There are many reasons to have travel insurance when your travel is for more than a few nights away from home. This is especially true when your travels are foreign and outside of your home country. It is important your travel insurance covers the locations you will visit and any activities you participate in while on your trip. Here are some points to consider when selecting insurance for your travels.
When you first start your travel planning, make sure that travel insurance is on your list of things to do. Complete travel insurance coverage is just as important as tickets and visas to the successful completion of your travels. Never wait till the last minute to take care of arranging your travel insurance. You could consider travel insurance offered by a travel agent, but this type of insurance policy is rarely enough. You should also avoid buying travel insurance at airport kiosks, because you are rushed and there is no time to properly review the details of a policy before you depart.
Make sure that at least one of the travel insurance policy proposals you review comes from an insurance company, and agent, licensed to sell insurance in the geographical area of your permanent residence. For travel insurance the devil is definitely in the details, so make sure that finding the policy with the lowest price is not your main priority. If your travel is arranged by employment solicitors, as part of an offer for employment abroad, make sure any policy offered for your consideration compares favorably to other travel insurance offers.
Make sure your travel insurance also includes medical coverage. If the policy requires a statement on your health, make sure you provide complete and truthful information. Make sure that any required tests or medical reports and statements from doctors are obtained and provided to the insurance company as required.
Make sure the period of travel covered by insurance starts a few days before you planned departure and at least one week after the planned return. That way if your trip is extended, after your travels have begun, you will not have to advise your travel insurance agent. If an extension of travel is going to be beyond the term of your coverage, make sure you contact your travel insurance agent before your current travel insurance policy expires. If you find it necessary to terminate your travel, returning home earlier than planned, ask your travel insurance agent if you are eligible for a partial refund on the premium payment for your travel insurance policy.
Make sure you have read every word of your travel insurance policy and asked any questions about coverage before you sign or pay for the policy. Make sure you have up-to-date contact information for the claims office that services your policy. Do not just take for granted that the information in the policy is correct. Check out each contact personally and advice the claims office the dates of your travel. This will make any claims that might be necessary in the future, easier to process.
Failure to take your travel insurance needs seriously could result in some disadvantageous situations. Here are some of the problems you could have, if you are not properly covered by good travel insurance.
– Your flight is cancelled after it departs from the airport departure gate. Some
policies will say your flight had departed the moment it pulled away from the
gate. Will your claim for ticket reimbursement be allowed?
– Your luggage has been lost and within that luggage was emergency medication you
need during your trip. Will your travel insurance cover the cost to get an
emergency prescription, with all that might entail, if you are in a foreign
country?
– You are seriously hurt in an accident abroad. You need expensive emergency
evacuation. Will your policy pay for any, or all, of the costs?
These are just a few of the reasons you need excellent travel insurance before you go on any type of an extended trip.
