Travel Insurance: Protection from Unexpected Risks and Expenses
Road or air trips come with unexpected risks, like delay or cancellation, which may result in surprise bills. Travel insurance is a type of insurance coverage that helps protect a traveler from such unexpected events.
Your travel policy covers a range of unforeseen travel-related events, hence cushioning you from financial losses and damages.
Thus, you can have peace of mind while traveling and enjoy your domestic or international adventure.
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
Travel insurance is designed to provide financial protection for unexpected travel expenses. Typical travel insurance coverages include:
Trip Cancellation
Several reasons prevent people from taking their trips, including injuries, illnesses, family emergencies, civil unrest, or a travel supplier’s bankruptcy.
Travel insurance reimburses you pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs if you cancel or cut short your trip due to covered reasons.
Common non-refundable expenses reimbursed include lights, accommodations, cruises, entertainment, tours, and more.
Trip Delay
Reasons like severe weather or airline strikes may result in a trip delay. Such a delay comes with extra costs, like meals, accommodation, taxis, and more.
Your travel insurance policy reimburses you for such additional expenses if the delay occurs due to a covered event.
Emergency medical expenses
Your travel insurance covers medical expenses if you become ill or get injured during a trip.
The policy pays for doctor visits, hospital stays, and medication. It also covers evacuation cost to the nearest medical facility and repatriation cost to your home country.
Coverage for emergency expenses is important when traveling abroad as your regular health insurance may not cover healthcare costs on foreign soil.
Rental Car Coverage
Some travel insurance policies may provide coverage for rental cars. In that case, your rental car is covered for damage, theft, etc. Thus, you may not need to buy additional rental car insurance.
Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR)
CFAR is an optional add-on that gives you greater flexibility and control over your trip. It allows you to cancel a trip for personal reasons or concerns not listed in the regular coverage.
You get the freedom to cancel your trip for any reason and still receive compensation for pre-paid, non-refundable costs.
Baggage and Personal Belongings
Travel insurance coverage protects both checked and carry-on luggage and personal items against loss, theft, or damage.
You’ll receive compensation if your luggage or personal belongings suffer any of these risks during your trip.
Travel Assistance Service
Emergency support is very crucial when traveling. Most travel insurance policies include a 24/7 assistance service to help address issues when traveling far from home.
They offer support for various emergencies, including lost passport replacement and locating adequate medical facilities.
They also help with emergency cash advances, medical referrals, and legal assistance.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)
Some travel insurance policies may offer compensation in the event of death or serious injury during your trip.
In case of such unfortunate eventually during your travel, the policy provides some financial compensation to you or your beneficiaries.
Adventure or Sports Coverage
You may plan to mark your trip with adventurous sporting activities. A travel insurance policy allows you to purchase additional coverage to cover potential activity risks.
Different Ways to Get Travel Insurance
You can get travel insurance through various ways, including:
From your insurance carrier
Through travel agencies
Credit card travel insurance
How To Get Cheap Travel Insurance
The best way to get affordable travel coverage is to engage the services of an independent insurance agent. They can advise you on the best way to get travel insurance and whether you need to buy additional coverage.
Qualified agents also work with a network of insurance carriers. So, they’re more likely to know who has the best travel insurance rates in town.
