When the Friendly Skies Aren't So Friendly, Travel Insurance Can Help

[www.insuremytrip.com]

It’s no secret that travel today is more challenging than ever. In fact, as events like the flight delays, cancellations, and pilot contract disputes currently overwhelming American Airlines increase, so too do the odds that your own travels will be impacted in some fashion.  The solution: protect your trips with travel insurance. 

Travel insurance covers many things that are not covered by credit cards, homeowner policies, and healthcare plans.  Here are ten clear-cut reasons consumers can’t afford not to have travel insurance protection:

(10) Lost, Stolen, Damaged or Delayed Baggage:  current data estimates that 30 million bags are mishandled each year as a result of airport congestion, reduced flight availability, and mounting baggage volumes.

(9) Travel Delays/Missed Connections: these events occur often and can wreak havoc on your itinerary not to mention your wallet for hotel accommodations, meals, and transportation caused by weather-related delays and cancellations.

(8) Trip Interruption:  emergencies big and small have a way of happening when you least expect them to.  But the cost of cutting your trip short to take care of the problem can create a crisis of its own.

(7) Non-Traveling Family Members:  if a loved one needs your care and attention, this can also cause you to cancel your trip; another important reason to have travel insurance.

(6) Illness or Injury: getting sick or injured before you leave can cause you to abandon your trip plans. Getting sick after you’ve left, or if you’re traveling abroad, can really hurt too. Some national healthcare programs provide limited, or in certain cases, no coverage at all once you travel outside the U.S.

(5) Pre-existing Medical Conditions: if you, a traveling companion, family member, or business partner have a pre-existing medical condition (injury, disease or illness), trip insurance is a must. But plan ahead as the majority of travel insurance policies require that you purchase your policy within 7 to 21 days of your initial trip deposit to be eligible for pre-existing medical conditions coverage, as well as financial default protection, and terrorism.

(4) Medical Evacuation: finding yourself hospitalized in a foreign country may raise a host of concerns as well as fees if you require transport to a more appropriate medical facility or one of your own choosing.

(3) Trip Cost Protection:  $5,000 seemed a small price to pay for a fun-filled family vacation until you had to cancel the trip.  Travel insurance protects your investment.

(2) Hurricanes & Severe Weather:  Mother Nature can be a powerful force to reckon with especially if you are traveling to earthquake, hurricane, or flood prone areas. Travel insurance coverage for weather-related trip cancellations and interruptions is a calming force against the storm.

(1) Unforeseen Events: as the popular adage Murphy’s Law states: “things will go wrong in any given situation if you give them a chance”. Travel insurance helps keep Murphy at bay by protecting against the unexpected and provides significant peace of mind as well.