While it seems undesirable to tack the extra cost of travel insurance onto your budgeted expenses, this choice can easily pay for itself during unforeseen events. And even when your trip goes like a dream, the peace of mind offered by insurance can make up for the price in a different way. After all, aren’t most trips taken to relax in the first place?
If you aren’t certain about travel insurance, here are seven reasons that might make you reconsider.
1. You’re often called a butterfingers or told that you’d lose your head if it wasn’t attached.
Most companies set an upper limit on the coverage for certain items. However, matching a policy to the price of your planned luggage can determine how quickly a replacement phone makes its way to you after a screen breaks on a crowded bus or a soothing trip to the spa goes wrong.
2. Other drivers aren’t always as careful as you.
As a careful driver, you may not be concerned about damaging the rental car, but have you taken into consideration the drivers around you? While the rental company may offer a protection plan, more than likely the travelers insurance rate will be cheaper.
3. You’ve never considered how to replace a passport.
To be honest, how many of us have looked into replacing a lost or stolen passport? A good plan comes with a help line that’s staffed by folks who have heard all the stories and know all the best ways to fix the unexpected.
4. You haven’t given the time zone difference much thought past your own jet lag.
You’ve got good insurance coverage, along with an agent who knows your first name, so why buy what you already have? Well, if its 4pm in Japan, do you know if anyone is awake back home in Idaho to answer an emergency call? Dealing with medical issues or accidents as fast as possible can make or break your fun trip. And sometimes your life.
5. You weren’t thinking about the weather six months in advance.
Perhaps you forgot that hurricane season begins in June and runs until the end of November or that a sudden snowstorm can ground half the country for days. Whatever the case, if your trip is delayed or canceled, insurance can reimburse you for those lost tickets and unused hotel rooms.
6. You forgot that while you’re on vacation, life back home isn’t.
Similar to trip cancellation, insurance can also cover trip interruption. If something happens that creates an urgent need to get back home, your new return flights will be covered. Some even foot the cost of the rentals you didn’t get to enjoy.
7. You never realized just how hard it is to speak another language correctly.
An often overlooked part of some traveler plans is an assistance service. Having trouble asking a pharmacist for a much needed prescription? Or perhaps just some cough drops? This handy perk gives you access to someone who knows what to say and how to pronounce it.