Travel can be a big expense, and if you're planning a trip, you may be worried about what happens if your plans change. What if you get sick and can't travel? What if there is a hurricane and your cruise gets canceled? What if you have to take an emergency flight home? If these thoughts are waking you up in the middle of the night, you may have considered getting travel insurance. However, you might not have any idea what kind to get, as there are a number of options. Travel pro Rick Steves has some
great advice for you.
On his website, Steves tells us that while there are different types of insurance, including medical, evacuation, baggage, flight, and cancellation or interruption, there is one that is a good bet for most travelers. Steves says that cancellation and interruption protection is a great option, explaining, "For me, this is the most usable and worthwhile kind of insurance. It's expensive to cancel or interrupt any prepaid travel, and for a small fraction of the trip cost, you can alleviate the risk of losing money if something unforeseen gets in the way."
If you're not familiar with it, trip interruption insurance will reimburse you for things that you've already paid for, like tours or hotel stays, in case you have to go home early without using them. Trip cancellation insurance covers you if can't take the trip at all. In both instances, it's important to know what reasons are actually included, how much you'll get back, and whether the credit card you used for the trip will cover you.
Read more: Rick Steves Says To Always Do These Things Before Traveling
All About Trip Interruption And Cancellation Insurance, Per Rick Steves
Interruption and cancellation insurance covers what is generally not refundable by the company you purchased it from, whether that's because you couldn't travel or left early, or the company went out of business and doesn't deliver on what you paid for. Steves suggests getting coverage within a week of the first payment you make for the trip. He warns, "Policies purchased later than a designated cutoff date — generally 7 to 21 days, as determined by the insurance company — are less likely to cover tour-company or air-carrier bankruptcies, pre-existing medical conditions (yours or those of family members at home), or terrorist incidents. Mental-health concerns are generally not covered."
It's also important to know that, if something goes wrong on your trip, you may have to pay for everything yourself first and be reimbursed later. You should check if your insurance package has restrictions, like certain companies, locations, or airlines it doesn't cover. In addition, you can look into "cancel for any reason" insurance, which can get you back a large portion of what you paid, no matter why you canceled. You can also explore trip delay insurance, in case you have to move your trip because of something like a flight change. This can cover extra expenses like a hotel room and meals, as well as rooms you didn't stay in because you didn't arrive on time.
Finally, you should read the fine print, as well as ask the insurance company about what it doesn't cover. It could be things like adventure sports, disease outbreaks, and certain destinations that are considered dangerous for travelers. In addition, travel insurance may not help if you're detained at the U.S. border, so check if you have concerns.
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Read the original article on Islands.
