why i need travel insurance?

There are many good reasons why you need travel insurance before going on a trip:

Medical Emergencies: If you get ill or get injured during your trip, travel insurance can cover the cost of treatment and hospital stay. Especially; if you are visiting a country where the charges are high.

Trip Cancellation or Interruption: It covers the cost when surprises will force you to cancel or interrupt your trip. Such as illness, injury, or death of a family member. It also pays for your return home early.
Lost or Stolen

Belongings: Coverage for the cost to replace damaged, stolen, or lost personal items during your trip.

Flight Delays or Cancellations: If a delayed flight requires you to pay additional charges, such as a hotel room, transportation, and meals, it can help cover those extra expenses.

Emergency Evacuation: covers the evacuation from remote areas in case of an emergency. Travel insurance will pay for transportation and medical care. Highly rated VisitorsCoverage insurance company covers all aspects of travel insurance, rated 4.6 by Google and 4.6 rating by Trustpilot.

Compliance with the law: Some countries require visitors to have travel insurance coverage to enter the country VisitorsCoverage provides the required documents for visas. If you do not meet the terms of your policy, you may be violating the law and may not be allowed to enter the country.

Travel insurance provides peace of mind and can help you save thousands in unplanned emergency charges. A relative of mine broke his hip in a foreign country, he was flown back home by the insurance company accompanied by a medical assistant. The cost was $28,000, fortunately his travel insurance covered in full. It is extremely critical to understand what is covered.

What are the different types?

There are several types of policies available to protect you during your travels. The most common type has complete coverage as listed below. The “only medical” coverage type is less popular. Some of the most common types of travel insurance include:

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance: This type of insurance will reimburse you for any non-refundable expenses if you have to cancel due to reasons that are covered by the plan., such as illness or natural disaster. 

Medical travel insurance: This type of insurance covers only medical expenses incurred during your trip, such as hospitalization, emergency medical treatment, and emergency medical evacuation. 

Baggage and personal belongings insurance: This type reimburses you for stolen, or damaged baggage and personal belongings, such as cameras and laptops.

Flight accident insurance: This type covers compensation in case of death while traveling on a commercial airline.

Rental car insurance: If you have to rent a car this type provides coverage for rental car damage, theft, and liability. 

Adventure travel insurance: If you are planning on your trip to enjoy extreme sports or adventure tourism. These types of activities are not covered by a standard insurance policy. 

It’s important to carefully review the terms and conditions of each policy before purchasing to ensure that you understand the coverage and any exclusions.

What is a pre-existing medical condition and how does it affect my coverage?

Pre-existing health issues are medical conditions that you had before purchasing travel insurance. Examples of pre-existing health conditions are heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and cancer.

Pre-existing medical conditions might affect your coverage in several ways. Some plans will not cover your pre-existing medical condition. This means that any expenses incurred related to a pre-existing condition will not be covered. There are companies that will cover pre-existing conditions for extra fees, but you must disclose your condition and meet specific requirements.

Please, disclose your pre-existing medical condition to the insurance company when purchasing travel insurance, not doing so will cause your policy to be canceled and your claim rejected. Read your policy carefully and contact your insurance provider if there are any issues before you travel.

Can I purchase it after booking my trip?

It is advisable to purchase your travel insurance when you make your first payment or deposit for the trip. such as booking your flight or hotel. It covers any emergencies before or after you leave on your trip, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, lost or delayed baggage, and other unexpected situations.

When you purchase your policy early you can be sure to be covered if an unexpected situation comes up. If you have to cancel your trip in case of illness, death in the family, or any other situations that are covered by the policy. Some plans will provide certain benefits within specific time frames. You can buy travel policy after you book your trip. It is very important to purchase your travel insurance as soon as possible before the travel for the reasons mentioned above.

Is it covered by credit cards?

Depending on your bank, higher-level credit cards offer travel insurance coverage as a perk. The coverage and the limits are not the same, banks and cards have different benefits. 

Some credit cards will cover trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical and dental coverage, baggage loss or delay, travel accident, and rental car insurance. It is very important to review what is covered by your credit card insurance policy. You might have to supplement the credit card coverage by buying extra coverage on your own. 

Generally, credit cards require certain items to be purchased with the credit card, such as tickets, car rentals, and hotels to provide coverage.

How do I submit a claim?

The process of making a claim depends on the providor and the type of policy you purchased. The following are steps you could follow to submit your claim:

Contact your insurance company: Contact the company as soon as possible after injury or loss. The company’s contact information could be found on the policy on the company website.

Gather documentation: You have to have proof to document your claim, keep all documents. This may include police reports, medical reports, receipts, and any other documents related to your injury or loss.

Fill out a claim form: Most likely you will have to fill out a claim form provided by the company. The form will ask for a description of the incident and to attach any documents or receipts to support the claim. 

Submit your claim: Submit your claim once you filled out the claim form and gathered all the required documents. Companies now are accepting claims online, otherwise, you should mail or fax them. 

Follow-up: Some companies are slow at processing claims. You should contact them periodically and check if they need any additional information.

Remember, it’s important to read and understand your policy before traveling so that you know what is covered and what is not.

How much does cost?

The cost of a travel insurance policy is determined by many factors such as the length of your trip, your age, any pre-existing conditions, the safety of the country you are visiting, and any potential risk associated with your trip.  Check my post “Traveling Seniors“

On average, travel insurance can cost anywhere from 4% to 10% of the total cost of your trip. For example, if your trip costs $3,000, you might expect to pay between $120 and $300 for coverage. Click here to get a quote from VisitorsCoverage. 

It is good to know that the actual prices of can be outside this range depending on your specific circumstances. Travel policies might have deductibles and maximum coverage amounts that can affect the price.

Not all travel insurance policies are the same, the offers are different from company to company. Shop around and compare to get the best prices and best coverage. You might have to balance between cost and coverage to meet your specific situatio