The Ultimate Guide to Travel Insurance!
“Never travel without insurance. This was the first time I ever purchased travel insurance and I am so glad I did. A few weeks into my trip to Brazil, I fractured my ankle & needed surgery. My travel insurance not only covered the hospital bills there, but the flights home to receive surgery from my preferred doctor.”
John Rhodes, U.S. resident in Brazil
Is Travel Insurance Worth It?
Yes! Well, maybe. If you have an accident, it pays for itself immediately & is worth it, & if you don’t…well, this is the nature of insurance. It’s a gamble most travelers prefer not to risk. I always get travel insurance, 100%. Its very affordable (actually, ridiculously cheap!), covers you for travel delays/cancellations, lost or delayed baggage (I’ve used this 2x), stolen items (used this 1x), & perhaps most important…it covers you for medical/dental emergencies (used many times)!
My two cents, don’t leave home without it folks! Here are some things to consider first:
- What does your credit card cover? Some credit cards will offer basic travel insurance coverage such as baggage delay/loss, but never as much coverage as a separate travel insurance policy will cover. Know your facts!
- How expensive is your trip? If you’ve spent thousands on your trip, you should cover your back & have a good travel insurance policy to protect your flights, hotels & car rental. Makes sense right? This is what insurance is for folks.
- Are you traveling abroad? Travel insurance while abroad is crucial as your normal healthcare insurance is not going to cover you. Get a policy for emergencies when traveling abroad. Again, essential! Duh!
What Does Travel Insurance Really Cover?
First things first: Travel insurance is not medical insurance.
Medical coverage is an important part, but “travel insurance” breaks down into three broad areas of coverage:
1. Medical – hospital bills, dental emergency, ambulance, evacuation & repatriation expenses.
2. Property – baggage or personal item loss/delay covers lost, stolen, or damaged goods.
3. Travel – trip cancellation/delays/changes: accommodation and trip expenses.
As a music producer and digital nomad, I carry a lot of expensive gear with me when I travel. This includes: a laptop, iPad, microphones, DSLR camera, external harddrive, iPhone 6S, etc. I can rest assured that if my goods are lost, stolen or damaged…I will get reimbursed!
Bottom line: Travel insurance is important, and you need it! In some cases, it’s even mandatory…such as work and holiday visas, or studying abroad. Don’t take the risk folks. Sign up today. Oh by the way, If you fun of lottery, you can check the Swertres Result here.
Still not sure if you want to invest in travel insurance for your trip? Watch this:
So, what are the best travel insurance companies?
World Nomads vs. Travel Guard vs. Allianz
World Nomads: I’ve used World Nomads before & had good customer service with them. Where World Nomads shines is for adventure seekers. Their medical expenses coverage provides for accidents while taking part in more than 100 different sports and physical activities. According to their website, they offer “travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families.
World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers, to cover your trip essentials. Even if you run out of travel insurance or leave without it, World Nomads can cover you. If want to travel longer, World Nomads lets you buy more coverage to keep you on the road. Travelers, you can buy insurance even after you have already started your trip, with just one click online.”
*Note that they do not cover pre-existing medical conditions.
Price per 1 year policy = $1274 standard or $1617 full coverage.
Click here for your World Nomads quote today:
Allianz: I am currently traveling with an Allianz policy. By far the cheapest comprehensive travel insurance policy out there at $201 a year for their Classic
Plan + that is good for $1million coverage that includes the following:
- Existing Medical Condition Coverage.
- Travel insurance is provided, at no extra cost, to children who are under 18 years of age on the date of purchase of insurance and who are accompanied by their parent(s) or traveling with just their grandparent(s).
- Emergency Medical and Dental Benefits with no deductible.
“More than 13 million travelers trust us every year to protect them while they’re far from home. Our travel insurance products are designed to cover every kind of journey: student travel, family vacations, weekend getaways, luxury cruises and more. While benefits vary by plan, all include 24-hour hotline assistance. Our hotline team of multilingual travel experts helps travelers facing all kinds of dilemmas, including medical emergencies, lost passports, missed connections and more.”
Click here for your Allianz quote today:
Travel Guard: A few years back I used Travel Guard for my travel insurance while in on a 14 month around the world trip to India, Nepal, Europe & Japan. They are not the cheapest, but have been in business for more than 20 years & offer many extras. Travel Guard serves more than 6 million travelers each year. They offer some of the widest variety of coverage packages you’ll find online. Their comprehensive plans offer to insure kids under 18 at no extra cost.
Price = $1,776 for 1 year global travel insurance “Silver” policy was the quote it gave me with my details. Pretty pricey, but that does include these extra coverages when the policy is purchased within 15 days of Initial Trip payment:
– Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver when coverage is purchased within 15 days of Initial Trip Payment. (Limitations apply)
-Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage due to Financial Default of an airline, cruise line, or tour operator.
-$25,000 in Flight Guard® Coverage
AND these as well ::
Travelex: I have not personally used this company yet but they have been gaining some love with the travelers the past few years. They offer a basic multi-trip policy for $390year with my credentials (it’s going to be a little different based on your age & extras).
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