Travel insurance is a type of insurance designed to cover unexpected losses and protect you financially while you’re traveling– whether for a domestic vacation or an international trip. Here’s what it might cover:

Common Types of Coverage

• Trip Cancellation: Reimburses prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you have to cancel due to covered reasons like illness, injury, natural disaster, or unexpected job loss.
• Trip Interruption: Covers costs if you need to return home early from your trip due to a covered reason.
• Medical Expenses: Pays for medical treatment and hospitalization if you get sick or injured while traveling. This is especially crucial in countries where your regular health insurance may not cover you.
• Emergency Evacuation: Helps cover the cost of transportation to a suitable medical facility if you need urgent medical care and the local facilities are inadequate.
• Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Baggage: Provides reimbursement if your luggage is lost, stolen, or its contents are damaged.
• Travel Delays: Compensates for additional expenses (meals, hotel, etc.) if your trip is delayed for a significant amount of time due to covered reasons like weather or airline issues.
• Missed Connections: Helps cover the costs of rebooking flights if you miss a connecting flight due to covered delays.

Additional Considerations

• Comprehensive vs. Basic Plans: Comprehensive plans include multiple types of coverage, while basic plans might offer only trip cancellation and limited medical.
• Coverage limits: Policies have maximum payouts for each type of coverage.
• Exclusions: Pre-existing medical conditions, adventure sports, or travel to high-risk areas might not be covered by standard policies.
• Age and trip cost: Premiums can be influenced by your age and the total cost of your trip.

Why You Might Need It

• Protects your investment: Vacations can be expensive. Travel insurance can help recover costs if something unexpected forces you to cancel or interrupt your trip.
• Peace of mind: Knowing you’re covered for medical emergencies or lost belongings provides peace of mind while traveling.
• Limitations of other insurance: Your health and credit card insurance might not offer full coverage outside your home country or for specific travel-related problems.