When planning and budgeting for a trip many Canadians might assume that travel insurance is optional. But in order to properly protect your family, your belongings and the money invested into your trip, travel insurance is vital.
Why Is Travel Insurance Important?
Traveling can be like driving a car. You can make all of the right turns and practice safe, defensive driving techniques, but there are plenty of others on the road, and their actions and decisions are out of your control. Things like snow, ice and other environmental circumstances could also cause an accident.
When traveling, you also practice safety and street smarts. You pack well and try to plan for all eventualities. But there are factors beyond your control that may affect you during the trip, and the consequences of being unprepared for those type of happenings can be extremely damaging. You wouldn’t drive your car without car insurance, so why travel without proper coverage?
You might hear the term travel health insurance or travel medical insurance. You also may have considered trip cancellation or baggage insurance. These are all elements of a good travel insurance package.
A comprehensive travel insurance package should include:
• Out of country emergency medical coverage
• Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption
• Loss/Theft of Baggage and Valuables
• 24-hour Access to a Representative – this allows you to get the proper medical help when you need it and can eliminate communication difficulties
Traveling can be like driving a car. You can make all of the right turns and practice safe, defensive driving techniques, but there are plenty of others on the road, and their actions and decisions are out of your control. Things like snow, ice and other environmental circumstances could also cause an accident.
When traveling, you also practice safety and street smarts. You pack well and try to plan for all eventualities. But there are factors beyond your control that may affect you during the trip, and the consequences of being unprepared for those type of happenings can be extremely damaging. You wouldn’t drive your car without car insurance, so why travel without proper coverage?
You might hear the term travel health insurance or travel medical insurance. You also may have considered trip cancellation or baggage insurance. These are all elements of a good travel insurance package.
A comprehensive travel insurance package should include:
• Out of country emergency medical coverage
• Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption
• Loss/Theft of Baggage and Valuables
• 24-hour Access to a Representative – this allows you to get the proper medical help when you need it and can eliminate communication difficulties
There are a few essential questions that will ensure your insurance purchase is a wise choice. Here is a summary of the answers you should expect to your questions about travel insurance coverage.
Always ask about exclusions, or those circumstances and instances that are not included in the policy. For cancellation coverage, your ticket may not be covered if a family member gets sick. Or only certain portions of the amount you prepaid may be covered (your airline ticket is included for instance, but not the hotel or charter that is booked at your destination).
Ask about pre-existing conditions too. If you have a chronic illness or have been diagnosed in the past, you may need written disclosure from your doctor beforehand to establish your state of health. This applies to both cancellation and travel health insurance. Get details and provide the insurance company with all of the relevant documents before you leave on the trip
If your trip involves the possibility of risky or dangerous sports or activities (mountain climbing or scuba diving for example), you will need to ask whether the policy will cover you in those instances. The insurance company may raise the rate or refuse to cover you because of the risk levels, but it’s important to disclose that information ahead of time.
Always ask about exclusions, or those circumstances and instances that are not included in the policy. For cancellation coverage, your ticket may not be covered if a family member gets sick. Or only certain portions of the amount you prepaid may be covered (your airline ticket is included for instance, but not the hotel or charter that is booked at your destination).
Ask about pre-existing conditions too. If you have a chronic illness or have been diagnosed in the past, you may need written disclosure from your doctor beforehand to establish your state of health. This applies to both cancellation and travel health insurance. Get details and provide the insurance company with all of the relevant documents before you leave on the trip
If your trip involves the possibility of risky or dangerous sports or activities (mountain climbing or scuba diving for example), you will need to ask whether the policy will cover you in those instances. The insurance company may raise the rate or refuse to cover you because of the risk levels, but it’s important to disclose that information ahead of time.
What Can Happen If You Travel Without Coverage?
To once again compare traveling to driving a vehicle, there are many days when your trip in the car is uneventful. But your auto insurance is always actively protecting you and the other drivers around you. The same thing applies to travel insurance. If you don’t have coverage, any accidents, emergencies, losses and cancellation costs will come out of your pocket. With a good travel insurance policy you are protected at all times from the moment your trip is booked, to the moment you return home.
To once again compare traveling to driving a vehicle, there are many days when your trip in the car is uneventful. But your auto insurance is always actively protecting you and the other drivers around you. The same thing applies to travel insurance. If you don’t have coverage, any accidents, emergencies, losses and cancellation costs will come out of your pocket. With a good travel insurance policy you are protected at all times from the moment your trip is booked, to the moment you return home.
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