When to Get Travel Insurance

Sometimes life is unpredictable. This can be especially problematic when planning a big or complicated vacation. There are many moving parts and unexpected events may result not only in ruined plans, but lost money as well. Travel insurance is available to help combat this problem, but is it worth the expense?

The first factor to consider is the nature of the trip. You wouldn’t need travel insurance for a short weekend camping trip. However, an expensive world tour or international flight might be worth insuring. As far as travel health insurance, you need to look at both your own health and the potential risks of the area you are traveling to. If there is a fair probability that you will need medical care at some point during your trip, and your personal medical insurance does not cover the area, then you may need traveler’s insurance. Be sure to talk with your doctor before you go about inoculations to avoid needing medical care in the first place.

The second important factor is what kinds of activities you intend to perform. If you are a fan of extreme sports such as surfing, skiing, or skydiving, you may want to get specific traveler’s insurance to cover you in case of injury during these activities. Knowing you don’t have to worry about the medical bills can bring you great peace of mind should anything happen throughout your vacation.

You should also take into account what possessions will be coming with you on your journey. If you have expensive photography equipment, expensive clothes or jewelry, or even personal medical equipment, travel insurance can cover you if any of these valuable items is lost, damaged, or stolen.

For more experienced travelers, age concern travel insurance may be the way to go. These policies often accept pre-existing conditions and offer many packages more specifically tailored to the needs of the senior traveler.

The chance of cancellations is also a factor in determining the worth of insurance. Many companies will reimburse you should your plane or excursion tickets become nullified due to weather, terrorism, or failure of the booking company. If you have booked a trip with a smaller company, this coverage might be worth the cost.

Ultimately the choice of whether to get traveler insurance is up to you. Take stock of your situation and what you stand to lose should something go wrong during your trip. If it is nothing you can’t afford to do without, don’t worry about insurance, but if you find yourself worrying about what-ifs, traveler’s insurance may give you the comfort and security you need to fully enjoy your trip.