Travel Insurance

Every year more than 25 million items of luggage are damaged, lost or delayed at airports. That’s 1 in 100 passengers affected, a high chance of you personally becoming a victim. We carry so much of our lives in our luggage. Expensive electronics, our whole summer wardrobe and freshly bought toiletries but the most important are the sentimental things that aren’t easily replaced. Not much can be done for these items once lost to the airports or even stolen but you can reduce the damage by investing in travel insurance. 

Despite airlines increasing the protection of our luggage through various technologies, there is still no sure fire way that you can guarantee your luggage will make it to the other end. Approximately 85% of luggage is delayed. This is ok when you sigh with relief when your luggage is finally located but out of this 85%, more than half are ever returned. This is costing our airlines millions, but most importantly, if you’re not insured, you lose it all. 

We love traveling and airlines have made exploring all corners of the globe so easy. When you set off on your long-awaited trip this summer, it doesn’t occur to you that you might be one of the unlucky ones that lose their luggage. Grabbing yourself that all-important travel insurance acts as a bumper for if the worst should happen. And it’s not just a back-up plan for your lost luggage that your travel insurance can provide you. Travel insurance can adapted and change depending on what you need. For example, if your room was burgled or your wallet was pick-pocketed, your travel insurance can provide you with the necessary back-up. If you fall ill and things should take a more serious turn, your travel insurance can help. 

Loss of possessions and your health is top on your agenda but what else can travel insurance give you?

Well, the peace of mind helps! Knowing that you’re backed up if something should go wrong leaves you free to enjoy you holiday to the fullest worry-free, and that’s not all...

Airports often have delays, but what about cancellations? Your travel insurance can help. A flight cancellation might mean you need emergency accommodation for the night or compensation for money lost and trouble caused and certain travel insurance policies can help. 

We’ve covered the fact that your money might be stolen but travel insurance can not only provide you with emergency cash, but with a replacement passport and any important medication that you need to be taking has an emergency prescription filled, hassle-free.

Any weather related incidents, illness or even terrorist threats on the city you’re visiting can cause you to reconsider your trip. Your travel insurance will cover this also. 

Of course, various policies offer different packages, but what should you be looking out for in your travel insurance deal?

Travel insurance can cover as much or as little as you like depending on the money you’re prepared to pay and the package that best suits you. In comparison to the overall cost of the trip itself, it’s only a small percentage and this will vary depending. The best bet is to shop around. Grabbing the first policy you see could be costly and many organizations can offer you deals. For example, the travel agent might offer you travel insurance when booking the flights and accommodation. This can be overpriced and not cover many important factors. Head towards more independent places. This can not only give you a great deal, but you’ve protected yourself against the company you’ve booked with in case anything should go wrong, like bankruptcy. 

Looking out for the fine print

A lot of travel insurance policies are above board with barely any fine print. It’s all about keeping your luggage, belongings and yourself safe and combating any problems if they should arise. What you should look out for is what your policy DOESN’T cover. For example if you decide you want to go skydiving (or any other extreme sports) it’s doubtful that your policy will cover it.

Also watch out the the accommodation aspect. If you’re traveling by caravan, many policies have limitations on their luggage and baggage sections. As the caravan is technically your property for that allotted time, it’s neither the companies or your insurance policies fault if you were to get burgled as there is an overall higher risk of theft. 

Investing in travel insurance is the smart way to travel. Your possessions and health will be covered leaving you to relax and enjoy your holiday to the fullest. An essential for savvy travelers, without it can leave your trip completely ruined if not on a sour note. You gain peace of mind from the protection of yourself as well as your belongings. For more information on travel insurance and finding the right package for you, check out the Which? site. 

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Sarah Ponsford

Sarah is a recent graduate who has contributed to a number of websites and...

Sarah Ponsford