There are a lot of reasons why people travel. You could be a first-time flyer, ready to go on your first adventure or you could be a seasoned traveller, looking to conquer an unfamiliar terrain. But no matter why you’re travelling, it is likely that new experiences are in store. Experiences that you’ll probably remember for a lifetime.
“Travelling = Stepping out of the Comfort Zone.”
Why Insure Your Travel Plans?
The whole point of stepping out of comfort zone is to welcome all manners of experiences in your life. However, ‘regret’ should probably not be one of them. When you’re planning a trip to a foreign land, it is impossible to predict every element of your journey. It isn’t like anybody plans to have an accident on holiday, but accidents do happen all the time, across the globe.
It is true that planning reduces risks, but no amount of planning can ever eliminate risks. For every kind of traveller and all kinds of trips, a travel insurance policy can play the role of a parachute, protecting your pocket from the unexpected.
Since your holidays or business trips are too precious to be spent dealing with damage control, travel insurance becomes an essential part of your travel itinerary. You should buy travel insurance customized to meet your travel needs along with your tickets.
Here are 7 reasons why you shouldn’t be taking travel insurance lightly while booking your tickets:
- Medical Treatments
If you fall sick while travelling, you wouldn’t really want to worry about money. Medical bills can cost you thousands, depending on the country you’re in. The right kind of travel insurance will ensure you’re covered for all these treatments and would mean that you won’t have to worry about money instead of your health.
- Cancelling a Trip
Nobody likes to cancel a holiday or business trip they were so excited about. But sometimes, the unexpected happens, and you are left with no choice. Last minute cancellations can leave all your investment into the tickets and hotel bookings lost for good.
However, with a travel insurance plan, you can recover a large part of this cost.
- Losing Baggage or Valuables
Nothing puts a dampener on your trips like a lost/delayed baggage, valuables or equipment. While you may be able to deal with losing a pair of kicks, losing your wallet or your passport can be disastrous.
The travel insurance cover will help you get copies of your travel and other important documents so that you can continue on your way.
- Facing a Disaster
However unlikely they may seem, unfortunate incidents like natural disasters, weather, and terrorism can affect your trip adversely. Travel insurance could come handy and ensure that you’re covered against any situations like these. After all, disasters won’t wait for your holiday to be over and it is always better to be safe than sorry.
- Making Emergency Trips
Sometimes, you may have to return home due to an emergency. It could be an important interview, or it could be because of a family member’s sudden hospitalization that may compel you to take an emergency flight home. Depending upon the kind of cover your policy offers, you may be eligible for a reimbursement for the cost of returning home and/or the cost of resuming your trip overseas again.
- Emergency Support
Travelling to a foreign country is extremely unpredictable and you could need expert support any time of the day, or night. The right travel insurance would also mean that you have a 24/7 support helpline along with reverse charges so that you don’t have to worry about phone bills.
- Death or Serious Injury
As we’ve previously established, unfortunate incidents can happen anywhere and anytime, and they may include serious injury or loss of life. Dealing with a serious injury or a loss of life can be very expensive, especially in an unfamiliar country. However, both the situations are covered under travel insurance and it also means you can save a considerable sum of money.
How to Buy Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance plans can be customized based on your travel plan and needs. Travel insurance comparison should ensure that you have access to maximum features. For example, the following features offered by almost all the travel insurance plans:
- Baggage/document loss
- Mediclaim cover for health emergencies in a foreign country
- Last minute ticket cancellation
- Personal accident cover
Your travel insurance comparison should also reveal the features to make the plan a perfect choice for you. Few examples of such features are:
- Home insurance for fire, theft and burglary (for the house in the home country)
- Emergency hotel extension
- Health monitoring and care services for family members at home while you are travelling abroad
The small travel insurance checkbox that seems insignificant addition to your travel costs is a significant safety cushion for your plans. For custom travel plans, however, you should look for a custom travel insurance too. Compare and buy a comprehensive plan most suited to your needs online directly from the insurer.
