Why Travel Insurance Should Be The First Thing You Buy Before A Trip

Whether you plan on going for a short vacation or setting up a year-long trip around the world, you have to consider buying travel insurance. In fact, quite a few countries have already made travel insurance mandatory. 

But even if the country or countries that you want to travel to do not require you to have travel insurance, it has many benefits that you should take into account. Most importantly, it can provide you with peace of mind. It safeguards against many travel-related emergencies and accidents, such as losing your passport.  If you want to know more about travel insurance, you can read articles about this from Cover Trip.

Do you still have doubts about spending money on insurance or feel like it is unnecessary? If that is the case, then read on! We will present you with a few reasons why travel insurance can be more useful than you think.

Medical Expenses

If you need to be hospitalized during your stay abroad, your medical and life insurance might not be enough. Most medical facilities abroad do not accept American insurance plans and will most likely require you to make a payment in cash.

Think about it this way. You are on vacation. You go for a long hike in the mountains. Suddenly, you stumble and break your hand. Without travel insurance, you will have to pay for your medical expenses in cash. And if you sustained severe injuries that required medical evacuation, it might end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars.

But once you buy travel insurance that covers medical expenses, you will not have to worry about that. On top of that, some types of travel insurance might cover transporting you to your home country so that you can continue your treatment there, which can save you thousands of dollars!

Non-Refundable Expenses

Some trips are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In order to go on such a trip, you spend most of your savings that you were able to collect thanks to years and years of hard work. Finally, you booked a trip that you had been dreaming of. And suddenly your family member gets very sick, and you have to stay. 

People from the travel agency might seem very sympathetic, but they might not give you your money back. What should you do then? If you had purchased travel insurance, you would receive large reimbursements for a purchase that you cannot fully refund. And if you had not done that, the situation might get much more difficult and complicated. 

However, every insurance provider has different policies regarding refunds for canceling trips. Most of them will give you the reimbursement for a good reason, including serious illness, death of a family member, or a natural disaster.

Losing Documents

Losing documents is considered one of the biggest disasters you can face on your vacation. Sure, there is always a way to fix it. You can call the nearest United States Embassy or consulate, but travelers sometimes discover that the powers of diplomats are rather limited. 

Fortunately, good travel insurance will cover the replacement of your documents, and it can assist you with getting back home. With more reliable providers, you will get legal assistance and the help of an interpreter while talking to the local authorities. 

Peace of Mind

After careful consideration and choosing the best travel agency, imagine that suddenly they go out of business. Depending on the country in which your provider was based, you can count on the help of the local travel association. 

Still, travel associations might not always be able to help you out. In that case, reliable travel insurance will ensure that you will be taken care of in this kind of situation. The same goes for every other travel emergency, like losing your luggage. 

Requirements

As we have already mentioned, quite a few countries may require you to buy mandatory travel insurance before you enter the country. And for a good reason. They want to protect themselves from potential financial losses, such as unpaid medical bills.

For example, the Schengen Nations require you to provide proof of travel insurance with at least $50 000 in emergency medical benefits once you apply for a Schengen Visa. The same goes for the visa application process in many other countries, including Cuba, Ecuador, Thailand, Qatar, Russia, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates.

The Bottom Line

As you can see, travel insurance can make your life easier in many different ways. Buying one while going on more expensive trips is quite reasonable. But bear in mind that in some cases, spending money on travel insurance is simply not worth it. For example, if your trip is really short and the costs are meager, insurance prices may double the amount of money you will need to spend. Not everyone is able to afford that.

It is also worth noting that before you decide to go for a specific type of travel insurance, always check out the deal that you are presented with very thoroughly before signing any legal documents. That way, you will be aware of what you are buying, and you will be able to make a well-informed purchase!

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