I overlooked travel insurance for years. I simply assumed I would never need it. However, I learned the hard way and so have many of my friends. It is not simply about staying healthy on vacation because travel insurance offers a lot more than that.
Nobody plans to get sick, get in an accident, or need serious medical attention. Nobody plans to get robbed on an overnight train and lose all of their belongings. The one thing we can plan on is having reliable travel insurance to back us up when we are in another country and need help. That is why I never leave home without travel insurance and here is why you should get travel insurance too.
What You Should Look for in Travel Insurance
You want your travel insurance to cover any unforeseen events while traveling. You can’t plan for dropping your camera in the sea and never plan on getting your gear stolen in a hostel. That is why you need to look for a great travel insurance company that will have your back.
Look for the following in a good plan:
- Coverage of personal injury
- Coverage in the countries you are traveling in
- Coverage for your electronics including laptops, cameras, and other expensive gear (not all travel insurance Loss or theft of valuables and documents
- Emergency medical assistance and transportation
Be sure you thoroughly read what is covered. You need to know if you are covered in an accident, extreme sport, or any activities you will be participating in. Do not assume you are covered for everything.
They may offer coverage but you may have to pay a premium for it. Also, be sure to check how much of your valuable and electronics are covered and when you can file a claim.
How to File a Travel Insurance Claim
Being able to make a claim while you are traveling is a great aspect of any travel insurance. Often you will want to make that claim right away online before you get home. However, many companies will allow you to wait until you return home if you would prefer to not interrupt your vacation.
There are a lot of companies offering travel insurance and that is for good reason but the key is knowing which will actually cover you. The worst case scenario is assuming you are covered until you aren’t and you are footing a very high medical bill or even legal costs.
Buying travel insurance needs to part of every trip you take. It is a small cost to add to your trip when compared to everything else.
Why You Need Travel Insurance
I recently returned from a trip to Nepal and Bhutan. I spent time hiking through the Himalayas to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and left Kathmandu just days before the earthquake struck. While I felt it in Bhutan we were safe but unfortunately thousands of people lost their lives in Nepal. Disaster can strike at any time and the only thing you can do is be prepared. Had I been in Kathmandu I would’ve known who to contact immediately through my travel insurance and they could have notified emergency contacts if I was unable to.
I always want to be prepared for the worst and hope for the best when I travel.
Hopefully disaster will never strike while you are traveling and you might never need to use travel insurance. But it’s good to know you are covered for anything. Your family and friends will thank you for it knowing you have help on the way in case of emergency.
Learn more about Travel Insurance from Allianz Travel Insurance
Disclaimer: I work as an ambassador for Allianz Global Assistance (AGA Service Company) and receive financial compensation.
