Travel Insurance covers more than your cost

You insure so much, why not your travel?

So you've decided on the vacation for you.  You've contacted a trusted travel professional and have booked your trip.  All that's left is the packing right? WRONG!  It's time to decide whether or not you want to purchase travel insurance. Most insurers have a time limit from depositing a trip to adding travel insurance so as to include pre-existing conditions and/or to have primary vs. secondary coverage.  Many suppliers bundling air with land resort, tour or cruise packages require the addition of travel insurance at the time of deposit so make sure to ask.

Travel insurance not only insures your person, it insures the money you have invested in the trip.  Most insurers offer trip interruption, delay and cancellation coverage giving you money back because you did not get to enjoy the entire vacation.  Travel insurance also covers lost or damaged baggage, travel documents including passports, and medication.  A lost bag is one thing but not having clothes, toiletries and other necessities while vacationing is worse.  Many companies provide funds immediately wherever the traveller is so they can replace the items immediately. Insurers also provide valuable concierge services that are so very necessary when you are trying to sort out a tough situation from somewhere far from home.  Also helpful is that insurers  allow travel professionals to act on your behalf in filing and managing insurance claims while you are on your trip minimizing your stress and hassle.

 Here are some common misconceptions about travel insurance:

1. I have health insurance in the US so I am covered abroad - this is simply untrue.  Todays insurance coverage in the US does not automatically cover travel abroad.  Some companies do offer special coverage for employees traveling abroad for business but almost no companies cover medical expenses when traveling for leisure.  Medicare specifically excludes coverage outside of the country.
2. My credit card company provides me insurance - Credit card insurance is not broad and has tons of exclusions and limitations.  Basically if you can't read the fine print on the list of coverages in your benefits statement, not much is cover
3. I'm not travelling far enough from home to make travel insurance cost worth it - The distance from home is not your only consideration.  Getting home or at least to a place that has adequate medical care can be very expensive.  Medical evacuations from cruise ships, tropical islands and smaller cities throughout Europe, Asia, Central and South America can be very expensive and difficult to arrange.  Travel insurance companies often offer concierge services to arrange your transport and payment of the cost. 
4. I am very healthy and only plan on sitting by the pool how dangerous could that be? - No matter how mellow you plan to be on your trip, a lot can still go wrong.  A loved one back home can fall ill and require your presence back home, you could lose your credit cards, cash or passport and be "stuck" until you get replacements.  You could also go somewhere healthy and end up with food poisoning or a major illness.  Travel Insurance companies can help take care getting your necessary travel documents and funds replaced covering any and all expenses in housing you until you have them.  They can also get you home as soon as possible covering any and all airline and transfer costs.  You can also be covered for return to YOUR hospital or doctor instead of the nearest to where you fall ill or injured.  
5. I have direct flights so I can't miss the cruise, tour or start of my land resort vacation - Cancelled flights and delays can cause you to miss parts of or all of your vacation.  I can assure you that the airline isn't going to compensate you for that loss.  That is what insurance is for.  Even if you are travelling to a land resort, if you check in a day later than planned due to cancelled or delayed flights, the resort is not going to refund you a dime.  That is what insurance is for.
6. I am not travelling during hurricane season - If we learned anything in the 2014 and early 2015 it is that all bets are off regarding weather.  Crazy weather patterns are the norm these days and cruise lines, tour companies and resorts are indemnified for weather issues.  If your trip is ruined, cut short or cancelled due to weather the only way to recoup your fund is insurance

​Insurance for travel expenses is like insuring any other big ticket item like your house, your car, your jewelry.  It is additional cost for the trip that buys you peace of mind.  Just like the security of travelling with my husband, insurance let's me not worry about what could happen and instead enjoy what is happening .  Travel insurance provides you with the assurance that in a worst case scenario you could at least recoup the cost of your trip which would allow you to take another one.

 Consider the incremental cost of insurance and decide if peace of mind is worth it to you.