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Post Last Modified – March 25, 2025 ¦ gr8traveltips.com
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Choosing The Best Travel Insurance Protection
Don’t Forget To Pack Protection
I’ve always said that if you can afford to travel, you can afford travel insurance. Below, my collaborating guest author has put together some excellent tips on; choosing the right travel insurance for your particular needs.
Let’s talk seriously about selecting the …
✈ Best Travel Insurance Protection
for you and fellow travelers. As we face a host of new 🌎 global travel circumstances in the wake of the coronavirus crisis,
it’s important to select the right travel insurance policy for your next trip.
Best Travel Insurance Protection And Covid-19
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Now more than ever, 🗺 global travel comes with uncertainties that can be far more troublesome than; flight delays, lost luggage and other travel hiccups we’re accustomed to dealing with along the way.
Travel insurance, which was once a; “Nice to Have” by experienced globetrotters, is now considered an imperative by most travel experts.
Let’s take a look at why. Along the way, I’ll share some tips on how to choose the best travel insurance for your; budget, your destination and your peace of mind.
The Anatomy Of A Travel Insurance Policy
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Travel insurance companies often bundle several kinds of protection into one policy. This can at certain times, be a cost-effective way to purchase insurance, but it’s not the only way. It makes sense to review the various types of coverage available to you, before purchasing any policy.
You should also check the details of other insurance policies you already carry and find out whether your 📝 general-purpose or travel 💳 credit card 📝 offer any kind of coverage for; travel-related losses.
✔ Trip Cancellation (including Cancel for Any Reason);
✔ Trip Interruption;
✔ Travel Medical;
✔ Baggage Insurance;
✔ Auto Insurance.
Trip Cancellation Coverage With COVID-19 Protection
We pay a lot for travel before we ever embark on a trip. For example; ✈ airfare, hotel deposits, sporting events, theater tickets, golf course reservations and so on, can all add up to a substantial sum of money.
Trip cancellation coverage will reimburse you for many non-refundable purchases you make, while planning your perfect adventure. Should you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason under the terms of your policy, trip cancellation can definitely be worth the small extra fee.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
But “covered reason,” can mean different things depending on the policy you choose. Before purchasing any policy, you should fully understand what constitutes a; valid reason to cancel, under its specific terms.
Across the industry; serious illness or injury you may suffer before you depart, family illnesses or those that affect your travel companion and death of a family member, are usually considered eligible reasons to cancel.
But the {coronavirus crisis}, put a deep wrinkle in trip cancellation insurance!
Photo by Paul Loh from Pexels
Travel insurance companies were overwhelmed a few years ago, by the number of claims their customers filed, when border closures and other travel restrictions were at their peak.
A number of companies excluded many coronavirus-related situations, from their lists of eligible reasons for cancellation. Travelers lost countless dollars and understandably, felt like the rug had been pulled
out from under them.
Since that time, some insurers have amended their policy terms to include some; COVID-19 claims.
Photo by Roman Odintsov from Pexels
For example; if you, a travel companion, or a dependent family member contract the disease, some companies will cover the non-refundable costs of your trip.
But you can’t cancel your trip out of fear of becoming infected!
If you decide to stay home because a wedding or business conference you planned on attending during your trip is cancelled due to COVID-19, trip cancellation coverage will likely be denied. Nor can you expect reimbursement if you choose to cancel your trip, because health officials are recommending against travel to your chosen destination.
That makes purchasing a policy right now a little bit dicey. But there is a way around all that. It’s called {Cancel For Any Reason}, or (CFAR) coverage.
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)
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CFAR is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. You can cancel your trip because you had a fight with your spouse, or because you got a really bad haircut. You would still be able to recover a portion of your non-refundable expenses under a CFAR policy.
You can absolutely cancel based on COVID-19 concerns. That flexibility comes at a cost, of course. CFAR is the most expensive trip cancellation coverage you can buy and typically adds about 40% to the cost of coverage.
Still, it’s an expense worth considering. The virus may seem like it’s receding in our rearview mirrors due to the availability of vaccines and declining infection rates. But hotspots and surges in {COVID-19} cases are still common even today, and are still affecting many parts of the world.
