There are certain types of travellers who see travel insurance as a needless expense. For them, a little positivity is enough to warrant a smooth, incident-free travel. In an ideal world, not a single aspect of one’s travel plans will go wrong. More often than not, though, unexpected events get in the way of an otherwise well thought out trip.
Before you decide to skip on insurance on your next trip, consider the following reasons why having travel insurance is a must.
1. Cancelled flights
Based on data from the International Air Transport Association, a trade association for the world’s airlines, average airfares across the globe have gone down by at least 12% in 2015 and has continued …show more content…
Major airlines such as Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM), for instance, has systems in place for delayed, lost or damaged baggage. KLM passengers with delayed baggage can use the airline’s World Tracer tool when the baggage hasn’t been found in 3 days. But while it’s comforting that airlines have such systems in place, not having clothing and other travel essentials requires immediate remedy and this is where travel insurance saves the day. Insurance companies can reimburse expenses and provide compensation based on the value of the lost items, unlike most airlines’ coverage which are often …show more content…
Having planned a Summer soiree for months, you picture yourself sipping cocktails on a coconut, and spending hours under a rainbow-coloured beach umbrella listening to the sound of the crashing waves. Even if it feels as if nothing could go wrong, by its very nature, travelling almost always involves an element of surprise. And sometimes, such surprises come in the form of an illness.
Health travel insurance help in such situations by cushioning you from medical bills, which is particularly helpful if you’re travelling in countries with very expensive medical care. Health insurance may not cover for injuries or illness arising from travel-related sicknesses, but travel insurance certainly will.
4. Emergency transportation
Being in unfamiliar territory whilst on holiday can be unnerving for certain travellers who are in the middle of an emergency. In case of a health-related emergency, having readily accessible transportation can spell the difference between safety and further danger.
Encountering an actual health emergency means you will also need transportation to get medical assistance as soon as possible, something that a comprehensive travel insurance package should be able to provide.
5. Refundable travel