As Summer Approaches, Here’s the Real Tea on Travel Insurance
We had a dream trip to Italy planned for spring 2020. You can probably guess what happened next. A week before our flight, the world shut down. Flights grounded, borders closed, and our long-awaited escape disappeared overnight.
I was absolutely devastated. We had planned for this trip for years, and it was canceled with no site of if or when it would be rescheduled. The one bit of solace that we could take was that we had trip insurance. Within a couple weeks, we were reimbursed for the flights, hotels, and even the non-refundable vineyard tour we’d splurged on. Without that policy, we would’ve eaten thousands of dollars.
That was our wake-up call. Now, travel insurance is a non-negotiable every time we book a trip.
If you're planning to travel this summer, it’s time to get real about travel insurance. Here's what you actually need to know.
1. It’s Not Just for Nervous Travelers
A lot of people think travel insurance is for folks who worry too much. That’s not it. Travel insurance is protection. You don’t wear a seatbelt because you plan to crash, right? Same idea here.
If you're investing hundreds or thousands in a trip, you should protect that investment. Especially in summer, when everything is more expensive, more crowded, and more prone to delays.
2. It Covers More Than You Think
- Most solid travel insurance policies include:
- Trip cancellation: If something serious stops you from going on your trip like illness, injury, or a natural disaster—you can get your money back.
- Trip interruption: If you have to cut things short for a covered reason, you can be reimbursed for the unused portion.
- Medical emergencies: Your regular health insurance might not cover you abroad. Travel insurance can cover hospital stays, doctor visits, even emergency evacuations.
- Lost/delayed baggage: Airlines mess up. A lot.
- Flight delays: Stuck at the airport overnight? You might be able to claim food and hotel costs.
- Death: If there is an unfortunate passing of a family member, you can cancel or reschedule your trip.
3. Read the Fine Print
Not all policies are created equal. Some will cover COVID-related disruptions. Some won’t. Some have exclusions that make them basically useless.
Look for:
- Pre-existing condition coverage (if it applies to you)
- “Cancel for any reason” upgrades
- Coverage limits that actually match your trip expenses
- A company with solid customer service and claims reviews
4. It’s Not As Expensive As You May Think
Travel insurance policy usually costs between 4% and 10% of your total trip cost. If your trip runs you $2,000, you're looking at $80 to $200. It is an additional expense, but far less than what you'd lose if there is an unfortunate cause that delays or cancels your trip.
5. When You Might Not Need It
- Travel insurance isn’t always necessary. If:
- Your trip is cheap or refundable,
- You’re not leaving your home country,
- You’ve got solid coverage through your credit card,
- Then you might be fine. Just make sure you actually know what’s covered before you skip it.
Something To Consider
Travel insurance isn’t just a checkbox. It’s your backup plan. With summer travel getting more unpredictable every year with weather delays, strikes, health issues, surprise cancellations than perhaps travel insurance is something to consider before you finalize your vacation plans.
We learned that lesson the hard way. Hopefully, you won’t have to.
Questions about finding the right coverage? We’re happy to help you sort through the options and travel smarter.