Planning a Vacation? Don’t Forget About Your Travel Insurance!

Travel Insurance
21 Jun 2018

When planning for your next trip, make sure you remember that there’s more to do than just packing the essentials! Besides preparing your clothing and toiletries, you need to plan for if there’s an unexpected event while you’re away. Needing medical attention, travel accommodations or even a sudden flight home can add up to make your trip much more expensive than it was. But if you’re prepared with the proper Travel Insurance before you depart, any bumps in the road can be covered by your insurance provider. So before you close your suitcase and get ready to embark on your adventure, use these tips to ensure that you’ll be covered while you’re away!

What Is Travel Insurance?

Travel Insurance is extremely important when you’re traveling outside of Canada and is recommended to be purchased by the government, even if you’re only traveling to the United States. It helps to cover costs in the case of a medical emergency, accident or illness, and even if your luggage is misplaced. It can also cover your trip if it’s canceled or shorten while you’re away. Even though the possibility of you needing to use it may seem unlikely, you’ll never want to endure the costs or fees that could add up if you don’t have the proper coverage.

Why Do I Need Travel Insurance?

Purchasing the right Travel Insurance should never be overlooked. While it may seem like a slim chance that you’ll need it, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Especially if you were to suffer from a medical emergency, lose your personal items or have your trip shortened or canceled.

In short, you’ll be able to:

  • Protect your health and cover any medical or transportation costs associated with getting sick or injured while traveling.
  • Protect the financial investment you made for your trip.
  • Protect your personal belongings that you take with you.
  • And most importantly give yourself peace of mind that you’re covered while traveling.

Do You Already Have Travel Insurance?

This is a good question for many as they’re not completely sure. Often we assume that we’re covered through our work benefits or our credit cards. But the reality is, the coverage that is provided in these ways may not be enough to protect you fully.

For example, the Travel Insurance that comes with many major credit cards may state that they provide you coverage, but when you look in depth at what the coverage entails, it is actually very little. It’s important to look into how much coverage your credit card carries, what is specifically covered and whether you may need to purchase additional coverage. Usually, a comprehensive package includes extensive coverage for emergency medical treatment while out of the country, if your trip is canceled or interrupted and for if your baggage or valuables are lost or stolen. When in doubt about your coverage, ask the provider who would be offering the insurance, as well as your insurance broker!

What To Do If You Don’t Have Travel Insurance

If you’re planning to travel outside of Canada and don’t have Travel Insurance, it’s highly recommended that you do purchase it before your trip begins. When looking to buy travel insurance, it’s stressed that you look and purchase the insurance before your trip. Once you begin your travels, the coverage you’re trying to purchase may not cover you. So plan in advance to protect yourself in the future. If you find that when you’re traveling, you often change your plans to extend your holiday abroad, many coverages give you the option to extend the time that your coverage is valid. So if you find yourself itching to buy another ticket that takes you somewhere other than home, you can do so without feeling stressed.

While you’re planning your next vacation, be prepared and make sure you have the proper Travel Insurance. Nothing feels better while on vacation than having the peace of mind that you and your loved ones are protected. For more information about the Travel Insurance options that Waters Insurance offers, contact us today!