Should You Really Purchase Travel Insurance and Trip Protection?

The vacation drive seems to surge once again as the travel restrictions have been lifted. People are traveling more and more to make up for the time that seemed to halt during the pandemic. Since the world is still in combat with covid-19, the government is looking for effective means to run things while protecting its people from the viral breakout. It has highly impacted the aviation and tourism industry throughout the world. As travel restrictions have become less intense, people are gearing up for their much-anticipated vacation. However, they are finding it extremely hard to cope with the varying travel policies.

The ongoing unstable circumstances have compelled the majority of us to think about whether it’s time to get travel insurance or trip protection. These terms are often used interchangeably as most people even travelers are unable to distinguish between them. While there is a slight difference between the two, here are a few things that you may want to know about them.

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How Do Travel Insurance and Trip Protection Work?

Travel insurance is simply a well-crafted plan that keeps an individual from possible financial risks and mishaps that are likely to occur while traveling. The losses could be as minor as a delayed suitcase to a more significant one like a lost passport or a sudden flight cancellation. So once you purchase it, you do not feel worried because of the financial protection it provides against the potential travel risks.

The process is quite simple. For instance, your health deteriorates a few days before your scheduled flight and the only rational decision to take is to cancel it. In this scenario, all you have to do is to file a claim with the required evidence and get reimbursed for the monetary loss. It will happen when the claim is approved but without insurance, it would be impossible for you to cover the loss.

While travel insurance covers major travel losses, trip protection might be just a limited version of it. Trip protection refers to the fee paid to a tour operator to waive a cancellation fine. The plan is typically offered by a travel company from where the tickets were purchased. Apart from waiving a cancellation penalty, the plan may also include medical and security services.

What Do The Travel Insurance And Protection Plans Typically Cover?

The policies of these plans may vary however they generally provide coverage for the following three things;

Trip Cancelation/Delay Coverage:

While traveling can be a rewarding experience, it definitely can be costly. A medical emergency, turbulence in weather, traffic congestion, and the rest can be the reasons behind the flight cancelation or delay. As airline tickets are pretty expensive, sudden changes of plans could be pricey for you. It can happen if you don’t have travel insurance or any sort of protection aid.

Unless you are an insured person, you do not have to bother with such matters. Even for a trip-protected person to file a claim for reimbursement, the reasons must be rational with valid documented proof. It not only covers flight cancelation and delay but also considers any emergency that forces you to cut your vacation short. In this case, the policy may cover the cost of a one-way ticket back home.

Protection of Your Well-Being:

The primary purpose of these policies is to ensure security to the traveler during unforeseeable events like sudden illness or injury. Domestic healthcare insurance is usually not accepted in any foreign country you’re visiting. In case of any emergency, you may have to pay a much higher price for a simple diagnosis. This may seem too much for a non-insured individual which is why it is better to sign up for a coverage plan.

So if you fall ill or injured and require immediate medical intervention, all the medical costs would be covered as per the policies of the plan.

Safety of Personal Belongings:

Baggage loss is one of the mainstream yet unexpected situations that may happen with a traveler. At times it takes a few days or weeks for the luggage to finally reach its destination. Mishaps of this sort would simply sabotage your entire trip not just emotionally but also financially.

So, if your insurance or protection plan includes baggage benefits, then you could get reimbursed for the loss of your personal belongings.

Who Should Consider Getting It?

Although these plans are beneficial for every individual, they would certainly be more advantageous for the individuals who crave traveling. People who prefer making spontaneous trips rather than planning things meticulously should seek advantages from such policies. This way you will feel secure in a place you are not familiar with. Travel insurance can also be beneficial for individuals who explore places just to experience different sorts of adventure sports. Rafting, paragliding, parasailing, bungee jumping have become one of the top reasons to travel around. People who like seeking thrill and adventure should sign up for the plan so that if things turn south, they don’t have to fret over their medical expenses.

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Josh Dudick

Josh is the owner and lead writer at Daily Wisely. His career has taken him from finance to blogging, and now shares his insights with readers of Daily Wisely.

Josh's work and authoritative advice have appeared in major publications like Nasdaq, Forbes, The Sun, Yahoo! Finance, CBS News, Fortune, The Street, MSN Money, and Go Banking Rates. Josh has over 15 years of experience on Wall Street, and currently shares his financial expertise in investing, wealth management, markets, taxes, real estate, and personal finance on his other website, Top Dollar Investor.

Josh graduated from Cornell University with a degree from the Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management at the SC Johnson College of Business.