What Travel Coverage Do You Need For An International Trip?
With so many types of travel insurance plans available, you might be struggling to determine which one will best fit your needs for traveling abroad. With these descriptions of the most beneficial types of international travel coverage, you can get a better idea of what you need.
Types of Travel Insurance Available When Going Abroad
While you plan for your next international trip to go smoothly and without a hitch, there’s always a chance that it won’t go as planned. Without international travel insurance, you could end up stranded in a foreign country because one leg of your trip was canceled or because there was some kind of catastrophe. You may even end up without your belongings or incur steep medical expenses if you don’t have the proper coverage. Having a travel insurance plan that covers all of these risks can save you stress and money.
Trip Cancellations
The biggest concern with a majority of travelers is that their trips or part of their travel could be canceled. When you prepay for a trip, you risk losing that money, becoming stranded or both if something bad happens. Travel insurance for trip cancellations reimburses the prepaid costs. The coverage typically applies when you are sick or injured, called for jury duty or have to work during your travel period. It is also usually applied if your travel supplier enters bankruptcy, a terrorist incident occurs in your destination, a hurricane results in flight cancellations or damage to your destination, and many other situations that are out of your control.
Medical Costs and Emergency Evacuations
While health insurance covers individuals for medical emergencies in the United States, this coverage isn’t extended abroad. Since there’s no way to ensure that an accident or emergency won’t arise, medical expense travel insurance covers the cost of any dental and medical care that you need while traveling in foreign countries or on foreign cruise ships. If an accident becomes serious enough for you to need emergency evacuation, such coverage is also available and pays for the cost of medically equipped airlifts to a hospital or home.
Lost Bags and Delayed Flights
Although not as big of a concern as travel cancellations and medical needs, there is a small risk that your bags become lost or that your flights are delayed. Coverage for lost bags will reimburse you for personal belongings if your luggage is damaged, lost or stolen. If there are flight delays that mean you have to pay for an extra hotel night or meals, travel delay coverage will typically reimburse you for these additional costs.
