We are firm believers in that old saying, hope for the best, but plan for the worst. No one plans on getting sick or injured before a trip or having your luggage or passport stolen or having a natural disaster strike, but the fact is, these things do happen and we have little to no control over them.
In a pandemic, this is even more true. In 2021 we had four times the cancellations we usually get in a year. Remember that if you travel without insurance, you are taking on that risk and could lose out on airfare, your tour payment, and potentially other costs.
These reasons and more are why we highly recommend purchasing travel insurance for your next adventure. But finding the right travel insurance for you can seem a bit daunting as there are many choices of out there and not
Here are a few tips to consider when researching your travel insurance policy:
Purchase Your Travel Insurance within 14 Days of Booking Your Adventure Some travel insurance policies are cheaper or have more features available if you purchase it within 14 days of making your first deposit or payment for a trip. For some trips, this will be the date you pay the deposit. However, if you sign up for a tour that has not yet been confirmed to run, your deposit may be considered a “good faith” deposit, and the date the trip is actually confirmed will be your booking date.
Check Your Existing Medical Insurance Make sure to do your research on both what your current health plan will cover as well as what is required for where you are going. Some medical insurers will cover you overseas, but Medicare does not. If you are not covered, it is worth getting a premium travel insurance plan with more health insurance coverage included. Additionally, there are some countries, such as Cuba, that require you to purchase specific medical coverage before entering.
Pre-existing Conditions Have a pre-existing condition (meaning: any condition that you have already received medical advice or treatment for prior to enrollment in the new insurance plan)? In general, you will need to upgrade to a higher plan to include this.
Cancel For Any Reason Some policies only allow you to cancel a trip for specific reasons such as unexpected illness or injury that deems you unfit to travel while you are on the trip. But what if something comes up with work or you have a family member that becomes seriously ill or passes away? Those won’t be covered unless it is explicitly listed within the policy. To combat semantics, you can look for a policy that allows you to “cancel for any reason”. It will cost a little more but it can save you money in the end. Just make sure to read your policy thoroughly as there are still rules around how and when it can be used.
Insurance in a Pandemic In some countries, visitors must provide proof that they have travel insurance that covers the costs of their medical care in case they contract COVID while abroad. Some countries also require coverage for expenses related to mandatory quarantining if visitors test positive for COVID. Many basic plans will cover you if you actually get COVID yourself before a trip, although you should clarify that with each plan. However, most insurance except “cancel for any reason” will not cover you if you simply decide to change your travel plans. To find out what is required for the country you are traveling to, check out the US Government’s travel website.
Accidents happen and weather can’t be changed, why not protect yourself from the unexpected ahead of time? Travel insurance is an additional cost to your vacation but it can give you some peace of mind and have the potential to save you a good amount of money in the end.
Thanks, this was very helpful.
We’re glad you found it useful, Brian!