Things that a Good Travel Insurance program covers
Travelling can be a fun and rewarding experience. However, it is always wise to plan and ensure you have the correct travel insurance before leaving on your next adventure. With many companies now offering cover on holiday, short-term, or student trips and cruises, there are many options to suit your personal needs.
Flight Cancellation or Interruption
It’s not uncommon for airlines to cancel or delay flights. A good travel insurance policy should offer the option to reinstate the airfare and cover any expenses incurred during the period of cancellation.
If you have paid for your flight tickets before your trip, a good travel insurance program will refund or reimburse you for any non-refundable elements of your trip, such as hotel stays, car rentals, and tours.
In addition, if you are traveling abroad and need to make changes to your itinerary before you depart on your trip, it is wise to check with your insurer that they will cover the extra expenses incurred by modifying your plans.
If you experience flight cancellation, your travel insurance policy should cover the cost of an emergency flight home and any additional meals, accommodation, and transportation costs incurred during your delay.
You should also make sure you understand the amount of time you are covered for when it comes to flight cancellation or interruption. Most policies cover delays of 12-24 hours. However, some will offer 24-72 hour coverage.
To be protected against natural disasters such as hurricanes, most policies require you to purchase a separate natural disasters add-on, generally offered at an additional cost.
Emergency Medication and Ambulance Services
If you or one of your family members becomes sick or injured while traveling abroad, a quick response is required.
A good travel insurance program should provide access to a 24-hour toll-free emergency hotline. Contact numbers for doctors and hospitals in the area are also essential to have on hand in case of an emergency and details for any other specific medical services you may need during your trip, such as ambulance transportation.
Medical Evacuation
Medical evacuation is an integral part of your travel insurance plan and can mean the difference between life and death in some situations.
If you have good travel insurance, you will be provided with the option to be transported to the nearest medical health center for treatment. That can be invaluable if you are severely injured or become seriously ill, particularly in undeveloped areas where medical care may not be readily available.
Baggage Insurance
For most holidays, you will only be carrying a small amount of luggage. However, disaster strikes, and you are suddenly faced with searching for your lost or damaged bag in a foreign country.
Your baggage insurance policy should assist with the cost of replacing bags if they are lost or damaged while on your trip. That could mean the difference between simply buying a new bag instead of buying everything in it at home.
Cancellation or Delays of Your Journey
If you have prepaid your vacation or flight and suffer a cancellation, bad weather can cause delays or other unforeseen events, your travel insurance policy should be able to provide you with compensation.
If your trip delays due to unforeseen circumstances, a good travel insurance program will reimburse you for any pre-paid expenses such as hotels, tours, car rentals, and meals.
Loss of passport
Not only will your travel insurance program help you replace your lost or stolen passport, but some plans may also actually reimburse you for the time and money lost while obtaining a new one.
Travel always has a plethora of pitfalls, unintentional injuries, and unexpected accidents. Whether you’re going out of town for a quick vacation or heading to your dream destination for months on end, travel insurance is the best way to ensure that you don’t have any significant costs fall onto your shoulders after an unfortunate incident.
