Why You Need A Travel Insurance Policy

While most vacations go as planned, something can always go wrong, whether it’s a child’s illness, an accident or a parent’s work-related emergency. It is important to ask yourself ‘what if,’ to consider the alternatives, and to protect your family and your wallet against any number of possible mishaps that can occur,” says Ed Walker, US Travel Insurance Association president. He adds that many companies offer family travel insurance that includes children at no additional cost. Before purchasing a plan, you should check with your existing health insurance carrier, travel booking site and credit card company to see what travel benefits are included in your current plan, if any. Then you’ll know where the gaps in your coverage lie.

Family travel insurance also covers medical emergencies away from home. Most health insurance policies only cover individuals within their network (or the continental United States), so families traveling abroad will be responsible for out-of-pocket medical expenses. However, with a travel insurance health policy, you’re covered up to $1 million in emergency medical coverage. Prescriptions, doctor visits, dental work, ambulatory transport, hospital stays and any other urgent medical care will be paid for by the insurance company.

Another safeguard family travel insurance provides you with is peace of mind over sudden adverse weather and natural disasters. Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, fires and tornadoes could put a stop to your holiday plans, so it is crucial that you have insurance to cover this if you are traveling to a place that has had some kind of natural disaster in the past. Of course, no place on earth is immune from occasional bouts of bad weather. Trip insurance with delay coverage can set you up in a hotel with meals for the duration of your wait, which can be a real lifesaver!

Even with all these great benefits, some travelers may still be wondering if they should buy family travel insurance or not. As a general rule, if you are not prepared to lose the full amount of your deposit, then you should invest in a trip insurance policy. It also depends upon how much peace of mind is worth to you. Particularly when children are involved, most parents want the most comprehensive coverage they can get. Since plans are so flexible, you will likely find something for under $100 that meets your family’s basic needs.