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Why Purchase International Travel Insurance?
Common Examples of What Could Go Wrong
A comprehensive international travel insurance plan can provide trip cancellation coverage for the traveler’s vacation costs.
- A traveler could lose non-refundable deposits and prepayments that can add up to hundreds—or even thousands of dollars.
- You arrive at the airport for a connecting flight, only to find that your flight has been cancelled. Who will assist you with finding new flights to get home?
- The flight you are on is delayed due to technical difficulties and you arrive at the next airport for a connecting flight, only to find that your flight has left without you.
Believe me, this has happened to me and a group of friends who were travelling with me.
Again, who will assist you with finding new flights to get home?
The insurance company reimburses the traveler for all pre-paid, non-refundable expenses for a covered loss.
- You are visiting a foreign country, and your passport and wallet are stolen.
- Where do you turn for emergency cash, and how will you get your passport replaced?
- You are at a beach resort and you are forced to evacuate due to an approaching hurricane. What do you do?
Contact your international travel insurance company to help you evacuate and reimburse your lost vacation costs.
Your international travel insurance plan will provide the resources.
- You arrive to your destination and your luggage doesn’t.
- If it’s lost, who will help you find it?
- If it’s delayed, who will pay for your necessities?
- If it’s stolen, who will pay to replace it?
- Your cruise line, airline or tour operator goes bankrupt.
- Who will cover your non-refundable expenses?
- Who do you contact for assistance to get you to your destination?
Avoid finding yourself in one of these situations and plan ahead for your peace of mind
Why Buy International Travel Health Insurance?
If an illness, accident, or other unforeseen circumstance forces a traveler to cancel or interrupt their plans, they face loss of money invested in non-refundable pre-payments, and medical expenses that in many instances may not be covered by their regular health insurance.
- You’re involved in an accident and adequate medical treatment is not available. How will you arrange and pay for a medical evacuation?
- Your bag was lost with your medication inside. You need to locate your bag as soon as possible to have your emergency prescription filled. Who do you call?
- A relative becomes seriously ill and you must cancel your trip, what happens to your non-refundable deposits or pre-payments?
- You’re walking down a cobblestone street and twist your ankle. Who can help you find an English-speaking physician?
This is where your international travel health insurance is important.
Coverage Typically Included in International Travel Health Insurance Plan
In addition to trip cancellation and interruption, the more comprehensive international travel insurance plans available today may also cover:
- emergency medical expenses;
- emergency medical transportation ordered by a doctor to finding the nearest adequate medical facility;
- reimbursement for accommodations and expenses due to travel delays;
- reimbursement for the purchase of essential items if baggage is delayed; and coverage over lost, stolen or damaged baggage.
Many travel health insurance plans include financial default coverage if the program is purchased within 15 days of making the initial trip deposit.
How Does Trip Insurance Cancellation and Interruption Coverage Work?
It reimburses non-refundable, unused payments or deposits if the traveler needs to cancel or interrupt their trip due to a covered reason.
Are Trip Insurance Plans Tailored to Specific Types of Travel?
Many plans are designed for an array of budgets, from modest trips to high-end luxury vacations.
There are also products for last-minute getaways and extended trips, and specific coverage plans for cruise travelers, golf travelers, students, and sports travel.
How Much Does International Travel Health Insurance Cost?The cost is based, in most cases, on the value of the trip and the age of the traveler. Typically, the cost is five to seven percent of the trip cost.
What Else is Offered With the Purchase of an International Travel Health Insurance Plan?24-hour, “911” emergency travel agency-type services to all standard retail plans, in case a traveler has to change a flight or a hotel room.
There is also added assistance with emergency cash transfers, pre-trip consultation services and live messaging, which will relay any e-mail or phone message to family, friends or business associates.