Travel insurance is an essential purchase when you book a holiday, whether neighboring countries or further abroad. Many see it as an unnecessary expense and feel they’ll be fine without it, but neglecting to purchase an adequate level of travel insurance can lead to issues from minor inconveniences to life-changing expenses. If you’re in doubt whether it’s worth buying travel insurance, here are five of the main reasons you should definitely purchase it before your next holiday.
5. Travel Problems
Travel insurance will often cover you if part of your trip is delayed or canceled, enabling you to rearrange onward travel and continue with your trip. If you need to hotel overnight or hire a car to travel from one airport to another, then often policies will cover you for this. Often it is also possible to arrange private transport such as taxis or hire vehicles rather than being required to struggle on local public transport.
4. Holiday Cancellation
When you’ve saved up all year for your annual holiday abroad, the last thing you want is to not only miss out on going but to also lose the money you paid for it. Issues such as illness, a death in the family and personal emergencies may mean you need to cancel your trip, or it may be that weather emergencies, international disasters or terrorist activity means your travel company cancels your holiday. A good level of travel insurance cover will ensure you do not lose out on any of the money you spent on your holiday.
3. Medical Cover
Whilst many European countries offer medical cover for minor ailments and injuries whilst on holiday under the European Union healthcare scheme, you will not be covered if you need private or specialist treatment or if you need to be repatriated from the country back home. If you needed to be airlifted home, the cost of this can be more than your house, so it’s essential it’s covered by your policy.
2. Emergency Evacuation
In the event of an emergency evacuation of the country you’re visiting, for example due to war, disease or, as we have recently seen in parts of the Middle East, political unrest then travel insurance will ensure you’re not left out of pocket when arranging last-minute transport back home.
1. Lost, Damaged and Stolen Possessions
Good travel insurance will cover baggage that has been lost or damaged by the airline and will often make an emergency payment into your account if you arrive at your destination with no clothes due to a lost or damaged bag. If your handbag or backpack is stolen while you’re on holiday the effects can be devastating, from losing all your holiday money to finding yourself without a passport to get home. A good level of travel insurance cover will ensure you’re reimbursed as soon as possible and often insurance companies will be able to help you get in touch with your consulate to help you get home.
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