No matter the nature of your trip, it is unlikely that you want something to go wrong. Cancelled flights, lost luggage, and sudden sickness are three of the most common issues international travelers will experience when jetting off away from home. These problems, and many more, can put a dampener on the entire trip, ruining the joy that is often related to international travel.
But there is one way to protect yourself if these issues occur. Travel insurance, as simple as it sounds, is a type of insurance that has been created to protect your health and effects if something goes wrong during your trip. It is highly recommended that people travelling internationally obtain travel insurance before they head off, but some individuals might think this is unnecessary.
To set the record straight, this post will outline the main reasons why purchasing travel insurance is an essential aspect for trips overseas.
Before delving into the reasons why travel insurance is an absolute necessity for international travel, you must learn how to select a policy that suits your needs. This will allow you to compare quotes from different providers to find the plan that offers the best value. However, there are numerous factors that you must consider when making this decision.
The first point to consider is your personal circumstances, such as age and if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. As travel insurance premiums can rise with age, you might want to find policies that are designed specifically for older travelers. Additionally, if you have known medical conditions, these must be declared at the earliest opportunity to ensure any future claims are not denied.
Additionally, you should also think about where you will be going and what you will be participating in before choosing a policy. Some popular travel destinations will have different healthcare costs and medical risks, and you will want to ensure your chosen policy will offer full coverage. The activities you are doing might also be considered “high-risk,” like bungee jumping or scuba diving, and your ideal insurance plan will provide adequate coverage for these.
Now that you have the information on how to select the ideal travel insurance policy, you must understand why this is a necessity. There are four of the main reasons why travel insurance is vital if you are off on an international trip, as shown below.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), natural disasters that are fueled by climate change are worse than scientists’ predictions. Travel insurance can help to cover the costs of emergency evacuation in these situations as well as during political unrest and other incidents. This will likely include transporting insured individuals to a safe location or back to their home country.
Also, if death occurs abroad, then some insurance policies will offer repatriation coverage. It can be an incredibly difficult experience if someone dies in a foreign country, but the insurance will ensure the insured person’s remains are returned to their home country. This eliminates some of the stress experienced during a very sad situation.
Travel insurance can also help you when recovering the cost of lost items if your luggage is lost or stolen. It can be a stressful experience to lose your items, but it will ease some anxiety if you know you will get money back after losing clothes, electronics, and others. Plus, a good policy will even reimburse you for any essential items you need to buy if your suitcase is delayed.
As previously mentioned, sudden illness or sickness can ruin your vacation. In fact, it is said that ten British travelers are hospitalized each day while vacationing abroad. It can be difficult to deal with if you are in an unfamiliar location, and you will be unaware if you can access the country’s healthcare system. Medical care can also be very expensive in some countries, and the thought of costly bills might force you to avoid seeking help.
The cost of your medical treatments could be covered by a high-quality insurance policy. This could include expenses built up by hospitalization, medication, and surgery (if required).
Sometimes a trip will need to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Without insurance, this can result in a lot of lost money as you are unlikely to get a refund on booked accommodation and flights. Travel insurance can offer reimbursement on these aspects if a family emergency, illness, or injury causes trip cancellation or interruption.
By reviewing how this type of insurance can help you on your travels, it should be obvious that you are better off insured than not. Not only will it save you money in some situations, it could also save your life in extreme cases.