That vacation you’re about to take is supposed to get rid of your stress, but if your travel plans go awry, it might actually cause you stress!  That is, unless you have travel insurance.

Travel insurance isn’t required for you to step foot on a plane or ship, but getting it is a really good idea!  Without it, you risk getting hit with expensive medical bills, paying for everything you lost when the airline misplaced your luggage, and even footing the bills for plane mishaps.

Think about it — if you go to a foreign country on vacation, your regular medical insurance may not cover you.  What happens if you get sick or injured?  What if you need to get home in an air ambulance?  Before you know it, you could rack up tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses!

But if you have travel insurance, you won’t have to foot these bills on your own.  Some policies include repatriation cover, in addition to the standard insurance, and it’s smart to get one of these policies.  (After all, better safe than sorry!)  In fact, insurance experts say you should get a policy that includes at least $3 million in medical coverage.  That may seem like alot, but medical bills can add up very quickly!

If your problem isn’t that you’re sick — but, instead, the victim of lost or stolen luggage — travel insurance can also help.  Instead of trying to replace everything out of your own pocket, a travel insurance policy will pay for the things that were lost or stolen.  (Just be careful — some travel insurance policies limit the amount they’ll pay on each item, so if you’re travelling with very valuable things, you may want to insure them separately!)

What if the problem isn’t your luggage?  What if your travel plans get ruined by a flight delay?

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to get out of town for some rest and relaxation, only to discover that your flight has been delayed or cancelled.  While you won’t be able to get that time back, a travel insurance policy can give you compensation for every 12 hours you spend waiting around for your flight.  All you’ll need to do is get some written verification from your airline, and you’ll at least get something out of all that wasted time!

Travel insurance can also come in handy if you have to cancel your vacation altogether at the last minute.  While your airline tickets and hotel room are probably non-refundable, your travel insurance can compensate you so that you don’t have to lose money AND miss out on your vacation!

Sounds great, right?  So, will all travel insurance plans cover this stuff?

Not necessarily!

You’ll need to look for a comprehensive plan that covers all of these issues — plus anything else you think might apply to your specific situation.  Travel plans allow you to add extra coverage and even remove coverage that you don’t want, so that you end up with the perfect policy.

And, if you do alot of travelling, you can sign up for an annual multi-trip policy, instead of just getting coverage for a single trip.  Annual plans are much cheaper than you might think, and they’re definitely more affordable than trying to get a separate policy for every trip you take!

Before you sign on the dotted line, though, be sure to read over the policy’s terms and conditions very carefully.  Some activities — like extreme sports — may not be covered.  Pay attention to the details now so that you’re not hit with an expensive surprise later!

Photo credits:  anankkml – FreeDigitalPhotos.Net