Whether you are taking a trip around the world, heading off for a sunshine break or relocating for 6 months to do some valuable volunteering work, travel insurance is an absolutely essential requirement. There are many ways in which we can justify not shelling out on travel insurance ‘I probably won’t need it’ usually the number one reason why people fail to get themselves covered. There are however, far more compelling reasons as to why you do need travel insurance and whilst it is frustrating if you don’t end up needing it, if you do you will be thankful that you had the foresight to spend the money on it.
Logistics
There is always a possibility that you could have issues with the logistics of your travel plans, and this is where your travel insurance can come in very handy. Take the case of Thomas Cook that we have just seen, a global travel giant has gone bust in a matter of days. Those with upcoming flights may be protected by ATOL and can count on a refund, but what about the hotel, the travel plans, the car rental and the internal flights in your destination? Those with travel insurance can get some money back which otherwise they would have completely lost.
Rising Costs
Because we live in the UK and we have an outstanding healthcare system, it is easy for us to be completely oblivious to how much medical care actually costs. When you are in a foreign land however there is no NHS to save you and you will have to foot the bill for whatever medical care you need should something go wrong. Falling off a quad and breaking your arm, extreme food poisoning from local street cuisine, severe sunburn or even a car accident driving on foreign roads. There are literally thousands of situations which could see you needing medical care, and in a foreign country that can very quickly become very expensive. Travel insurance will take care of all of this and will leave you only paying a small premium, when you compare this to how much a doctor’s visit, medication or a hospital stay may cost, you can see just how cost effective travel insurance can be.
Cancelled Trip
Flights can be cancelled without you having any idea why, perhaps as a result of a strike or even extreme weather. If this happens the last thing you want is to be left stranded in a foreign land, which is yet another reason why it is so important to have travel insurance. Airlines can do this at the drop of a hat and from experience they are rarely forthcoming when it comes to helping you with a fix. Having travel insurance gives you the peace of mind that you will get home safely.
Repatriation
If you or someone who you are traveling with was to have an issue which cost them their life, the cost of flying the body back home is in the millions of pounds. This is an extreme example but things can happen and should they occur, the family will of course want to bury the body back on home soil. A travel insurance company will make sure that the body is flown back home, helping you to avoid these incredible costs.
Simply put travel insurance makes a lot of sense and there is no real justification as to why you don’t shouldn’t get it.