3 Reasons Why You Actually Need Travel Insurance (2024)

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3 Reasons Why You Actually Need Travel Insurance (1)

There are so many things to consider when you’re getting ready for a big trip. Especially if it is a trip where you are leaving the country. You have to make sure you have all your travel plans in order, and that means getting a rental car, making sure your passport is up to date, packing well, that all of your documents are in place, the hotel and accommodation reservations are good, and so many more.

But, one thing that’s often overlooked is the importance of travel insurance. While it may not be top of mind, many things could go wrong while traveling. The chances of these to happen are quite slim, but they can still happen. When it does, you wouldn’t want to be stuck in a foreign country with a medical emergency and no other means to get by but to pay with whatever amount it is you’ve brought while traveling. Like any other medical emergency, the expenses can pile up pretty fast. And that is why travel insurance is so important. If you are a frequent traveler, this is even truer! The more you travel, the higher the likelihood of you needing travel insurance.

I could spend all day describing all the ways travel insurance is beneficial for your next trip, but for the sake of time, I am going to give you three reasons why you should have atravel insurance plan before you leave the country on your next trip.

In Case of An Emergency

An emergency is probably the number one reason anyone considers having travel insurance. Let’s say that you got into a car accident on your trip or ate something that made you so horribly ill you ended up in the emergency medical facilities while on vacation?

I know that an emergency is the last thing you’d think about while excitedly packing your bikini, but this is a genuine possibility. It is better to be covered and not have an emergency than to not be covered and experience something serious. Just as you may have catastrophic health insurance in the United States, it is good to have some sort of emergency health care plan out of the country too!

In Case of a Non-Emergency

I mentioned that there could be some emergency while you are traveling, but what if you have a non-emergency? Let’s say, for example, you trip and sprain your ankle. While it is not an emergency, you may want to go to the doctor without worrying about it, costing you an arm and a leg.

The same thing goes if you get sick such as a cold or the flu. A trip to the doctor can make the difference in if you can enjoy the rest of your journey or not. So giving yourself that option with travel insurance is the right choice!

Travel insurance comes in handy in these scenarios too. If you are not feeling well or need to make a trip to the doctor while on vacation, this is another reason to have travel insurance. I know the last place you’d want to be on vacation is in a doctor’s office. But again, you just never know what could happen while you are there. If you happen to need any medical treatment, you are covered.

In Case You Find Yourself in a Jam

If both of the reasons above are not enough to convince you of the importance of buying travel insurance, this one will. And that is if you find yourself in a jam. When I say a jam, I mean any trip interruption that could inconvenience your trip.

Common examples of these jams would include:

  • Think about your luggage going missing, or a travel delay where you have to book another night in a hotel. These are scenarios where your travel insurance can have your back. They can reimburse you for the items lost in your luggage and pay for a place for you to stay.
  • Some jams can be more severe than others, such as there being a medical evacuation of a political evacuation you will be covered! My family was planning a trip to Cuba through a pretty reputable cruise line last year and were pretty excited about it. But there was so much civil unrest going on that the US prevented travel to Cuba altogether. Luckily, the cruise line picked another place to go for our family Vaca.

We are grateful this happened before we decided to go, but if we were there during this period, having travel insurance would’ve been a saving grace for us.

  • Especially when you’re a frequent traveler, you may have experienced waiting for a supposed to be delayed flight but ending up being canceled.

When this happens, it can cause severe inconvenience. You’re going to make the appropriate new flight bookings, or worse, cancel the rest of the bookings made since the trip now can’t push through.

Generally, most of the costs will be covered by the airline if this is their fault, or if it’s an emergency beyond anybody’s control. But, there may still be other costs that aren’t covered by the airline, such as subsequent hotel cancellations, tours, and whatnot. With a travel insurance policy, these costs are already covered under your umbrella of protection.

Affordable Travel Insurance

Are you convinced that travel insurance is pretty important? If not, allow me to give you one last reason to consider it – it can be pretty affordable if you find the right travel insurance company. One company that I believe does travel insurance right is SafetyWing.

I like SafetyWing because they are the world’s first travel medical insurance developed specifically for nomads, by nomads. The company was established to meet the needs of entrepreneurs and remote workers traveling or living abroad worldwide. So they created their plans to cover even the craziest of possibilities. And with digital nomads in mind, they made their plans affordable and easy to manage.

If you want more proof that you’re getting some of the best and most affordable rates, ask for travel insurance quotes from multiple providers. That way, you can also find someone you can trust to contact for all of your trips.

Why SafetyWing?

Their plans are pretty flexible. And they work like a subscription where you can choose your start date and cancel any time. There is no cap on the duration of the trip and no need to know how long you’ll be traveling in advance. You can set up monthly auto-renewal payments to avoid having your coverage expire and forgetting to renew in time.

They are also pretty affordable since their travel medical coverage starts from $37/4 weeks; This is 1/3rd of the price of the biggest competitor for similar coverage. If you are unsure if that is true, check out their quote calculator below. Their prices speak for themselves!

Now that you also have access to affordable but quality travel insurance through the points you’ve just read, there’s absolutely no reason for you to think about skipping on the travel insurance. When you come to think of it, with the right provider and advanced bookings, travel insurance isn’t really that expensive. With a small price that you pay in exchange for peace of mind that no matter what happens in the trip, you’re covered, that’s already a good enough exchange; it’s that one added expense in your holiday that will always prove to be worth it.

