Travel Protection is optional but highly recommended
Because it is so beneficial, White Sand Travel includes that option in our pricing and give you the opportunity to accept or decline the coverage. It is your right!
As a travel planner and romance travel expert, I have seen quite a few clients decline travel protection only to find themselves wishing they did. Not having travel protection can cost or save you bundles.
With COVID-19, we have seen how quickly travel plans can change and you can be left on hold for hours if not days and scrambling to get a refund on your trip
I want to share some of the basics and offer an overview.
Even the most seasoned travelers sometimes feel confused about travel insurance — what’s out there, what it covers, whether they need it.
While coverage and policies vary from state to state, of course, here are some basics of travel insurance to get you started:
There are five main types of travel insurance. What you might need depends largely on what kind of trip you’re taking, what kind of traveler you are, and how frequently you travel.
The five main types are:
Trip cancellation and interruption (full or partial reimbursement for a trip you need to cancel prior to departure, a trip that gets cancelled because a tour company or resort goes out of business, or a trip that gets cut short for a wide variety of reasons)
Medical (for health issues that occur outside of your normal coverage area)
Evacuation (due to disaster, dangerous weather, political emergency, or medical emergency)
Baggage (reimbursement for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage)
Flight insurance (also called “crash coverage,” this is basically a life insurance policy that covers you while you’re on the plane, in the event of a statistically-rare crash)
Travel expert Rick Steves explains the way they generally work is like this:
“The various types are generally sold in some combination — rather than buying only baggage, medical, or cancellation insurance, you’ll usually purchase a package that includes most or all of them.
If you want just one type of coverage in particular — such as medical — ask for that (though it might come with a little cancellation or baggage insurance, too). ‘Comprehensive insurance’ covers all of the above, plus expenses incurred if your trip is delayed, if you miss your flight, or if your tour company changes your itinerary.”
Just because you have health insurance at home does not mean that it will cover you on your trip. You need to check the ins and outs of your health insurance policy. It may cover you while you travel, but many do not. In fact, some insurance policies don’t even cover health emergencies experienced on foreign-flagged vessels — which is what most cruise ships are.
Check with your provider, ask your travel agent for suggestions, and of course direct any insurance-related questions to the provider. As Steves puts it, “Before purchasing a policy, ask your insurer to explain exactly what’s covered before and after you get to the hospital.”
Weigh the cost of the trip with the cost of insurance. If you just bought a $79 ticket for a quick weekend in Chicago — is it worth it? Maybe, maybe not. If, however, you’re headed out on a once-in-a-lifetime trip that you’ve been saving for months, travel insurance is likely a great idea.
If you’re looking to maximize your fun and minimize your risk, travel insurance might be just the right option for you. Take your time, ask tons of questions, and find what works best for you and your family.
Let us know your thoughts about your travel experiences and plans. Let us know your thoughts or contact us if you have questions.