The Savvy Girl’s Guide to
Travel Insurance

Everybody loves a vacation! The excitement of a new place, the time away for workaday worries…what’s not to like?

Fun in the sun (or snow!) notwithstanding, there are some important decisions to be made before you take off for your next destination.

What if your trip gets cancelled due to something outside your control?

What happens if you get sick or – heaven forbid – seriously injured while you’re away? How will you get home?

Travel insurance is the answer. If you think vacation insurance can only cover your lost luggage or a cancelled flight, you’ve only got half the story.

Securing proper coverage before you travel will give you peace of mind, and let you truly enjoy that vacation you worked so hard to earn – all for a couple of dollars a day.

Read on to learn about the different kinds of travel insurance, and how to get the coverage you need before your next takeoff.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is protection from risk while you are away from your primary residence. It’s meant to protect you from financial losses and other risks while you’re traveling.

You can use travel insurance for vacationing or traveling for business.

What does travel insurance cover?

Travel insurance covers a variety of situations. They vary depending on the coverages you choose. You can cover everything from lost luggage to trip interruption, cancellation, or illness.

Lost or Damaged Luggage

We’ve all been there at least once. You board your flight excited to arrive at your destination, but when you touch down, your checked bag is nowhere to be found.

Though lots of lost luggage is eventually located, not every traveler is so lucky. If you have important plans – or it takes more than a few hours to track down your suitcase – the inconvenience of being without bags can grow exponentially.

Lost luggage coverage will help replace your luggage and your lost clothing/personal items, up to the policy limit.

Depending on the policy you choose, you may have a clothing allowance reimbursement to cover a few wardrobe pieces while waiting for your bag to be recovered.

It won’t be enough to cover your Balmain blazer or your favorite Giuseppes, but anything helps when you’re in a bind.

Trip Interruption or Cancellation

When you make travel plans, the last thing you want to think about is cancelling, right?

Still, things happen, and when they do, having travel insurance can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience or losing thousands of dollars.

The closer you are to your trip date, the less likely you’ll be able to get a refund from your airline or hotel directly. Something unforeseen came up and you have to cancel half your vacation? Forget about it.

If something comes up that makes it impossible to take your trip – like unexpected illness or family emergency – your travel insurance can step in.

Given the cost of flights and hotels these days, that alone is worth the price of a policy.

Illness or Injury

We want every vacation to go off without a hitch, but illness can strike when we least expect it. Travel medical insurance covers health challenges while abroad. This is key because most US health plans will not cover you when you’re out of the country.

If you ever become seriously ill and need to be medically evacuated, you’ll be glad you spent the coins to get coverage.

How to Get Travel Insurance

Now that you know exactly why you need travel insurance and what it’ll cover, you’re probably wondering how to cover your next getaway.

Getting covered is a simple, inexpensive process that’ll put your mind at ease.

Select the coverage you need.

Decide which types of coverage you need for this trip. We recommend travel health insurance on every trip, every time. You’re worth the investment.

Cheat code: Check your credit card benefits to see coverages they offer for trips purchased through them.

Choose a carrier.

Once you know what coverage you need, select a reputable company to write your policy. We recommend getting a quote from multiple providers & comparing coverages to get the best deal.

Pay for your policy.

In order for your trip to be covered, it must be paid for in advance. Be sure to pay your premium a few days before the trip starts. Your insurer will email you documents for your records.

Keep a copy of your policy documents & contacts on your phone.

Your policy won’t do you any good if you can’t contact your carrier when you need help.

Save a copy of your policy contact info on your phone, and stick a paper copy in a safe place. It’s better to have them and not need them, than need them and not have them.

Wrapping Up

Exploring the world through travel is a worthwhile pursuit. Make sure you’re protected by securing the proper travel insurance. By doing so, you’ll have a safe, stress-free trip.