Is Travel Insurance Worth it? An article on travel insurance and when its useful.
Last month I was wrapping up a trip to San Diego when I got a call from my mom. My grandma had died in her sleep. I hadn’t seen her in over a year, so it was not a total shock, but it was still sad. I didn’t have time to process it at the time, as I was already late for my flight home and my ride was waiting for me at the airport.
I had just finished talking with my mom about funeral arrangements when we started to take off. The plane accelerated down the runway, but then suddenly stopped in its tracks. We had blown two tires (or something like that – they never really explained what happened.) The flight crew told us we would be returning to the gate to get some new tires or fix the broken ones or whatever they needed to do. It would take an hour or two, they said.
We taxied back to the gate, where we sat for two hours before finally being allowed off the plane. Everyone went right to customer service trying to re-book their flights home and figure out how they were going to get back in time for work on Monday morning. For me, it was less of an
When to buy travel insurance
Travel insurance is one of those things that you often hear people recommend, but rarely do you hear about why or when it’s really necessary.
Many of us aren’t sure whether or not travel insurance is worth it, and if we are, we’re often unsure how to know what type of coverage we should get.
To make matters worse, there’s a million different types of travel insurance out there, and they all seem to cover different things! Some cover delays, some cover cancellations, some cover medical expenses in case of an emergency, etc. But which ones should you be getting? When? And why?
So let’s break down the basics and learn exactly when travel insurance is worth it so you can decide for yourself.
A lot of people think travel insurance is a waste of money. Others always get it regardless of their trip. Is there an in-between? Yes, and I’m here to give you the answer.
When Do You Need Travel Insurance
If you’re flying on a budget airline that’s notorious for being unreliable, or if you’re flying to a country where there’s a high risk of getting stranded, then yes, you should get travel insurance.
Flights are usually pretty reliable these days, but they can be delayed or canceled due to weather, mechanical problems, or labor strikes. If your flight gets delayed or canceled, you might have to spend money on food, accommodation and other expenses while you wait. A travel insurance policy can reimburse you for those additional costs.
Travel insurance can also cover some expenses if your flight gets delayed or canceled and you miss your connection. However, it won’t help if your delay is “weather related.” That’s why it’s important to buy travel insurance from an insurer that specifically defines this term (so the weather has to be severe enough for the airline to cancel flights). Other insurers don’t define this term at all which means they will only cover delays and cancellations caused by reasons other than weather-related issues (mechan
You’re about to book a flight and the booking engine asks you if you’d like to purchase travel insurance. You picture an expensive medical bill and wonder, “is travel insurance really worth it?”
This article is dedicated to answering that question and helping you decide whether or not you need it. We’ll start with a quick breakdown of what travel insurance actually is, followed by a more detailed look at the different types of coverage. Then we’ll go through some different scenarios and help you figure out when travel insurance makes sense for you.
Travel insurance is one of those things that always shows up in the “optional” column on booking sites. And, with a name like “insurance,” it’s no surprise that travelers often wonder, “Is travel insurance worth it?”
You might be surprised at the answer: Usually, yes! Here’s how to know when it makes sense to get travel insurance, how much it usually costs and more.
When Is Travel Insurance Worth It?
There are two big times when travel insurance is worth it: 1) when you’re traveling internationally or 2) if you have a nonrefundable ticket.
It might seem obvious that international trips need more protection than domestic ones. But if you’ve ever paid for a trip by credit card and then had something go wrong — lost luggage, flight cancellations, etc. — you’ll know just how much easier it can be to deal with such issues when you’re in the U.S. rather than abroad. If your trip originated in the U.S., American customer service reps are familiar with the policies of U.S. companies and will work on your behalf to get things resolved quickly and efficiently.
But if something goes wrong while you’re abroad, this process can become much more complicated since most companies don
As a flight deal site that focuses on cheap international flights, we get asked a lot about travel insurance. And the
Travel insurance is a confusing topic. There are dozens of companies that sell travel insurance, and the number of plans they offer makes the decision of what to buy even more overwhelming. So, before you spend money on travel insurance it helps to have a clear understanding of what it is and why you might need it.
What is Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance is an insurance plan you purchase for trips you take. The two most important parts are emergency medical coverage and trip cancellation coverage. Most other benefits are ancillary or secondary.
Why You Should Buy Travel Insurance
Below are the three main reasons why you should buy travel insurance. These cover the instances when it makes sense to invest in a policy.
1) If you’re paying for a non-refundable trip
Any time you pay for a trip that has non-refundable elements (even if only part of your trip is non-refundable), you should strongly consider purchasing travel insurance. This includes airfare and hotels, but can also include car rentals, tours, cruises, weddings, etc… if these are booked with funds that would be difficult/impossible to get back if your trip was cancelled or interrupted.