Travel Insurance: A Trip Planning Essential

Christine McDevitt | April 24, 2023

A Travelers Checklist:

✈️ Flights

🏨 Hotels

🚗Transportation

🎟️Tickets

🧳 Luggage

✅TRAVEL INSURANCE

_{Valerie - Niagara Falls}

Spring is underway, and that means summer vacations are being planned.

You could be planning weekend getaways or the trip of a lifetime with a childhood friend; you may be investing a few hundred, or a few thousand dollars, on travel plans. In most cases, trip plans roll out smoothly but events can occur that prevent your trip from happening or interrupt your travel plans. It’s these cases where trip insurance can protect you and your investment. There are a few different trip coverage options to consider based on the type of trip you are planning.

_{Lisa - Aruba; Melissa - Punta Cana}

TRAVEL MEDICAL

Your current medical plan typically will not cover you out of the country, and many won’t provide coverage outside your state of residency. If an illness or injury occurs while traveling it can limit your access to medical care and leave you with hefty medical bills. Travel medical policies will protect you financially and medically in these cases.

Most policies provide a point of contact, typically a concierge, that helps locate medical facilities and provide medical translation services. Additionally, the plan will provide coverage for doctor office visits, medical evacuation, emergency dental, ambulance, and hospital benefits. Most plans cover COVID-19 like any other illness!

**Bonus** Built into most plans are additional benefits that can help offset the costs associated with delayed or lost luggage and trip interruptions like missed or canceled flights.

Travel Medical Quote: GeoBlue Travel Medical

_{Zona - Cape May; Marianne - Cuba}

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Maybe you’re taking a bucket list trip and invested a substantial amount of money to make it happen. What if an illness, injury, or other unforeseen circumstance prevents you from leaving? Many airlines, cruise lines, and resorts have cancellation policies that will limit or deny refunds. Trip insurance will protect the financial investment you made in your trip by reimbursing you 100% to 150% of the trip cost based on the reason.

It's important to note that these policies only insure the non-refundable portions of your trip. When booking flights and accommodations, inquire about what costs are refundable, and what time frame you will be allowed to cancel.

**BONUS** Most travel insurance includes travel medical so you can have both coverages for one easy premium!

Travel Insurance Quote: IMG iTravelInsured Travel Insurance

_{Alysia - Hawaii; Christine - Blue Ridge Parkway}

MEDICAL EVACUATION

Travel medical policies often include medical evacuation to the nearest suitable facility, which can leave you far away from your doctors and family. Consider a medical evacuation policy if you're planning an adventurous excursion off the grid. This will provide medical extraction via air ambulance from the site of injury to the hospital of your choice! It can be purchased alone or in addition to your existing travel medical policy.