When we are preparing to go on holiday, we typically look forward to all the activities we have planned, whether that’s shopping, eating local cuisines, visiting attractions or taking in the beautiful natural landscapes.
One of the last things we want to get mired in is “holiday admin” but it’s crucially important that it gets done so that you can enjoy your holiday with peace of mind.
What’s involved with holiday or travel admin? Beyond the obvious (like booking flights and accommodation, and packing the right clothes), one of the most important component of holiday admin is sorting out sufficient travel insurance.
Here are 6 big reasons why everyone should always be buying travel insurance – with sufficient coverage – before travelling overseas.
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#1 Medical Emergency Expenses
Top of the list is planning for an outcome that nobody wants; having to seek medical attention while overseas. Buying insurance is done to protect us in case of any unforeseen emergencies. Ideally, we wouldn’t ever want to claim on it.
However, when travelling overseas, accidents, mishaps or just falling seriously ill can be more common than we assume. If we do happen to fall sick in countries elsewhere in Asia, it may be advisable to seek treatment at a private hospital. Of course, that can add up to a lot of money which we don’t want to pay out of pocket.
Then you have the US, where healthcare expenses are astronomical and buying travel insurance is a must if anything unfortunate were to happen to us on a trip there.
#2 Urgent Medical Evacuation
Typically, travel insurance will also include “medical evacuation” coverage and this is especially useful because maybe a specific treatment you require is not available in the country you’re hospitalised in.
By being evacuated and transported back home, where there’s available treatment, we can ensure we’re not worrying about money when trying to figure out how to get home and be seen to. This peace of mind, if there’s a need to be evacuated from a foreign country, is priceless.
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#3 Delayed Or Lost Luggage
This is a less life-threatening but more common situation. Not all airports are as efficient or timely as Singapore’s Changi Airport. In fact, when travelling to Europe or the US, lost, delayed or damaged luggage isn’t uncommon.
That leaves us in a pinch as we want to be able to claim for any inconvenience from having our luggage be delayed or even lost. Nearly all travel insurance policies will cover delays of 6 consecutive hours or more for your luggage while also providing more comprehensive coverage for lost luggage.
With the increasing number of travellers globally, mishaps on luggage by baggage handlers at busy airports may become even more likely.
#4 Travel Delays, Cancelled Flights, Closed Down Travel Agencies
Travel delays during certain periods (think summer and Christmas time) are becoming increasingly common as popular destinations’ airports aren’t always able to handle the capacity that peak season travel brings.
As a result, flights can be delayed for hours or longer, putting our travel plans at risk – especially if we have tight schedules or connecting flights to catch.
Thankfully, having sufficient travel insurance coverage allows you to be compensated for certain delays of durations that are generally 6 consecutive hours or more. Compensation for cancelled flights can also be covered under most travel insurance plans.
In other situations, for those who are using a travel agency, you should choose a policy that insures against the closure of the travel agent. In this instance, you may want to buy your travel insurance early, as certain policies may only cover your claims if you bought insurance at least a week before your trip. Obviously, you also cannot claim if you buy the insurance after the closure of the travel agency.
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#5 Protection Of Personal Belongings
When we travel, we’re likely to be bringing items that could be worth a fair amount of money. This can include electronic devices like smartphones, laptops, or high-end cameras.
Given their value, it’s important that we also have insurance protection for these items in case they’re stolen or damaged.
Individual items can be covered under basic travel insurance plans with limits on claims but if you are taking high-value items on a trip, then it could make sense to consider purchasing a rider that allows you to claim a higher amount on specific articles.
#6 Ability To Cancel Or Postpone Trip
Travel plans can always change in an instant. That could be down to a sudden illness or an unexpected family bereavement.
Other reasons (that can be claimed under travel insurance coverage) include medical emergencies, legal duties or flight cancellations due to bad weather. Normally, travel insurance plans will reimburse you for the non-refundable portions of your trip – be it flights, accommodation or both.
Buy Travel Insurance For Your Peace Of Mind
Ensuring that we have sufficient protection before we travel overseas offers peace of mind – even though the occurrence of unforeseen situations may be low.
That’s mainly down to the fact that we want to enjoy our holiday without any worries hanging over us about potential costs should anything unforeseen happen.
By being sufficiently protected, for a small fee, having the right level of travel insurance means that we can prioritise what’s important when we go overseas; enjoying ourselves.
Also remember, if you’re going to buy travel insurance anyway, it may make sense to buy it as early as possible. Doing so insures you against unforeseen scenarios that may cause you to miss your flight, including the closure of your travel agency as well as falling ill before you leave for your trip.
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