Travel Insurance Tips and Information
We buy travel insurance for the same reason we purchase any insurance policy: to cover us when our travel itinerary takes a wrong turn and we are faced in a difficult situation. Remember, not every country has a free health service and you could find yourself facing a hefty bill if you fall ill abroad. There are also the problems which are not life-threatening but are still stressful: lost luggage, cancelled flights, and so on. The bottom line is that it is a good idea to take out an insurance policy, unless you’re prepared to find yourself out-of-pocket as a result of any holiday mishaps.
Your travel insurance policy should cover:
medical expenses, personal liability, cancellation and curtailment, loss of baggage, and theft.
The two most important parts of the cover are the medical expenses and personal liability. The medical expenses will help to cover the cost of any emergency medical treatment you may require. Personal liability to most important because this covers you in the event that you’re faced with a bill for any damage or injury you cause to anyone else or their property while abroad. You should also have cover to pay out a lump sum if by any unfortunate chance you’re injured or die while abroad. The amount of insurance for each of these categories obviously differs from policy to policy, generally the cheaper the policy, the lower the cover. Some policies offer a range of value-added services, such as replacement vehicles, house-watching, and so on. It may also be worthwhile choosing a policy that offers an international help line, especially if you are going to a country where English is not readily spoken.