When preparing a vacation overseas, travel insurance is often considered as a minor item, and the process of reserving plane tickets and accommodation is often in people’s minds. Some individuals do not even buy travel insurance. Not getting a policy prior to going away is a costly ill-judged, as you will be missing out on the many benefits and necessary protections that it offers.
Perhaps the biggest component of all is medical cover. Whilst overseas, you are not insured for medical bills without travel insurance Should you become sick or be victim of an unfortunate event, you are probably to be liable for the full medical invoice. This could quite easily run into thousands of dollars. The fact that you are on holiday abroad increases your chances of getting ill or suffering an accident. Not only are you not familiar with your local surroundings, but you are consuming exotic food, and your body is exposed to unfamiliar bacteria and viruses.
Furthermore, insurance policies are available which cover you for holiday cancellations. Events at home, or unfavorable weather and travel problems can all mean that you may be unable to take your trip. The cost of cancelling without having insurance to cover the expenses incurred can be enormous. This problem and expense can all be avoided by having a good policy.
A holiday insurance can also cover you for costs of delays. Oftentimes flights can be held up for hours, even weeks, leaving you stranded in a unknown land. During this time, you will have to get food, accommodation, clothes and transportation. A comprehensive policy covers this for you, enabling you to enjoy your additional few days on holiday.
There are many other lesser benefits of buying travel insurance, such as cover for missing, stolen, or damaged luggage and private objects. This is especially beneficial when you are travelling to countries with high levels of crime. You can also have legal fees taken care of, if ever you are involved in any type of incident which involves being fined or attending court. You can even get insurance for any impairment to a car hire.
Cost is one of the first reasons why individuals decline travel insurance, but considering all the potential costs that can be incurred by not having insurance, taking out a travel insurance is really a very wise and prudent investment.
