and all have conditions in their literature detailing the penalties that will be assessed if you cancel or interrupt your trip. What about weather delays? Airlines are not required to reimburse you for overnight delays, or pay for lost vacation time. Hotels often charge non-refundable deposits ranging from one night to the entire stay, no matter the reason. Flight insurance coverage from TripInsurance.com can help cover the cost of your hotel for these overnight delays.
Travel insurance plans are designed to cover both you and the cost of your travel arrangements against a variety of unforeseeable reasons that may affect you or your travel plans.
What happens if:
You are unable to take your planned trip and some (if not all) of your payments are non-refundable? Trip Cancellation covers the non-refundable trip costs when you must cancel your travel plans for a covered reason. Generally, the more reasons that are covered the better the plan.
Who for illness, injury or death am I covered for:
When deciding to purchase travel insurance, many people consider only their own health. For example, it is not uncommon for younger people to assume that because they are healthy, travel insurance is not needed. But what if parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, aunts or uncles become ill or are injured? Remember travel insurance covers you if something happens to you or to any of these people, causing you to cancel your trip. TripInsurance.com offers great values on family travel insurance plans.
What if I must leave my trip early?
Your child is sick at home and you need to return early from your trip. How do you get your money back for the remaining time you will miss? Trip Interruption covers the cost of your unused, non-refundable land or cruise arrangements and the additional air expense to return home, for the same types of reasons covered for Trip Cancellation.
What if You become ill or injured while traveling?
The Medical Expense benefit of travel insurance plans reimburses you for medical treatment during your trip if you become sick or are injured while traveling. Additionally, air transport expenses (such as upgraded air arrangements, air ambulance, including doctor or nurse escort expenses) for medical evacuation are covered, if required to obtain the level of care needed for your condition.
What if you miss your connecting flight?
“Acts of nature”, such as bad weather or other situations outside of an airline’s control, may force you to buy, at your own cost, alternate arrangements to join your trip. The Missed Connection Benefit of air travel insurance plans covers the cost of these additional arrangements when you miss your flight connection due to a carrier delay, generally of three hours or more.
What If you are stranded overnight in a connecting city due to bad weather?
Without travel insurance that includes a Travel Delay benefit, you would have to pay out of pocket for your extra meal and hotel expenses. Remember, airlines don’t pay these expenses unless they are responsible for your delay.
What happens if your bags are lost or delayed?
The baggage benefit covers loss or damage to your baggage and personal items without deductible or coinsurance requirements. If your bags are delayed for a covered reason, the baggage delay benefit reimburses you for the purchase of toiletries and personal articles during the delay.
These are just a few of the reasons why you should buy travel insurance, there are many more. The best place to buy the right travel insurance plan? Tripinsurance.com, where its easy to compare travel insurance policies, with the comfort of knowing that by buying direct from leading travel insurance companies, you save money – up to 40% or more!
