Illnesses, injuries and medical emergencies are something every good parent plans for. Did you plan for these things on vacation as well? Along with providing for medical needs, travel insurance offers a variety of additional services; here are some of them.
Trip Cancellation
If your children get sick, your boss calls you in or some other event occurs to make you cancel your trip, you may be out several hundred dollars in prepaid flights, hotels or other arrangements. With insurance, you’ll recover any out-of-pocket expenses made prior to the trip.
Missed a Connection
You’ve arranged a cruise but your connecting flight to the ship is delayed and you’re going to miss the departure. Insurance can provide assistance, both in people and payment, in arranging a flight for you to meet the ship at its next port of call.
Canceled Flight
A tornado has canceled your return flight home and you’re stranded in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Trip interruption coverage will cover the expenses of a new flight and any hotel bills needed, along with helping you arrange a new flight.
Destination Emergency
If you’re unlucky enough to have a hurricane or earthquake destroy your hotel before your long-planned vacation, insurance for weather damage will return your prepaid fees. Plus, you’ll have help arranging a vacation somewhere else.
Medical Evacuations
You drank the water on your trip to Mexico and now you’re sicker than a Chihuahua and need to find emergency medical care before you get any worse. Traveler’s medical coverage offers you services in your language to find a medical facility and arrange transportation. Should you get sick on a mountain hike or another isolated area, medical evacuation coverage will get you to a treatment facility and cover the cost of a life-flight or other transportation, which typically runs to several thousand dollars.
Terrorist Actions
A terrorist attack has occurred at or near a vacation destination. Such an attack will likely shut down airports and impact hotels, transportation services and more. It may occur a few weeks before your vacation, but you don’t feel safe continuing with your plans. Terrorism coverage allows you to cancel your trip without losing money for non-refundable fees.
The Travel Company Folds
Your cruise is canceled a week before your trip because the travel company has declared bankruptcy and you’ve already paid the full amount, several thousand dollars. Insurance that covers financial default will help you recoup your expenses and also reschedule the cruise.
Other Coverage
You can add insurance for lost luggage, which will reimburse you for replacement clothing and toiletries, as well as help you locate and retrieve your bags; and passport coverage, which helps expedite the process to get a replacement. Your local insurance agent may not offer traveler’s coverage, but it’s a good place to start for a referral.
Getting assistance from real people who speak your language may be the biggest advantage for travelers when something goes wrong. With that kind of service and coverage for everything from terrorist acts to trip cancellation, travel insurance is something to consider when planning and protecting your next family vacation.
