When To Purchase Travel Insurance in 2021

We are just around the corner from hitting the one year mark since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. The pandemic altered every aspect of life but particularly affected the ability to travel. Countless business trips and vacations have been postponed, rescheduled, or canceled altogether. A year later, travel still feels somewhat uncertain. More and more people, however, are eager to travel again and make up for their lost vacation. Travel insurance might just be the key!

With travel remaining uncertain, you want to have every assurance possible when you finally book that dream vacation. One of the best ways to travel with confidence is to purchase travel insurance. The right policy helps protect the money you’ve spent on your vacation in light of unforeseen circumstances that may arise. 

But travel insurance policies are not all the same, so it is important to read the fine print. It is also important to weigh your risks and expenses to determine if it is truly beneficial or not. We’ve provided some tips below for knowing when to purchase travel insurance. 

When you are traveling overseas

Arguably the top reason to purchase travel insurance is to cover medical expenses when you travel internationally. Most insurance companies will not provide coverage for medical care in other countries. In such cases, your travel policy can help cover medical costs accrued in another country. Or they will cover the expense of being flown back to the United States in case of a medical emergency. 

When you are taking a flight

Unfortunately, flying isn’t the most reliable form of travel. Flights are often late or canceled, resulting in additional travel expenses. Travel insurance can help cover an extra night in a hotel due to a delayed flight or reimburse prepaid expenses. It can even help cover the expense of unexpectedly having to change flights due to an unforeseen circumstance. 

When you have multiple expenses 

Travel insurance may not be beneficial if your vacation involves minimal expenses. For example, if you are taking a short trip and staying at a hotel with a flexible cancellation policy, additional coverage wouldn’t be an additional benefit. But if your trip includes flights, car rentals, hotel stays, and other expenses, then added coverage would help protect the money you’ve invested. Especially if any of those bookings have strict cancellation policies. 

When work is a concern

If you think that work may conflict with travel plans, it is smart to purchase travel protection. We all know how things can pop up even when you’ve gotten your time off approved. Travel insurance policies usually have an option for covering work-related issues. 

When you want to be prepared 

Ultimately, the whole point of travel insurance to prepare for unforeseen circumstances and emergencies. You hope and pray that nothing happens to interrupt your travel but sometimes it’s like Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong will go wrong. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

To determine if travel insurance is right for your upcoming vacation, get a free quote based on your travel information. You can also do some research and read about the top six travel insurance options for 2021. Don’t let travel uncertainty keep you from planning the vacation of a lifetime!