Travel Insurance 101: What You Need to Know

You have spent weeks, maybe months, planning a wonderful trip, and your travel date is coming closer. Or, you are in the middle of your dream vacation, having the time of your life. Most of the time, this story will have a simple, happy ending. But... you just never know when your vacation could hit a snag, while you’re away or even before you leave.

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Consider what could happen if...

• The night before your long-awaited second honeymoon, your boss tells you he has scheduled a 3-day conference with your biggest clients and absolutely insists on your attendance.
• Your sister-in-law becomes seriously ill just as you’re preparing to leave for Europe, and you need to cancel your vacation.
• A snowstorm in your hometown shuts down the airport, and you miss the sailing of your cruise to Mexico.
• As you arrive in Maui, you find your bags are lost with all of your clothes, personal items and medications.
• You reach for your money in a crowded Turkish market and find that your wallet and passport have been stolen.
• You are at a beach resort in Jamaica, and you are forced to evacuate due to an approaching hurricane.
• While hiking Denali National Park in Alaska, you fall and break a leg, necessitating an immediate evacuation to the nearest medical care facility.
• It’s 10:00 p.m. and you and your family arrive at the airport in Rome for the last leg home from a wonderful Mediterranean cruise, only to find your flight has been canceled.

Common Objections to Travel Insurance

"I already have health insurance"
​Traditional Domestic Health Insurance Plans:

• Limit coverage for out-of-country medical expenses to emergency-related costs
• Have high deductibles and co-pays for emergency treatment abroad
• Don't cover out-of-country emergency medical transportation

Medicare:

• Medicare won't pay for health care and supplies you receive outside of the U.S. in most situations
• Medicare cannot cover prescription drugs purchased outside the U.S.

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"My credit card will cover it"

• Credit card coverage for trip cancellation and interruption is highly limited compared to travel insurance
• Credit card coverages vary. You would have to find your credit card agreement to determine if your card carries coverage. This could be time consuming for you.
• ​Credit cards usually only reimburse for death, injury, or illness of the insured or a family member, or for a supplier default
• Credit cards may not reimburse consumers in cases of travel delay
• Credit cards may not automatically cover medical emergencies, and usually don't cover emergency medical transportation and evacuation

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"I don't need insurance because I'm young and healthy"
Travel insurance doesn't just cover you. It also provides coverage if you need to cancel or return home if something covered happens to your:

• Traveling companion
• Children
• Spouse
• Parents
• Other family members

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"Travel insurance costs too much"

• Travel insurance is only a small percentage of your total vacation cost
• If you need to cancel, could you afford to re-book?
• If you have to get home in an emergency, do you have the funds?

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"I will just take the cruise line's insurance"

• Cruise line "Cancel for Any Reason" coverage is not insurance and in most cases doesn't allow for cancellation. It's actually "Postpone for Any Reason" coverage:
  • Paid in voucher
  • Must use within 12 months
  • Only good for the final payment
• Emergency medical coverage amounts offered by cruise lines are lower than what we recommend

The Travel Consultants at Brentwood Travel are ready to teach you even more about travel insurance. Let's start planning your next protected vacation today! Call 314-439-5700 or email us