When people plan a vacation or any getaway the last thing they want to think about is travel insurance. It is probably a psychological thing. Who wants to think about accidents, sickness or any other kind of trouble when you're planning a great vacation?
Unfortunately this can be a big mistake especially if you are going to be leaving the country. Most people think that they have some kind of travel protection and many do. I usually don't recommend basic travel insurance if you're just worried about lost or stolen baggage. If you have any kind or renters or homeowners insurance you may have protection for this.
If you're worried about something happening to your flight, have some permanent life insurance or long term life insurance that you don't have to purchase every time you make a trip. These are not the most important coverages that most travel insurance plans include.
The real need for travel insurance comes with medical travel insurance. Now some people will say they already have health insurance and it provides all the coverage they need. This might or might not be true. Many individual policies or group health insurance through an employer might only provide very limited coverage outside the U.S. You need to check this very carefully. Certainly if you are a Senior on Medicare or Medicaid there is no coverage outside of the country. Even Medigap policies may not have more than limited protection.
So even if you have some coverage how do you know if it is adequate coverage? Well depending upon where you are traveling the answer might be different. For example, if you are in a non-English speaking country do you have a 24 hour assistance number that you can call help you find needed medical services?
Does your health policy provide for medical evacuation to a hospital of your choice to receive adequate medical attention if you become seriously ill or injured? Most do not. This is where travel insurance becomes an absolute necessity. The cost of medical evacuation can run upwards of $50,000. That's not something I would want to cover even if I had those kinds of funds available. What happens if you're traveling with small children and you need to be hospitalized? What happens to them? Do you have coverage that will get them back home?
There are many such situations that can arise that are not covered by ordinary health insurance. It's not intended to cover these situations. Travel medical insurance is. Don't take chances. Spend the relatively few extra dollars to know you are protected.
Getting the right protection is very easy. But don't buy just any old travel insurance plan offered by a travel agent. Go online and compare policies. Look for the best travel health insurance. You will find that it will include coverage for all those less serious problems like lost baggage, delayed flights, trip cancellation etc. Buy the plan that has the best medical coverage for you. That's where you need the real protection. Then go and enjoy that long awaited vacation.
You can find out more about the various travel insurance coverages at David DiMetries' site http://buyingtravelinsurance.org. There he discusses why buying travel insurance is important including what you need to know about travel health insurance before you buy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_DiMetrie
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