When booking vacation time, a travel agent is likely to ask you if you want travel insurance. It sounds kind of odd to insure your travel. After all, what could possibly go wrong where you’d need insurance for a trip? Many people skip out on travel insurance and just go it on their own. For some, this works out fine. For others, it costs them dearly. But what exactly is travel insurance, and what kind of help does it actually offer? All of this is important information you need to know. This way, the next time you’re asked if you want travel insurance, you know what answer to give.
So What Is Travel Insurance Anyways?
There are some variables based on the kind of travel insurance you decide for, but basically it covers the expenses of your trip. This includes cancelation, trip interruption, the loss of luggage, stolen luggage, travel delays or other problems you might experience during your trip. Now, if the airline changes your flight, the airline tends to cover these expenses. But what if you are unable to make the new flight, or you miss out on a hotel booking because of the new flight? Without travel insurance you are out, having to make up these financial burdens on your own. Sometimes serious family situations come up, such as a death in the family. Most airlines do not refund plane tickets, which means you might be out thousands of dollars. With travel insurance, everything is covered. Additionally, issues might arise in your visiting city. Perhaps riots shut down the airport. Travel insurance can cover expenses associated with this.. Sometimes luggage is stolen or lost, leaving you without valuable items. Should this happen, travel insurance covers it all.
Beyond Just Travel
Naturally, you hope everything goes smoothly with your trip, but in the event it doesn’t, travel insurance has your back. However, travel insurance is more than just insurance for your trip. It is physical insurance for you as an individual. Your health insurance does not always cover you in a foreign country. Your travel insurance can. It often provides visitor health insurance and honors your policy. Visitor health insurance covers doctor visits if you grow ill and most insurance forms cover injury and “dismemberment” (where you receive financial restitution for dismembered limbs, which as grotesque as it sounds, is a sizeable amount).
Travel is a great way to see the world, but it also exposes you to potential financial problems if you are not careful. Travel insurance helps protect you every step of the way.
