Good Reasons Why You Should Have a Travel Insurance.

Travel insurance is a policy offered by insurance companies,these policies offer assistance in case of any inconveniences when travelling by air. 

Many of us shun the idea of having a travel insurance, I have done it before and gotten away with it in the past until my flight was once delayed for over 48 hours and I had to spend extra cash of which was not budgeted for and of course you can imagine what happened next. I returned  home half broke and I had to re-budget my next three months to get back on track financially. Of course we got some kind of compensation from the airline but this was not enough. I was envious of my colleagues who had taken a travel insurance cover, they always did, they were able to offset some of the expenses from their cover. I learnt though through the hard way that a travel insurance is important, more so if you are travelling abroad.

A Travel insurance policy should be among your must haves when travelling. Such a policy gives you peace of mind in case of any inconveniences. A good travel insurance is a friend and a helping hand you need when the unexpected barges into your travel schedule and plans.Areas that a travel insurance policy covers include but not limited to;

Flight cancellations or delays

Flight delays and cancellations do occur due diverse factors. Such factors may be within the control of the airline like some technical issues, schedules changes to operational constrains. Other factors like civil unrest, weather changes among others and beyond airlines control and in such cases the liability of airlines is limited as well. If you are a frequent traveler you understand some of this issues, even the best airlines have flight disruptions. Some airlines do compensate for flight delays and cancellations, others do not. The compensation may be able to cover the extra expenses you may under go in such situations but in most cases it does not more especially if you have to cancel hotel bookings and pre-booked transport, these expenses are normally considered to be outside the conditions of carriage by some airlines, a travel insurance policy comes in handy when such inconveniences are not catered for, it may not cover all the cost but it sure lifts some of the burden off your shoulders.

Luggage delay, damage or loss
Luggage delays, sometimes it gets damaged or it can get lost. This is more likey to happen if you do not have direct flight. The risks are higher if your connections are many and with different airlines. Airlines have a guideline in regard to baggage irregularities that may occur during your travel, however they have limitations on how much the compensation can cover, other items if lost or damaged, like jewelry, electronics and other valuables may not be covered under the compensation program, in such cases a travel insurance comes in handy. It is also a common practice in some airlines not to compensate if your delayed luggage is delivered to you within 12-24 hours. Some activities like attending meeting and taking a shower if you are on vacation may not wait for your bag, you will end up spending extra cash to buy some clothes and toiletries

Medical cost, evacuation and treatment
Some times you may have a need for medical attention when travelling. A travel insurance policy is a good companion during such times. You may not be able to access reliable medical help depending on your destination. Some destinations are very remote with limited medical facilities and equipment. In some cases you may need to be airlifted to another country for medical care depending on the nature of your medical requirement, in such cases transportation may be very expensive as well as medical bills. Some travel policies include medical airlift a good plus that I always look for when getting a travel insurance cover.

A partner to call in case of an emergency in a foreign country
Travel emergencies not limited too medical can occur while travelling. This may include civil and political unrest or disease outbreaks.Travel emergencies can be stressful in a foreign county where no one speaks or understands your language. Most travel insurance policies have a hour hotline to help one cope with such kind of emergencies like medical care, evacuation and can act as a translator between you and the care givers. I highly recommend that you check and confirm that your insurance giver is reachable 24/7 in case you need them.

Tips

• When buying your travel insurance indicate the days you intend to have for your vacation. This will make your policy less costly.
• Find out what your travel insurance policy covers and what it does not cover.
• Check with your airline on what kind of compensation is given in case of flight disruptions, this will guide you in getting the best cover for your trip.