Here are a few other things you should know about SafetyWing:

  • They offer worldwide coverage as well as limited home country coverage (up to 30 days every three months).
  • Insurance is available for purchase in 180 countries and can be purchased while already traveling.
  • They are always available, offering 24/7 support when a person is in need. It also comes with a network of medical partners.
  • Young children are included: 1 young child per adult (up to 2 per family) aged between 14 days and ten years old can be included on the insurance without added cost.

Are you interested in learning more about SafetyWing? Click here to learn more about their travel insurance policies here.

As I mentioned previously, there are many reasons why one should get travel insurance. With so many things that could happen while traveling, it is nice to know that there are so many things from trip delays to medical expenses that can be covered under a single policy. When you think about it, travel insurance is liking paying for peace of mind while on your trip. And if I’m honest, you can’t put a price on that!

But I want to hear your thoughts. Let me know in the comments if you typically get travel insurance when traveling out of the country and why or why not? Thanks!

3 Reasons Why You Actually Need Travel Insurance (2)

3 Reasons Why You Actually Need Travel Insurance (2024)

FAQs

Why do you need travelers insurance? ›

Travel insurance policies can help provide peace of mind and protection if anything unexpected happens on your trip. For example, if your trip gets interrupted for a covered reason or you get injured while you're away, the policy is designed to help cover those costs.

What is the goal of travel insurance? ›

This insurance reimburses a traveler for some or all prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses, and comes in the following forms: Trip cancellation: Reimburses you for paid travel expenses if you can't travel for a preapproved reason. Travel delay: Reimburses you for expenses if you can't travel because of a delay.

What are two disadvantages of travel insurance? ›

It can also be expensive, difficult to file claims, and not always cover the things you thought it would — or should.

What does travel insurance not cover? ›

Most travel insurance policies won't pay out if you're negligent while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and have an accident or have property stolen.

Do all travelers need travel insurance? ›

Who Needs Travel Medical Insurance? Purchasing health insurance for traveling abroad is a simple way to save money in an emergency, and anyone can benefit from the coverage. If you're traveling to a country in which your health insurance provider doesn't provide coverage, buying travel medical insurance is a must.

Do you need travel health insurance? ›

Travel health insurance is especially important if you have an existing health condition, are traveling for more than 6 months, or doing adventure activities such as scuba diving or hang gliding. Check if your current health care covers emergencies that happen while traveling.

How much should travel insurance cost? ›

The average cost of travel insurance is about 3% to 5% of a trip's total value, according to quotes gathered by our research team across different travel insurance providers for various traveler profiles.

What is the purpose of travel insurance Quizlet? ›

Travel insurance covers you for losses caused by trip cancellation and interruption, medical expenses, baggage loss, and trip and baggage delay.

What are the two basic types of travel insurance? ›

What type of travel insurance do I need? There are two main types of travel insurance: trip protection plans and travel medical plans.

Are travel insurance expensive? ›

The average cost of travel insurance is 5% to 6% of your trip costs, according to Forbes Advisor's analysis of travel insurance rates. For a $5,000 trip, the average travel insurance cost is $228, and the range of rates is from $154 for a basic policy up to $437 for a policy with generous coverage .

Does travel insurance replace health insurance? ›

Travel insurance isn't the same thing as health insurance.

Travel insurance with emergency medical benefits offers just that — benefits for losses due to covered medical and dental emergencies. It doesn't cover preventive, routine or elective medical care.

When to get travel insurance? ›

It's smart to buy travel insurance immediately after booking for two reasons. One: You won't forget! Far too many travelers postpone buying travel insurance and then realize, too late, that they forgot to buy it at all. And two: The earlier you buy insurance, the bigger your coverage window.

Does travel insurance cover a cancelled flight? ›

Cancellation cover is a common inclusion with most standard travel insurance policies, but you can take it out separately if it doesn't offer enough cover. Alternatively, if you only want cancellation cover to protect you against cancelled flights rather than baggage protection, you can get it for that.

What is included in travel insurance? ›

Travel Insurance is a type of insurance that covers different risks while travelling. It covers medical expenses, lost luggage, flight cancellations, and other losses that a traveller can incur while travelling. Travel Insurance is usually taken from the day of travel till the time the traveller reaches back to India.

Does travel insurance cover cancelled flights? ›

Cancellation cover is a common inclusion with most standard travel insurance policies, but you can take it out separately if it doesn't offer enough cover. Alternatively, if you only want cancellation cover to protect you against cancelled flights rather than baggage protection, you can get it for that.

Do US citizens need travel insurance for Europe? ›

Do I need travel insurance for Europe? Travel insurance isn't required when visiting Europe; however, it can cover your prepaid and non-refundable trip costs in the event of travel delays, cancellations, a medical emergency or lost baggage.

Do I need travel insurance for a cruise? ›

Do I Have To Buy Travel Insurance For My Cruise? In most cases, it is not required to have travel insurance for a cruise. However, it's always best to check with your cruise line about their requirements. You don't want to be prevented from boarding because you don't have proof of insurance.

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