Do You Really Need Travel Insurance on Your Next Vacation?

Traveling to other parts of your home country or visiting an entirely different country is expensive and time-consuming. Depending on your mode of transportation, one or all parts of your itinerary can be disrupted, putting your entire vacation in jeopardy. 

Driving your own car to your destination is one of the less risky ventures, but due to time constraints and how far away you’re going, that’s not always feasible. You can’t exactly drive across the ocean. 

While trains and cruise ships are other viable options, most people prefer to fly to their vacation spot. However, flights are becoming more and more unpredictable, as airlines regularly overbook flights and non-stop flights become a thing of the past. 

How you get to your destination isn’t the only aspect of the trip that’s at risk. Hotel rooms, tourist attraction tickets, and rental car bookings are also potentially compromised if life throws a wrench in your plans. 

Travel insurance may not cover all incidentals, but it can be a safety net to recoup at least part of the money spent in advance on planning your vacation. 

What Does Travel Insurance Cover? 

Travel blogs, such as Inspire4travel, offer firsthand travel testimonials, tips and tricks on booking travel plans and other important information for those with wanderlust. 

Novice travelers may be unsure of what is covered under travel insurance. While it varies from policy-to-policy, the following situations are generally covered under an optional travel insurance plan. 

• Weather-related trip cancellation. Snowstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes are just three weather phenoms that can wreak havoc on vacation plans. 
• Missed connection due to delayed flights. If the weather doesn’t outright cancel flights, it can lead to delays that cause travelers to miss their connections. Mechanical issues are also a frequent cause of flight delays.
• Unexpected medical issues. Severe medical events or losses in the family can happen to anyone at any time. Travel insurance policies will require documentation if a traveler claims medical reasons for the cancelation. 
• Baggage is lost or damaged en route. Depending on where the insurance policy originates, stolen or damaged luggage may be covered to some extent. 

Is Travel Insurance Really Necessary? 

Whether travel insurance is necessary depends on several factors. How far in advance were the plans booked? Are you leaving the country and how are you getting there? Are you financially able to risk losing out on recouping your travel expenses if the trip is canceled? 

Travel insurance becomes less necessary the closer you book your plans to the travel date. If you book a year in advance, chances are higher that something could come up to ruin your plans. 

If you’re traveling to another country, travel insurance can provide a sense of security in unfamiliar lands. For instance, if your travel plans involve seeing all of the New 7 Wonders of the World, travel insurance is essential because one leg of the journey could go south and disrupt the entire idea. 

Opting for travel insurance is a personal decision traveler must make for themselves. The likelihood the insurance will ever be needed is slim, but not impossible. Do you want to take the chance of losing a good chunk of your savings on a trip that never happened? 

Travel is Good For Your Health, But Stress Isn’t 

Unnecessary or an essential part of any vacation, travel insurance is meant as a backup plan. 

Traveling can be very stressful on its own. Adding in the uncertainty of something going wrong can ruin a relaxing vacation. Travel insurance is a safety net for those with adventurous spirits but cautious minds. – Travel Feeder