Travel Insurance

Toothbrush? Check. Tickets? Check. Travel Insurance...Huh? Every year thousands of people travel throughout the world, and for most, travel insurance is not on the trip itinerary. Anything can happen while vacationing; the only difference is that it will be harder for you to remedy the situation in a foreign land.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

There are any numbers of problems that can kill your vacation plans, either before the trip starts, or while you are trying to enjoy your well-deserved getaway.

Just imagine all of the ruined vacations due to the events of September 11th. Hundreds of flights were cancelled after the attacks, and due to the fact that many deposits and travel expenses are non-refundable, anyone without travel insurance was left to foot the bill.

Now imagine you are on a plane, headed for a European vacation when you suddenly realize you completely forgot to pack your medication. If you fail to acquire any travel insurance, you will be spending your traveler''s checks on pharmaceuticals rather than souvenirs.

Finally, if you are injured while on vacation, a good travel insurance policy will save you a lot of time and money.

What it comes down to is the level of risk you are willing to take with your vacation time and budget. If you feel confident that nothing can go wrong on your vacation, then you might see travel insurance as an excessive measure; but if you prefer to play on the side of caution, you may see travel insurance as a safety necessity.

What Are the Types of Travel Insurance Coverage?

Whether you are an avid traveler or a weekend warrior, you can find a travel insurance policy to fit your needs.

Flight Accident Policies, which, as you might assume, provide accidental death insurance while flying.
Medical Evacuation Policies come into effect if you become seriously ill or injured while on vacation; these policies provide emergency medical evacuation to an appropriate facility.
Multi-Trip Medical Policies are aimed at the nomads of the world. These policies provide annual medical coverage for multiple trips throughout the year. The policies also have trip length restrictions of 15, 30, or 70 days.
Package Policies are intended for single trips and cover trip cancellation, baggage, medical, dental, and even accidental death coverage.
Travel Medical Policies provide medical coverage for trips up to a year in length and deal with flight, evacuation, trip interruption, and accidental death.