If you are planning an exciting trip abroad, you probably have done some serious digging on travel websites to make sure you have the best air ticket deals and hotel accommodation packages. However, only a few people out there will do the responsible thing and look for insurance policies they might need when/if things go wrong. It is understandable, though why we might feel reluctant to give insurance the attention it deserves. We always like to expect the best and believe that the wind will always be in our sails, but that, unfortunately, is not realistic.
Road accidents and theft incidents are more common than our optimistic selves would like to believe. So, if you are heading somewhere soon, take the necessary precautions and read below to understand what insurance policies you should get before traveling.
Travel Insurance
You need to have insurance for the expensive flight ticket you just booked. There is no guarantee when it comes to air flights; you are always one blizzard or sand storm away from irrevocably losing your non-refundable ticket. You should consider travel insurance to be eligible for compensation from the airline should your flight be canceled for any reason. Travel insurance will often include coverage for lost or stolen luggage as well as meals and accommodation should there be a delay or cancellation of your booked flight. You need to make sure you have this set prior to traveling to avoid the extra charges when buying insurance from anywhere else other than your home country.
Health Insurance
If you are planning on just getting one kind of insurance, then make sure it’s healthcare. Healthcare is very costly everywhere, and especially if you suffer from a health condition or take special medications, you will be thankful that you invested some money towards ensuring you have proper health coverage when traveling abroad.
Renowned healthcare insurance providers at https://www.now-health.com/en/worldcare/ are even going the extra mile to provide their customers with instant support abroad. Their user-friendly mobile app and a dedicated 24/7 customer support offering translation services will be exactly what you need when you find yourself in the ER with your pregnant wife and doctors and nurses who do not speak your language.
Property Insurance
When you are visiting a country for the first time, all you want to worry about is the exploring and sightseeing adventures you will be going on. You do not want to think about your belongings that you left back at the hotel. You should seriously consider this kind of insurance if you are a frequent flyer who flies with expensive items like jewelry or hi-tech gadgets. According to your insurance plan, you will be offered decent compensation for any lost or damaged belongings. However, before going ahead and purchasing a new policy for this purpose, it is worth checking with your homeowner insurance policy providers back at home first. As your belongings/property might be already covered under that policy regardless of where in the world they are.
Sports Injuries Insurance
You should get this type of insurance if you will be performing any kind of sports abroad. If you are planning on going on crazy adventures like bungee jumping, skydiving, or swimming with sharks, you will need a special high-risk sports insurance. These will often come at a higher premium that will vary according to the relative danger factor. Although your intention should always be not to use it, you will be glad you have this insurance policy if you get yourself into a life-threatening accident while traveling alone.
Personal Liability Insurance
This insurance policy is very important to have whether at home or while traveling abroad. It’s essentially more so when you are traveling, since some countries have harsh laws when it comes to tourists being involved in property damage or endangering someone’s life, especially if it were a local’s. It is smart to get this insurance policy before your trip abroad as your insurance provider will step up and pay any financial compensations on your behalf and save you from an otherwise difficult situation. Even if you believe yourself to be an exemplary tourist, by now you should understand that accidents happen and it is better to be safe than sorry.
It might be hard for you to understand all there is about different insurance policies and the details and conditions they encompass. So, it is definitely worth it to schedule appointments with different insurance providers in your home country to get all of your questions answered. Make sure to check different providers and compare the benefits each one offers. Finally, you might want to check to see if it is more cost-effective to work with just one insurance company for all the policies you are interested in and benefit from “valuable customer” privileges.
