Why Is Travel Insurance Important?
Aside from the fact that having travel insurance is a smart decision because you’ll be traveling on your own,
Some countries require you to have travel insurance just to set foot within their borders.
Of course, this varies depending on which country you choose to travel to, but you would save yourself a lot of stress if you were to get travel insurance long before you set off on your solo trip.
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
Before setting out on your solo journey, it’s important to do some research into different travel policies and some of the common things covered when purchasing travel insurance.
Just to be clear, the following categories of what travel insurance can cover are just to give you a rough idea of what’s included in a typical travel insurance package.
Basic Issues Travel Insurance Can Cover:
- Travel Cancellation
- Travel Medical Insurance
- Emergency Medical/Evacuation
- Accidental Death
- Baggage Loss
- Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)
It’s important to remember that if you’re serious about solo travel, the quicker you get travel insurance, the better. If you wait until the last minute, some travel insurance policies may have rules that would prevent you from getting coverage.
Just like anything else, it’s best to read the entire policy of any travel insurance you might be thinking of purchasing, and of course, it’s always good to shop around and compare coverage with other travel insurance companies.
Is Travel Insurance Necessary?
It’s probably one of the most common questions about insurance among first-time travelers: “Do I really need travel insurance?”.
Besides the unavoidable (barring some very rare exceptions) requirement to have travel insurance just to enter certain countries,
If you plan to solo travel multiple times or for a longer period of time, it’s just a good idea to have insurance just in case something happens.
Many travelers take travel insurance for granted, but if you decide to solo travel, you have to realize that you’re on your own. You will have to learn to take care of yourself and watch your own back.
Now, that might seem like I’m just stating the obvious, but it’s different when you’re actually there and really experiencing travel on your own.
After meeting people and gaining travel experience, that realization of needing to be aware and plan ahead will feel all the more real when you spend some time in a foreign country on your own.
When traveling on your own, you’ll have to take advantage of everything you can if you want your travels to go as smoothly as possible.
From travel insurance to technology and everything in-between, to survive on your own, you’ll have to be resourceful and take full advantage of any opportunities that you can find.
Judging Your Need For Travel Insurance
Another thing to consider is whether or not you’ll be traveling for a longer period of time versus a one-time experience.
If you decide to make solo travel a staple in your life, you should definitely consider investing in travel insurance.
You may not need it for your first solo trip, but at the end of the day, no matter how prepared you might think you are, you just never really know what the next solo trip will bring.
I don’t want to scare any future solo travelers out there, but realistically, frequent travel will generally increase your chances of experiencing both good and bad situations.
If you’re going for a one-time experience or a vacation for a couple of days to a week, you may not need travel insurance at all, but then again, anything can happen.
The way I would handle it is that if I decided to make travel an important part of my life, I would definitely find a way to get the most comprehensive travel insurance I could find.
If I decided on just a one-off type of experience, I would only get travel insurance if I knew I could afford it.
It’s really up to you to decide how much risk you’re willing to take when it comes to your travels, but if you can afford travel insurance, then there really isn’t any reason you shouldn’t sign up.
Other Ways To Get Travel Insurance?
Besides purchasing travel insurance through a traditional travel insurance company, there are some alternatives you can look into if you’re serious about getting insurance for your travels.
1. From Credit Cards
One of the more common alternatives to traditional travel insurance is getting travel insurance through a credit card company.
The only downside to this is that travel insurance from a credit card company may not cover everything that a traditional travel insurance company would.
If you’re planning on only traveling for a short period of time or for a quick getaway, travel insurance from a credit card would most likely be sufficient, but if you plan on traveling for a longer period of time, it’s best to go with traditional travel insurance.
2. Health Insurance
Some health insurance plans offer coverage for medical emergencies abroad. If you’re mostly concerned about your health abroad, you might want to look into your own health insurance to see what you’re covered for.
Although health insurance would cover medical issues, it isn’t going to cover things like lost luggage and other common travel issues you might run into while traveling.
3. Homeowners or Renters Insurance
This type of insurance might be able to cover things like personal property that might become lost or stolen during your travels.
Just like health insurance, this type of insurance may cover personal items, but it won’t cover other travel-related issues like trip cancellations and medical issues.
4. Travel Agencies or Tour Operators
Another alternative to traditional travel insurance is getting insurance through travel agencies or tour operators.
If you make a purchase through a travel agency or book a tour, you can opt to use their insurance plans, which could make paying for insurance a bit easier since you would have to only pay one price for everything travel-related.
Of course, it most likely won’t cover as much as traditional travel insurance would, but it’s still something to consider if you want more coverage for specific things.
5. Membership Programs
Some membership programs offer travel insurance as well.
If you sign up for a membership with companies like AAA, they have you covered for travel insurance for a variety of travel-related issues.
This is mostly helpful for people who might already have memberships with these types of companies or know someone else who does.
6. Travel Insurance Comparison Sites
If you’re at a loss for where to start looking for travel insurance, you can go to travel comparison sites like InsureMyTrip or Squaremouth to find and compare the plethora of travel insurance policies out there.
This is a great way to find different insurance companies that you might not have known about, which could help in finding affordable travel insurance.
Final Thoughts
So if you plan on traveling solo to multiple countries or if you plan on traveling a lot more often, it’s best to think about travel insurance, especially if you plan on traveling on your own for most of your travels.
If you’re part of any other types of insurance plans, you might want to inquire with those specific companies to see if any of those policies cover anything related to travel.
If you have other types of insurance, you may be able to combine all the insurance you’re receiving for even more coverage, just in case something goes wrong during your travels.
If you want to read more about solo travel, visit the site at traksandpaks.com.
