Why you need travel insurance
How many times do you choose to skip travel insurance? Despite your instinct to save the extra money, not buying travel insurance is a gamble you don’t want to take. In this article, we share some common misconceptions and why you need travel insurance below.
SCENARIO 1: I’m young and healthy with no chronic medical issues.
The reality is a broken arm, allergic reaction, or any other unexpected ailment is not restricted to those above the age of 40. We’ve seen a traveler get a broken ankle on a honeymoon and a 23-year old have appendicitis in Spain, just to name a few examples. Most standard health insurance plans do not cover you abroad, but the right travel insurance will. Make sure you understand all your options and work with a travel professional that can customize a travel insurance policy for your unique needs.
SCENARIO 2: I didn’t spend that much on the trip, and only a true emergency will keep me from going.
You might plan a trip that is on the lower end of a budget – coach airfare and moderate hotels with 24-hour cancellation policies. So you figure if an emergency came up that caused you to cancel, you’d only lose money on your flight. But trip disruptions can add unexpected expenses to trip. One client had an initial flight to Atlanta that was delayed causing a domino effect:
The delay caused her to miss her second flight to Paris
The rebooked second flight to Paris caused her to miss her third flight to Milan
The rebooked third flight to Milan landed after the last train departure, so she missed her pre-purchased train to Cinque Terre
With no train to get to the hotel she had booked, she missed her first night in Cinque Terre hotel AND had to book a hotel in Milan
The next day she had to purchase another train ticket to Cinque Terre, arriving more than 24 hours later than planned
On top of all the delays, the airline lost her luggage…for FOUR days. She had to buy new clothes, and the few shops in the small town were not cheap, although they were stylish!
The cost of these unplanned events adds up to be hundreds of dollars. With travel insurance, the additional costs – from the hotel to the clothes to even food – are covered!
***Requirements to quarantine if you test positive for Covid-19 may also be covered under trip disruption benefits.
SCENARIO 3: It won’t happen to me.
We all hear the travel nightmares and think, “That won’t happen to me.” But with canceled flights, mechanical delays, weather issues, and more, there are so many factors that are simply beyond our control. Travel insurance allows you to be prepared to conquer the unexpected excitement that sometimes comes with travel. Travel is an investment, and you don’t want to take a gamble on two of your most valuable resources: your leisure time and expendable income.
If you purchase travel insurance and end up not needing it, you still get to travel with peace of mind knowing you’re covered. But in the scenario that you do, you’ll be so glad you did.