So, What About Travel Insurance?
Travel Insurance has been a topic of interest lately, for me and for a lot of other people, I am noticing. I have never bought travel insurance. Most of my travel is done on the fly and those travel insurance folk really like it if the people they insure have a plan. So, it’s not something I have ever considered.
So now I’m really wondering if I want to write about the positive or the negative aspects of having travel insurance. I personally think that the insurance business is a scam. But I also think that there are times when insurance can come in handy. Like if you are in an accident. Or if you are older and body parts and gratuitous organs are starting to wear out. So, it’s a coin toss. I think you have to really make that choice for yourself.
There are only two real negatives of purchasing travel insurance. One is that you fork out the cash and then nothing happens. Is it money wasted? Money that could have been spent for a few more days on the trip? The other is that it could be redundant. Much of the insurance that you have at home will cover you while you are away.
Some travel insurance tips:
Check with your health insurance company back home to see if they will cover you in another country. If they do, check to see if they will pay up front or if they only reimburse later, when you file the paperwork after you get home.
If you have home owner’s or renter’s insurance, check the policy to see if your cherished items (like your laptop and cameras, your luggage or your clothes) are covered if they are lost or stolen.
If you purchased items for your trip on your credit card, check to see if they are insured by the card company for loss or theft for a period of time after purchase.
Once you’ve checked these possibilities, then if you still feel the need for coverage, then check with a site like InsureMyTrip.com to find a plan to fill in your coverage gaps. AAA will sometimes have coverage for their US members for international travel.
One good plan to have, no matter what your age, is evacuation insurance – in case you have an accident, need to be helicoptered out, or have to fly home early for medical reasons.
There are a number of different plans for different kinds of travelers now – even for those of us who travel without a plan.
Tags: travel insurance
