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Is travel Insurance just about my luggage?
Hey, c'mon! Most of us would find misdirection of our baggage a minor inconvenience. That is, of course, assuming we had medications and other must-haves in our carry-on bags. Covering what could be just an inconvenience is certainly not sufficient cause to buy travel insurance. So why would I buy travel insurance?
Travel insurance covers much more than just your luggage. In certain circumstances it may be life saving. Let me explain! The travel insurance plan you select can be very basic or it can be very comprehensive. The best packages cover the following events:
" Minor health issues
If someone in your party becomes ill and you need medical assistance your travel insurer can direct you to a competent source, assist you with any translation necessary and cover the cost of the care needed.
" Major health issues
In extreme circumstances, your plan provides for evacuation to a medical facility in your vacation country or even back to your home country.
" Trip cancellation
If you cannot travel on your scheduled date for any of a range of reasons, not only ill health, your plan can reimburse you for some or all of the cost of your pre-paid vacation package and save your vacation investment.
" Trip delay or interruption
If your trip is delayed or interrupted your plan can pay for additional expenses incurred while your insurer assists you in making alternative arrangements to get to your vacation destination or to get back home again
" Lost or misdirected luggage
If your luggage doesn't arrive with you your plan will recompense you for costs related to replacing essential items and personal effects needed while you await your luggage. If your luggage is lost your plan will pay for its replacement, usually subject to a specific dollar limit
" Emergency assistance 24 hours per day, everyday
When we are abroad we frequently do not speak the local language or if we do, not well enough for emergencies. We also do not know where to find professional help, such as doctors, and even if we do we have no way of assessing their competence. That is where your insurer's 24/7 assistance line can be a life saver. One call to the assistance staff can put you on the road to a solution in minutes.
" Lost or stolen credit cards and passport
Help is just a phone call away. The staff manning the 24-hour, 7-day assistance line can help notify your financial institutions of the loss of your cards. They can also provide you with emergency cash. Moreover, they can direct you to the nearest consular office where you can get temporary replacements for your passports and visas.
" Other acts that can derail your vacation
Terrorist acts which have the potential to disrupt your vacation are also covered. If your plan includes this coverage, it will recompense you for any costs related to cancellation of your trip or changes to your travel plans which are triggered by terrorist acts.
" The coverage can be domestic as well as international
Even if you are traveling within the USA some of the vacation destroyers described above can affect you. It is wise to have travel insurance whenever you travel. If you have your own medical insurance you may not need to include additional medical insurance under your travel plan. But even in the US, planes are late, flights get cancelled, luggage gets misdirected and even people get sick and cannot travel.
So, you see, travel insurance includes much more than is implied by its name. In fact, it is designed to take as much worry as possible out of traveling and to save your vacation investment if circumstances prevent you from leaving as planned.
Have a great vacation!
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