You might think the two major decisions you need to make while booking a trip are how you are going to get there and where you are thinking of staying. Travel insurance is another important factor to consider.
For many people, it may seem like just one more expense, and many travelers ask the question of why buy travel insurance.
Whether you are going on a business trip or for leisure, you need extensive preparation to make sure that the journey would be fruitful and safe.
Here, travel insurance becomes a vital part of tour planning; it not only works as a safety net against the risk of incurring unforeseen medication expenses but also safeguards you against other travel-related emergencies that could affect your trip badly like losing a passport or change in baggage.
Suppose, you suddenly find you cannot go on your trip for some unforeseen reason like an accident, illness, or the death of a close relative. But here there is a condition that you need to buy travel insurance when you start booking tickets and not the week before you leave.
Additionally, all travel insurance plans do not cover cancellation, only a few cover your non-refundable, pre-booked costs if your trip is interrupted after you have left home. So make sure to review the description of coverage relevant to your care.
Despite how perfect our planning is, there are enough things that could go wrong that can make us feel mainly vulnerable while being on foreign soil. Incurring the cost of a medical emergency that we did not budget for could lead to financial stress.
And, it could make the holiday experience turn into nightmare. Here, travel insurance comes to the rescue and offers coverage for medical emergencies, and that too on a cashless basis.
Here you should take some time to read it in detail, especially the areas of cover for emergency evacuation, limits on medical expenses, and cover for emergency dental work.
Several countries have made it compulsory for visitors to have travel insurance; you do not want to reach the immigration country and be informed that without travel insurance, you cannot enter a foreign land.
Many times visa applications get rejected due to the absence of travel insurance documentation. So before traveling abroad, check whether or not your destination has made travel insurance a prerequisite for travelers.
Suppose, right in the middle of your trip, riots break out in several parts of the country due to political unrest. You evacuate immediately for safety reasons but the cost of flight tickets has just rocketed due to the sudden exodus of travelers.
In this condition, people have no choice but to pay for inflated airfares to get back to safety.
Now the question arises who will reimburse you for the cost of airfare that you had to incur due to an emergency? The answer is travel insurance, it will help you to approx all your reimbursement.
Suppose you lose your credit/debit card while you are on vacation and you start getting texts that someone is using it. Scary, right? In this situation, not only you are losing your money but you are losing money in a place where you might not get proper help.
With travel insurance, you will get a refund for your money lost through payment cards for up to 12 hours before your first reporting of the incident.
Finally, you are on vacation. But, the airline made a mistake and your bag will be delayed.
With coverage for delayed bags, you can relax. The service hotline will help you get your baggage, besides; you will be able to get reimbursement for all the essential items you require for your trip.
With coverage for luggage that is lost, stolen, or damaged, you will be reimbursed for new clothes and personal items as well as for a suitcase so you can take your new stuff home.
All travel insurance policies have specific advantages and exclusions. So take some time and read the policy wording carefully. Policies vary depending on which country you are from, read carefully and contact the service provider in case you are not sure about anything.
Additional Information: Now, when should you buy insurance?
First, get insurance if you are planning an international trip. Medical is included in all trip insurance plans, or you can also buy a standalone travel medical insurance policy.
