Why Travel Insurance Is As Important As Your Passport

You’ve reserved your much-needed vacation and you’re ready to go–but are you really?

Let’s say the day before you head out, you, your child, or your parent falls ill and are unable to travel. Or, like a personal client of mine, trips over the curb at the gas station and breaks their leg. Will you be able to receive a refund? Unless you purchased travel insurance, the answer is no. Fortunately, my client who tripped and fell did have travel insurance and was able to not only receive a full refund for their vacation, their meals and hotel room were covered as well.

Medical Emergencies or Illness

Traveling without travel insurance could place you in a situation like clients who decided to decline coverage. While in a foreign port, one member of the family needed immediate medical attention and the hospital required a hefty payment of several thousand dollars upfront. Due to the severity of their condition, they also had a 3-night hospital stay and had to pay yet again to change their airline tickets to fly home. Needless to say, they did not have the same positive refund experience as the other client, and they were out-of-pocket more money than they spent on the trip itself. This could have been prevented if had they purchased, you guessed it, travel insurance.

Other Coverage Situations

Travel insurance covers so much more than someone falling ill though. Did you know if you have a documented traffic accident that causes a delay you could be covered? How about if you receive a subpoena or are called to serve on a jury? And let’s not even talk about that lost luggage! This is just a sampling of examples when travel insurance would make a dramatic impact in your traveling experience and your pocketbook.

Travel Insurance versus a Trip Protection Plan

So what exactly IS travel insurance, and do you know the difference between this and a travel protection plan? Travel insurance is a true insurance product that is underwritten by an insurance company and regulated by state insurance agencies. This is not to be confused with Trip Protection Plans (TPP). TPPs are mostly offered directly by the cruise line or tour operator, are much riskier and could be full of exclusions. A TPP might only cover a portion of the trip and may not reimburse you for a cancellation, but instead issue you a future travel credit, if anything at all. The reason I mention these are simply for your own protection. No one can predict what could happen before and especially during your travel.

Put Travel Insurance on Your Trip Checklist

While it may seem like an unnecessary expense to some, I bet the family that spent more money on a hospital stay than their trip would beg to differ. Travel insurance is almost as important as not forgetting your passport and a professional Travel Advisor will offer information on the best option to protect YOUR vacation investment. Please make sure you know the difference before you purchase and know you can relax should anything happen. Now that you have Travel Insurance, pack your bags, and enjoy your vacation—you are ready!

Start planning your next great getaway with Adventure Travel today!

About the Author

Traci Murdock | Adventure Travel Advisor

Every travel experience offers a new adventure and Traci will make sure yours is one to never forget! Whether you prefer ocean or river cruising (she has sailed over 40 ships), traveling to some of her favorite unforgettable destinations like the Island of Kaua’i, Alaska, and London or somewhere closer like Disney or even Mayberry, NC, rest assured that Traci is someone you can trust to take care of your personal vacation needs.