Travel - insured

While a lot of people think “I’m healthy, I don’t need travel insurance. I won’t get sick, ” travel insurance is much than just medical protection. It covers you when your camera breaks, your flight is cancelled, a family member dies and you have to come home, or if something is stolen. It is the single most important thing you should get but hope to never have to use. And for the little money it costs a day, you’re foolish not to get it. I never planned on falling in the sea in Italy with my camera or popping my ear drum in Thailand and if it wasn’t for my travel insurance, I would have been out a lot of money.

Travel insurance is one of the most complex and confusing aspects of trip planning. With the myriad of plans and companies out there, people can easily get confused about what they should get and why. Given its importance and the amount of time it’s been since I last discussed it, I want to start the year by discussing it again. I’ve seen too many people forgo insurance and end up regretting it.

Travel insurance is something you absolutely need on the road. You never know what could happen, and most health plans don’t cover you overseas. I never thought I would pop my eardrum while I was scuba diving or break my camera in Italy. My friend never thought he would break his leg hiking or that another friend’s father would die and she would have to fly back home.

Travel insurance was there when all those things happened. It is something you hope you never have to use, and with plans costing just a few dollars per day, in my view, only an idiot would travel without it. I would rather be safe than sorry and not be stuck with a giant hospital bill.

I was recently in Africa for 3 weeks and my plan cost only 4 dollars per day. Considering my domestic health plan wasn’t going to cover me while overseas, it was a small price to pay for knowing if I got attacked by a lion, bitten by a snake, or contracted malaria, I was protected.

But, like I said, it’s more than just medical care. Loose a bag? Insurance has you covered. Trip cancelled? Insurance is there. Get something stolen? Insurance is there too.