You may just need the flexibility that {CFAR} coverage affords, depending on where you’re traveling to.
Trip Interruption Coverage
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Trip interruption coverage works similarly to that of trip cancellation coverage. The difference is, it kicks in if you have to cancel your travel plans once they’re already underway.
Let’s say you have to cut short your 🏄 surfing adventure in Fiji, because you took a bone-breaking tumble off your board, or you’re called home for a medical emergency.
Trip interruption coverage will reimburse you, again, for your non-refundable expenses at that point in your trip. Typically, it will pay any additional costs you incur to fly home. Some policies will also cover the cost of returning to your destination to continue your trip.
Claims are still subject to many of the same {COVID-19} restrictions governing trip cancellation insurance, so be sure to study all policy terms before signing on the dotted line.
Travel Medical Insurance
This is the big one!
Travel medical insurance is the one type of coverage every traveler should have, especially for more mature adults. Let’s face it. No matter how well we take care of ourselves, as we age, we’re more susceptible to health problems.
Some countries in fact, including the twenty-plus in the Schengen zone in Europe, require travelers from other regions to provide proof of {international health insurance}, before they will issue a visa.
So, if you’re planning a trip to; France, Germany, Greece, or any number of popular destinations in Europe, a travel medical policy is a must!
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Your US-based health insurance policy won’t cover you when you cross the American border. That’s true whether you have a commercial policy or rely on Medicare.
(Now there’s an issue for AARP to take up if there ever was one!)
Given that the cost of a single night 🏥 hospital stay can set you back several thousand dollars, purchasing travel medical insurance can turn out to be the most 💰 budget-friendly travel decision you ever make.
Policies typically cover the cost of emergency room visits, medical transport, diagnostic procedures, surgery, and hospitalization.
❓ How strongly do I advise you to buy travel medical insurance ❓
To borrow a phrase many of you will remember … Don’t leave home without it! 🙂
Travel Auto Insurance
If you plan on driving a 🚗 car while abroad, travel auto insurance is another imperative. The US policy you carry on your car at home, does not extend to cars you rent abroad.
The collision damage waiver they try to sell you at the rental car counter, only protects the car you’re renting. It doesn’t include liability coverage!
Sadly, property damage is often the least costly result of an auto accident. Personal injuries can be devastatingly expensive!
Baggage Insurance
🧳 Luggage mishaps are commonplace and when they happen, we normally just roll with the punches. Statistically speaking, actual baggage losses are quite rare. More often we experience delays which are annoying, but not terribly costly.
🧳 Baggage Insurance can help you in; re-imbursement for your losses and/or, include an option to purchase replacement articles after a short waiting period.
So, what’s all this coverage going to cost you? ❓
Surprisingly, not as much as you would think.
A comprehensive travel insurance policy (without CFAR coverage) typically costs between 7% and 10% of your upfront trip expenses. That’s a smaller percentage still of your total trip costs. Like pretty much every other kind of insurance you buy, paying for travel coverage is a hassle, until you need it.
Then, the comfort it can bring is priceless! ✔
Knowing you’re covered, will give you the peace of mind, allowing you to get the most enjoyment out of your next adventure. 🙂
Author Bio:
Susan Doktor is a journalist, business strategist and principal at Branddoktor. Born at the tail end of the baby boom, she has traveled extensively to Europe, South America, Asia and the Mideast. Susan writes on a wide variety of topics including finance, technology, travel, food and wine. Follow her on X @branddoktor.
I am happy to present this collaborative guest post in the hopes of offering travel inspiration and helpful information to you as well.
My wife and I returned from a wonderful vacation to Varadero Beach in Cuba during covid testing requirements. As always, we purchased our regular travel medical insurance. This time, we were able to add additional {Covid Protection} coverage.
This additional coverage would provide our; accommodation and meals for up to $2,000 or 10 additional days, in the event we tested positive in Cuba, before our return home to 🍁 Canada. This {add-on policy} was less than $100 cdn per person.
A small price to pay for extra peace of mind at that time!
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✨ Did You Know …
🕵 Cheap Travel Insurance Policies {Beware}
🚗 Important Rental Car Tips {For First Timers}
🧳 Lost Travel Luggage Tips {Good To Know}
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