Planning a trip you’ve been wanting to take for years can be so exciting. Travelling can be rewarding in so many ways, but with that excitement may come unpredictability. There are a whole host of unforeseen circumstances that may come along with jet setting such as emergencies, natural disasters, lost or stolen luggage and more that could interfere with your travel plans and potentially leave you out thousands of dollars. Adding a travel insurance to your next trip could help cover you for anything that may arise. Here’s why you should look into traveler’s insurance for your next vacation abroad.
1.
For More Expensive or International Trips
Typically, travel
insurance only makes sense if you’re embarking on an international
trip out of your home country. International trips tend to be more
expensive, with more money and planning being invested
into the expedition. On average, international trips last about 12
days and cost around three thousand dollars a person,
which is much more of a hit to your wallet than a weekend trip within
driving distance. There also tends to be less risk on a domestic trip
than an international one, so
insurance is not always necessary. Often times your
current health insurance should take care of any
domestic medical emergencies. However, the risk of losing thousands
of dollars or needing money for emergencies on an international trip
is always possible, so traveler’s insurance is necessary when
heading overseas to ensure your hard-earned money stays in your
pocket.
2.
In Case of Natural Disasters or Evacuations
Depending on where
you are travelling, the weather is often uncertain to a tourist. This
especially true when travelling to tropical climates where
hurricanes,
tornados, floods or earthquakes are common. Due to
this un predictability, it is recommended
to have travel insurance in case of any travel delays,
cancellations, or emergency evacuations due to harsh weather or
natural
disasters. As well, it is important to remember that
cruises
often will set out to destinations where natural disasters are likely
to strike. Combined with this fact, cruise packages tend
to be a better deal during heavy hurricane season, so
adding an insurance plan on to a cruise deal could be a good idea
during those times. Weather can be unpredictable, and ultimately,
something we cannot change. So regardless of your method of travel,
making sure you have solid travel or flight insurance can really
protect you in the long run.
3.
Potential Emergency Medical Emergencies
One of the most
common reasons why a tourist might be looking into travel insurance
is for unforeseen medical emergencies that could occur during a trip.
Rightfully so, this could be the one of the most
important reasons to consider adding an insurance
plan. Health isn’t something to take likely, and in case medical
attention is necessary when travelling, it is a good idea to make
sure you get the assistance you need and not have to spend
out of pocket. Depending on your insurance plan, when
you travel out of country you may not be covered for emergency
medical services if you become
ill or get injured. It’s not only doctor
consultations one might have to pay for, but potentially overnight
hospital stays and medication, which can get pricey.
Travel insurance can help save you upwards of ten
thousand dollars, to even fifty
or a
hundred thousand dollars in necessary health expenses.
As mentioned
previously, international travel leaves room for more risk,
which means more chance for illness or injury. Be prepared if
anything happens on your next trip abroad by adding travel insurance
to your vacation or making sure your insurance plan contains
international travel insurance, which
many do not. However, ninety-three
percent of credit cards do offer accident insurance
when traveling. So, look into your current coverage and consider
adding a plan if you do not already have one.
4.
Unexpected Cancellations, Delays, or Extension of Trip
Planning a vacation
can be fun and exciting, however, sometimes life events can get in
the way and trips need to be delayed, extended, or cancelled to
accommodate. Any number of unforeseen circumstances can arise when a
trip is already planned, such
as illness or death of a family member before or
during your trip.
Travel insurance is
especially important if you have a non-refundable
ticket. With life being so unpredictable, you don’t want to lose
out on potentially thousands of dollars on airfare and lodging.
However as mentioned, if your trip is relatively low-cost trip
insurance may not be worth it simply for unexpected cancellations.
More expensive, international, or lengthy vacations are really where
you stand to lose the most money. If setting out on a low expense
trip, look into hotel
cancellation policies before committing to a travel
insurance plan right away.
5.
Security of Baggage and Personal Belongings
One of the most
common reasons why traveler’s look into insurance when planning
trips is to cover any lost, stolen or delayed baggage. Our personal
belongings are vital for travelling anywhere, and often
irreplaceable. However, with the addition of travel insurance, if any
important items are lost or stolen, or delayed, you will be
reimbursed.
In fact, having your luggage lost or delayed by airlines
is fairly common. In 2015,
23.1 million bags were either lost or delayed, and
took over a day to get back to the owners. Many airlines might
not even cover the cost of reimbursing lost, stolen,
or delayed baggage. While losing a I priceless item may never be able
to be repaired by any amount of insurance, having travel protection
could help you replace many things you need every day to get by, such
as laptops and electronics or clothing.
Depending on the type of trip you are embarking on and how many important personal items you are bringing with you, travel insurance could be a huge life saver! Do you feel like travel insurance is worth it for international trips? What are your experiences with using it? Let us know!