Tips on Travel Insurance

USA (SANEPR.com) April 14, 2009 -- Travel insurance is something you will need to have traveling. You never know the problems you could face and many regular insurance plans won't cover you overseas. Check with your health care provider or insurance company to find out if you are covered for accidents and sickness when you travel overseas. If you aren't covered, you should buy travel insurance. Moreover, travel insurance cover more than just you but also covers the things you take with you on the road, any accidents that might occur, or trip cancellations that might happen.

A good travel insurance plan should cover the following:
• Covers the majority of countries in the world.
• Make sure they cover your electronics.
• Cover injury and sudden illnesses within the country and abroad.
• Twenty-four hour emergency services and assistance.
• Cover lost, damaged or stolen possessions like jewelry, baggage, documents, etc
• Cover cancellations such as the trip, hotel bookings, flight, and other transportation bookings.
• Cover emergencies, strife in the country visited, and other emergencies that cause you to head home early.
• Cover hazardous activities such as jet skiing, scuba diving, sky diving, paragliding, etc.
• Policies should include personal accident coverage.
• Cover any legal expenses if incurred.
• Financial protection if any company you are using goes bankrupt and you are stuck in another country.

You should also know what is not protected and is excluded. Travel insurance policies do not normally cover alcohol or drug related problems, or carelessness in handling your possessions and luggage. You won't get reimbursed if the problem occurred because you were inattentive.

Additionally, travel insurance often covers health problems. Don't buy a plan that doesn't. If you get sick on the road, you want to make sure you are covered, especially if you are injured during an outdoor trek and need to be airlifted somewhere. You do not want to have to cover the costs of that yourself. Make sure your insurance company provides at least 500,000 dollars in health coverage.

If you make a claim, remember travel insurance companies, no matter how good, are there to make money and will try to avoid paying out as much as they can. Make sure you have all your receipts and necessary forms. Be prepared to wait awhile to receive your money too. Even the best companies drag their feet.

There are a lot of great companies out there. Two of the best travel insurance companies are STA Travel and World Nomads. Depending on what your needs and requirements are, one of these companies will meet your requirements. Make sure you read the fine print in any contract and agreement before you sign it because if something does go wrong, you don't want to be the victim of a legal loophole.

Another way to get travel insurance besides signing up for a specific insurance coverage is via your credit card. The majority of credit cards offer travel insurance. American Express, Capital One, and Citi all offer various degrees of protection depending on the card you have with them. American Express offers the most comprehensive coverage but if you have a high fee card or good credit, usually any company offers good insurance. Just remember though that this credit card coverage does not include health insurance.

No matter what kind of trip you take, it is important that you buy a travel insurance plan before you go abroad, especially if you are going away for an extended amount of time. You never what could happen while traveling, what could get misplaced or stolen or who could get ill with what. It is better to be safe than sorry for the few extra dollars travel insurance costs per day. It is a advisable expense for some peace of mind.

Matt finds the best tropical islands in the world and writes about them. He loves the beach and has been to Ko Lipe, the Gili Islands, and Hawaii to name just a few. He loves the surfing on Bali the best.