Some travelers make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to purchase travel or trip insurance for their business and leisure trips. This is understandable. After all, buying insurance takes time and your focus may be on getting the best ticket prices.
Nevertheless, it’s a mistake to wait until the last minute to buy your travel medical insurance. Here are some of the top reasons why you don’t want to buy last minute travel insurance.
It Takes Time to Research and Compare Travel Insurance Plans
Travel insurance can be complicated and you’ll make a more informed choice if you give yourself more time. By starting early, you’re giving yourself the time to research travel insurance plans, compare travel coverage options and buy the travel insurance policy that best suits your needs.
Depending on where you’re traveling to, you may need a higher-than-average medical limit and for that, you’ll need to research the plans to be sure the coverage applies to the countries on your itinerary. Buying the right coverage can mean the difference between having the support you need in a travel emergency and being forced to handle the emergency on your own.
You Need Time to Read the Policy Documents
Purchasing your travel insurance plan early means that you’ll have the time you need to read the plan and policy documents. This gives you the time you’ll need to understand your insurance rights, know the exclusions, and contact the insurance provider with your questions.
If you wait until the last minute, you won’t be able to change your plans or get more clarification about how the plan works.
It Gives You Time to Find the Best Cancellation Coverage
Trip insurance comes with basic cancellation protections. This means that if you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason, you’ll be able to recoup some prepaid travel expenses. But this coverage is limited to things beyond the insured’s control like natural disasters and airline issues. If you purchase travel insurance when you’re pressed for time, you might expect that this cancellation coverage is the best you can get.
But if you give yourself more time to explore your options, you’ll discover benefits like Cancel For Any Reason insurance. This add-on benefit gives you the flexibility to cancel your plans for literally any reason and still recoup your prepaid expenses.
When you purchase a travel insurance plan with trip cancellation coverage early, you have the plan in place in case you need to cancel your trip. While you may not think you’ll have to cancel, unfortunate things like illnesses, death in the family, car accidents, and more can happen anywhere, anytime.
It’s unfortunate to have to cancel your travel plans or if an emergency calls you back home in the middle of your vacation. But knowing you can cancel your trip and get your prepaid expenses returned to you is an excellent benefit.
Some Coverage Requires Purchasing Early
For certain plan, there are specific timelines required in order to be eligible for certain travel insurance benefits.
Pre-existing Condition Waiver
Travel insurance plans typically exclude medical charges related to a sudden onset of a pre-existing medical condition, but some also include coverage for pre-existing conditions if you purchase your plan soon after making your initial trip deposit (usually 10-14 days).
Cancel For Any Reason Purchase Period
The Cancel For Any Reason insurance benefit also has a time sensitive period to purchase. Each insurance provider will have their own timeline, but typically, you can only add CFAR on your travel insurance plan during the application process if applying within 15-21 days from your initial trip deposit date.
Avoid Last Minute Travel Insurance and Purchase Early
When you start planning a trip, take the time to buy your travel insurance as soon as you start making your trip reservations. This way, you’ll have the longest amount of time to be sure the coverage is right for you and the opportunity to use those benefits if you need them.
Read more travel insurance tips for buying international travel insurance online that may help them you choose the right travel health insurance policy.
