You’re getting married!
Rings – check! Ring insurance – check!
Wedding day venues – check! Wedding insurance – check!
Bachelor party! Bachelorette party! Honeymoon – check! Travel insurance – hmmm, do I really need it? Is it really worth it? Is it a lot of work to set up?
Insurance type needed: Travel insurance
The necessity:
Your bridal party has planned an amazing trip to celebrate your upcoming wedding!
You have found the perfect romantic honeymoon spot and just spent weeks booking all the romantic details to make this the best, most memorable honeymoon ever.
Now what will you do if your flight gets canceled and you miss two days of your honeymoon? What if your luggage gets lost and you have to buy all new things at the location? Do you have extra money for these situations? What if you are sick and unable to travel? Will you get your money back for canceling last minute?
These are just some of the situations that travel insurance will help you take care of during the trip. Your honeymoon will be saved and you will look like the hero of the day. Now THAT is a great way to begin your marriage!
What is covered in the policy?
Travel insurance covers many different situations. Most travel insurances include the following coverages:
Flight cancellation
If your flight is canceled or the airline has organized a labor strike during your trip. The insurance will help you cover costs for a hotel room, food during your delay, and even costs for basic necessities such as toiletries. Also the insurance may help you cover differences in flight prices for rebooking the flight or connecting flights.
Flight is delayed
A flight delay causes a cascade of problems where you miss your connecting flights and tour groups. The travel insurance will help cover differences in rebooking connecting flights, and may pay for transportation to help you meet up with your tour group if you miss your original meeting point. Some insurances provide a money stipend for food if your delay lasts longer than four hours. Airport food is not cheap and any perk to keep your blood sugar up and you happy is a good benefit!
Lost Bags
The airline has lost your bags. Not only have you lost all your clothing and items, but your medications were inside.
The insurance will help you fill your emergency prescription and will provide a money stipend to allow you to purchase necessary items until your bags arrive.
Passport and wallet stolen
Your passport and wallet are stolen during the trip. The insurance will help you get emergency cash, and help you get a new passport and necessary forms of identification. This benefit is especially helpful to have when traveling in a foreign country and you don’t know where to go for assistance in this task.
Medical evacuation needed
You are experiencing a medical emergency in a foreign country and need to be evacuated to better medical facilities. Or you are in an accident, and no medical treatment is available. This benefit will help evacuate you to the nearest capable medical facilities.
Two groups of people should definitely have this coverage when they are traveling – Those with severe allergies and health conditions which can worsen quickly, and those who participate in outdoor sports. The potential for a person in these two groups to need this benefit is high, and the medical evacuation benefit outweighs the low price of the travel insurance.
Unable to travel on trip
You need to cancel your trip due to illness, injury or death of a family member or business partner or travel companion. The travel insurance will help reimburse you the deposit for the trip.
Bankrupt tour operators
Your cruise line, airline or tour operator goes bankrupt. You need your non-refundable expenses covered. Your travel insurance will help you recover those expenses.
Bad weather
Bad weather causes you to miss your tour group departure or cruise departure. Or a hurricane closes your vacation destination and you are forced to cancel your trip, or to evacuate the resort, hotel, or cruise. The travel insurance will help you recover your nonrefundable deposits and cover any costs with rebooking your trip.
Terrorist incident
A terrorist incident occurs in the city where you’re planning to visit and you want to cancel your trip. The travel insurance will help recover your trip deposits and payments.
Your insurance agent will be able to help you assess your individual needs, and get you a policy appropriate for your budget and trip.
It is worthwhile to purchase the travel insurance policy through your independent insurance agent versus an online broker. When you purchase the policy through an independent insurance agent, he acts as your advocate in case a claim needs to be filed. If you purchase online through a broker, you have to be your own advocate and fight for your claim. Go with the stress free option and let your independent agent do the work and you can focus on enjoying the trip!
How much coverage is needed?
The amount of policy coverage needed to cover your trip is determined by your answers to a few easy questions. Your insurance agent will ask your names and dates of birth, length of time traveling, countries being visited on the trip, and planned activities on the trip.
Together you and your agent will be able to find the perfect worry free policy for you.
The cost:
Whatever your travel insurance needs, the travel insurance price is significantly less than what you are already spending on your trip! The most basic policies start at $30 for a weekend of travel. The costs vary per company and the amount of coverage you seek for your particular trip. Your insurance agent will help you find the most economical and effective policy for your travels.
If you are traveling in a group, such as for a bachelorette party or bachelor party, speak to your insurance agent about a group rate for your trip. This may be an even more economical travel insurance choice for your travel party.
It is worth protecting your travel plans for sake of time, energy, and peace of mind!
What do I do when the worst case scenario actually happens?
First, breathe. Situations are clearer with a level head.
Then, call your independent insurance agent. He will be able to help you through your options and begin processing a claim for you. If it is the middle of the night and you can’t wait for your agent, then call the insurance claim center. Most claim centers are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days of the year!
Make sure you pack your travel insurance plan and important phone numbers in an easily accessible place. Keep a hard copy of the travel insurance information on your person. Electronics are great for storing important information but don’t rely on them for accessing emergency information. This extra step will help prevent much frustration in case of an emergency.
Now you are in the know! Use this information to keep you and yours safe and sound, and to celebrate life with a peace of mind!
The above article is meant to give a general overview of insurance policies; exact coverage and terminology could vary by insurance company. Please refer to your policy for exact coverage details and terminology.