When taking a plane ride to visit family within the country or a last-minute trip, trip insurance tends to be unnecessary, because of low cost and/or the fact that the likelihood of you having to cancel for a last-minute trip is not very high. Also, you tend to only be able to book within 2 weeks of your trip date at most companies.
So why, then, during other times, is trip insurance such a wonderful thing?
Read more to find out!
- It protects you in case you have to cancel last minute due to medical issues, deaths of family members, and more. Meaning, depending on the plan you purchase, you can have your entire trip refunded to you because of an illness that happens before you leave.
- It protects you on the trip in case you have to leave and go home. Same as above, except this time while you’re there, if something happens, you are refunded in cases of emergency.
- It protects you in case of terrorism, natural disasters, and more.
- It provides emergency medical evacuation. Have an emergency? Most of these plans allow for airlifting you out of the country and back home to safety, or to the nearest eligible health facility if immediately necessary.
- It can grant refunds in cases of delay. Did the airline have issues and make you wait 6 hours? That may be covered, and you may be eligible to get a portion of your fare back.
- It provides compensation in the event that your baggage is lost or delayed. So that you’re not trapped in a foreign country with no clothes to speak of, it gives you an amount depending on the plan you have.
There are other reasons why having travel insurance is important, but these are the most necessary ones to emphasize, in my opinion. Not only that, but it’s important to note that airlines who offer insurance usually are only offering it directly on the airplane trip itself, meaning once you are abroad, you don’t get any of this extra additional coverage.
So how do you find the correct trip insurance plan? Easy. My favorite site is called SquareMouth. SquareMouth is a site that allows you to search for, compare, and purchase travel insurance plans through them. You input the information about your trip and it shows you the plans you are eligible for. You are able to see reviews that other people have listed on the plans, the amount of times they’ve been purchased, and the levels of satisfaction the customers have with it, alongside of course, all the specifics of what that plan offers. I can’t say one plan is best for everyone. My favorite, thus far, has been offered TinLeg, but I’ve been fortunate enough to only ever have to deal with airline delays.
It’s important to note that coverage is one-time for that trip, and not a yearly plan like some other countries I’ve seen have offered (though perhaps that exists in the USA as well.)