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A Guide to Travel Insurance

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The detailed paperwork of traveling is something, I’d guess, most of us don’t like — especially when we’re talking something like the huge mystery of travel insurance. But that’s one of those awful parts about being grown up enough to travel around the world. You have to be grown up enough to get travel insurance if you need it, too.

Travel insurance can offer peace of mind for your upcoming trip. If something goes wrong—if your trip is interrupted or if you have to cancel or reschedule—you can recover some or all of your costs.

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Do I really need travel insurance?

Get it if:

  • You are a nervous person – and do not want to have sleepless nights that something can go wrong;
  • The price of your trip is pretty high (ex. more than $4-5K);
  • You tend to have health problems – you immunity can be week and you are easily expose to any illness;
  • You have complicated itinerary – you may have short layovers for example;
  • Historical weather conditions – for example caribbean cruising during end of August till November have higher chance to catch a tropical storm.

You can avoid travel insurance if:

  • You have a short inexpensive trip;
  • The price is of your trip is comparably low;
  • Your everyday medical insurance covers trips;
  • Your credit card has trip insurance as one of the benefits, like Chase Sapphire Preferred.

What travel insurance covers?

Here are very descriptive videos from Travelex Insurance.

With that mentioned on the videos:

1.Medical expenses

Hospital emergency. Evacuation. Bills being at hospital can be crazy. With travel insurance it is covered.

2.Baggage

Loss of your personal belongings is often the main reason most people buy travel insurance, as  your things can be replaced reimbursed.

You may also like to read: Never lose luggage again with Bluesmart

3.Trip cancellation

We live everyday life, which can play “games” with us. Weather, funeral, special occasions, work can prevent us for going on a trip.

How much does travel insurance cost?

Travel insurance usually costs between 4 and 8 percent of your trip’s cost. Still, it can raise due to your age or your special requests. Read the fine print!

If the policy is less than 4 percent of the cost of your it or more than 10 percent, that should be something to reread and reconsider.There should be a valid reason for “underprice” and “overprice”.

When do I buy travel insurance?

Of course, the sooner – the better. But you may buy travel insurance a day before your departure, though the cost may be a little bit higher.

Some travel insurers give you 14 days after you started to book your trip to get the waiver, but some only give you 24 hours. To get the most options, think of booking travel insurance as something you do at the same time as booking your trip.

If you’re a frequent traveler, travel insurance companies also offer multi-trip and annual policies that may be cheaper than buying a policy for each trip.

Where to buy travel insurance?

You can buy directly on the website of provider, from travel agent, travel company.

A full list of travel insurance companies is on the U.S. Travel Insurance Association’s website.

Here are some travel insurance companies, that stood out on market and really worth attention and checking:

Allianz Travel Insurance

Allianz Travel Insurance
Allianz Travel Insurance

Travel Guard

Travel Guard travel insurance
Travel Guard travel insurance

Travelex

Travelex travel insurance
Travelex travel insurance

One last thing…

My personal recommendation is to have a credit card with Travel Protection. Which can cover not all (compared to Travel Insurance companies), but most of unpleasant and unexpected experiences.

Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card

I use Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card for all my travel expenses and I’m covered with (not counting 2 point per $1 spend on travel, which is part of Chase Ultimate Rewards):

TRIP CANCELLATION/TRIP INTERRUPTION INSURANCE 
If your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours, and hotels.
AUTO RENTAL COLLISION DAMAGE WAIVER 
Decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your card. Coverage is primary and provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most rental cars in the U.S. and abroad.
TRAVEL ACCIDENT INSURANCE
When you pay for your air, bus, train or cruise transportation with your card, you are eligible to receive accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $500,000.
TRAVEL AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SERVICES
If you run into a problem away from home, call the Benefit Administrator for legal and medical referrals or other travel and emergency assistance. (You will be responsible for the cost of any goods or services obtained.)
LOST LUGGAGE REIMBURSEMENT
If you or your immediate family members' checked or carry-on bags are damaged or lost by the carrier, you're covered up to $3,000 per passenger.
TRIP DELAY REIMBURSEMENT
If your common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family are covered for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
BAGGAGE DELAY INSURANCE
Reimburses you for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for baggage delays over 6 hours by passenger carrier up to $100 a day for 5 days.

H/T: Miles for Trips

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