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5 Reasons Why You Need Travel Insurance for Your Next Vacay
Table of Contents
When to Purchase Travel Insurance?
Why Do You Need Travel Insurance?
5 Reasons Why You Need Travel Insurance for Your Next Vacay
You booked your trip and paid for it, but now you know for sure that you can't go. Even worse, when you booked the trip, you didn't get travel insurance, which would have covered most of your costs and given you a refund.
There is nothing worse than paying for a trip in full and then having to cancel it. You didn't buy travel insurance because, in your mind, the trip was still going to happen no matter what. Now, you can't go because of something that came up out of the blue. Not only that, but you can't get your money back because of the rules that were written into your contract when you booked.
If you’ve ever found yourself in such a situation know that this doesn’t have to be your story every time you plan to travel. You should purchase Travel Insurance.
What is Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is an insurance policy written and enforced specifically for travel arrangements. It covers various components of your trip such as most Non-Refundable inclusions like flights, hotel stays, tours, and excursions. Some features of Travel Insurance include Cancel for Any Reason, Lost or Stolen Luggage, Emergency Medical Evacuation, and Flight Delays. There are even policies available in the event your employer denies your PTO or Vacation Leave Request in short notice. In sum, purchasing travel insurance can protect your financial investment in the event you have to cancel your travel arrangements for any unforeseen circumstance. All of these features can be quite beneficial if they are needed, however, when you don’t have Travel Insurance the headache of having to deal with trip cancellation can be as great as a migraine.
When to Purchase Travel Insurance
Most Travel Agencies and Online Travel Agencies (OTA) require that you opt in for Travel Insurance at time of booking, although there are some insurance providers who will allow you to add the insurance up to 7 days prior to departure. If you do decide to wait it out be aware that some policy inclusions may not be available to you as they would at the initial time of booking your trip. Travel Insurance Policies that include Cancel for Any Reason must be purchased within 15 days of initial deposit to your Travel Agency. .
Why Do You Need Travel Insurance?
There are a host of reasons why any traveler should purchase Travel Insurance no matter the trip cost. In my opinion, no trip should ever be left unprotected. And since neither you nor I are exempt from everyday life matters, that reason is more than enough to always purchase insurance for your trips. Sure it’s an additional cost, but I’d much rather that you have Travel Insurance and not need it rather needing it and not having it. Trust me it IS a big difference if you find yourself facing trip cancellation.
5 Reasons Why You Need Travel Insurance for Your Next Vacay
The next time you book a trip, no matter what the cost, make sure you opt in for Travel Protection. Consider these 6 Reasons Why You Need Travel Insurance for Your Next Vacay
5. Protect Lost/Stolen Luggage - Have you ever gotten somewhere but your bags didn't? And when you asked the airline about it, they were just as lost as your bags about giving you a clear answer. It's very frustrating to be in this situation. Even worse, you have to replace both your luggage and the things you packed, which means you have to pay extra money. This can be very scary, especially for people on a tight budget who weren't ready for the extra cost. Also, you're kind of stuck in a foreign country without the things you need to have a good time. The good news is that travel insurance covers lost or stolen luggage, so all you have to do is file a claim with your insurance company to get back the money you lost because of the airline's mistake.
4. Protect Yourself from Medical Emergencies - Let’s be real. The unexpected can happen even while traveling. You can become sick or even forget to pack prescribed medications that you need to rely on (because it does happen). So if you become ill during your trip or even get injured, Travel Insurance can assist with medical care and expenses that will occur due to you requiring emergency care.
3. Your Destination May Require Travel Insurance - Some countries require visitors to have Travel Insurance before they can enter. You might be asked for proof when you get to the airport and are going through Customs and Immigration. As part of the screening process, you may or may not be allowed to enter a country if you don't have Travel Insurance. So always check with your Travel Advisor before making a reservation, especially if you know for sure you won't be buying travel insurance.
2. Non-Refundable is Real - Read that again…NON-REFUNDABLE IS REAL. When you book a trip through most travel agencies or even online travel agencies (OTA), it's clear that you can't get your money back or transfer it to someone else. This means that no matter what your situation is or how long you've been working with your Travel Agency, they must follow the rules of the vendor, their own booking policies, and the Terms and Conditions for trip cancellation. In short, if you opt out of purchasing travel insurance at time of booking, getting a refund is really slim to none. This alone is reason enough to always buy travel insurance.
1. Protects Your Financial Investment - As I've already said, Travel Insurance helps you protect the money you've spent on your trip. You've worked hard and even worked extra hours to earn the money for your vacation, so why take the chance of losing it all if you have to cancel? Even though you won't get back everything you spent, you will get something back.
In the end, buying travel insurance is an extra cost, but it will be nothing compared to what you could lose if you have to cancel your trip and don't have any kind of travel protection. I'd rather you spend the extra money on travel insurance and not have to use it. Because, believe me, if you book a trip and then have to cancel it, it will be a lot different if you need travel insurance but don't have it.
I hope you enjoyed reading my view on purchasing travel insurance and that you’ll make use of the above tips. I feel like there should be a part two. So since I've shared with you my views, let's talk about some Travel Insurance Providers you should know about so that you can purchase the best policy for your next trip. Let's stay connected so you won't be left out of my next post when I share this information with my readers! Subscribed to our blog right here! And please don’t forget to comment and share with your travel squad. It just may help someone else!
Until next time, Travel Safely!
Anitra, Travel Writer for The Globe Trotting Divas, LLC
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