Even the best planned trip can encounter problems. Sudden health or family issues can cause you to cancel a trip, flights can get cancelled, injuries can happen, and many other issues can crop up. Because of this, every traveler should purchase a travel insurance plan when booking their trip.
Though the term is often used to describe many different types of insurance, travel insurance is primarily trip cancellation insurance and emergency medical insurance for when you take a trip.
However, in many cases the internet can make travel insurance seem more complex than it needs to be, and you may want to see travel insurance explained. Our goal is to simplify the travel insurance buying experience and make it as easy as possible to buy the coverage you need.
What is Travel Insurance?
In most cases, travel insurance is trip cancellation insurance. In case you’re required to cancel your trip for a covered reason, this coverage can reimburse you for all eligible prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. What is the point of travel insurance? To ensure you aren’t stuck paying for a trip you cannot take!
However, there are many other benefits to a travel insurance plan beyond just trip cancellation coverage. So, if you’re wondering how to use travel insurance, read on.
Types of Travel Insurance
Beyond trip cancellation coverage, most travel insurance plans can also provide these coverages:
- Travel delay coverage – Can reimburse you for covered expenses you incur if your trip is delayed for a covered reason.
- Trip interruption coverage – Can cover eligible costs if your trip must be interrupted for you to temporarily return home.
- Emergency medical coverage – Can provide primary or secondary medical insurance for eligible medical treatment.
- Lost and delayed baggage coverage – Can reimburse you due to extra covered expenses you incur as a result of your baggage being lost or delayed by an airline or other common carrier.
How Does Travel Insurance Work?
To understand how travel insurance works, let’s go through a step-by-step guide to getting coverage:
- Visit the quote form to fill in your information. You’ll need enter your primary destination country, your country of citizenship and country of residency, the date you made your initial trip deposit, and when you have made or will make your final trip payment. Then, you’ll enter your date of departure and return, and the age and trip cost for each traveler, after which you’ll click the “get quotes” button.
- You will then be presented with different insurance plans from multiple providers to fit your needs. You can compare these plans side by side, examine their benefits and certificate wording, and select the best plan for your trip.
- Depending on the plan you select to purchase, you may next be given the option to select any available optional coverages, which you can choose or bypass depending on your needs. After that you’ll be able to calculate your total cost before continuing.
- Finally, you’ll enter your personal information and complete your purchase. Immediately after the purchase, you will receive an email confirmation with your fulfillment kit including your confirmation of purchase and your insurance ID card. Make sure to keep your ID card handy, or better yet, download the MyAccount mobile app so you’ll have access to your insurance information on the go.
How to Use Travel Insurance
According to travel insurance experts, the benefits most often used are trip cancellation/delay coverage and emergency medical coverage. So, what do you do if you have to actually use your travel insurance? We’ll guide you through it step by step.
How to Submit a Travel Insurance Claim
To file travel insurance claim, please follow these steps:
- Download your claims form from MyAccount.
- Follow the instructions on the claim form and fill it out completely. Be descriptive in regard to the services/items you’re filing a claim for. And if there is a question on the form that applies to your particular situation, be sure to answer it.
- If you made payment up front and are submitting a claim for reimbursement, be sure to attach all original itemized bills, statements, and invoices for services and supplies, and make sure all documents include the original claimant’s name, date of service diagnosis (if applicable), and the itemized charges.
- Mail the claim form and any accompanying documents to the address listed on the form. Some insurance companies may also allow you to submit the form via fax or email. Check the instructions on your claim form to be sure.
Tip: Be sure to keep copies of all documents submitted in case they get lost in the mail or are illegible after being transmitted via fax or email.
Why is it Worth Paying for Travel Insurance?
Approximately 38% of travelers buy travel insurance, with their primary motivations being worries about flight delays (35%) and concerns about health emergencies (29%).
And while these are both valid reasons to buy travel insurance, it’s worth paying for it because travel insurance covers a lot more than that. Can you guarantee you won’t become sick or get hurt and have to cancel your trip? Can you cover the cost of booking a flight home early due to an emergency? Can you afford to book another hotel because a natural disaster rendered your original hotel uninhabitable? Travel insurance can cover all of these instances and more, making it essential for every traveler.
How to Get Travel Insurance with Insubuy
It’s easy to get travel insurance with Insubuy. Just fill out a travel insurance quote form and you can get coverage in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions about How Travel Insurance Works
How much does travel insurance cost?
The exact cost of travel insurance will vary depending on your personal information, your destination, your trip length, the plan you select, and any optional coverages. However, you should generally plan on spending 4% to 6% of your total trip cost on travel insurance.
Does travel insurance actually pay out?
Travel insurance absolutely pays out. So long as you file a claim correctly for a covered expense, the insurance company will pay the claim according to terms and conditions listed in the policy documents for the plan. You can freely read these policy documents for every plan we offer prior to purchase.
Does travel insurance cover 100%?
Each travel insurance plan we offer will cover according to terms and conditions stated in the policy documents. If you have any questions about whether or not a certain situation can be covered 100%, please contact us.
What is the best travel insurance?
The best travel insurance for you depends on your individual needs, your budget, and your priorities. We recommend filling out a quote form to narrow down the best travel insurance options for your situation.
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