If you’re a U.S. resident traveling domestically within the country’s 50 states, you may not be thinking about trip insurance. However, trip insurance can be a great addition to your travels, insuring crucial investments before you hit the road, set sail, or take flight.
There are many different types of trip insurance available for U.S. residents, but before we get into all those, let’s talk about basic trip insurance. Basic trip insurance is a short-term insurance that covers certain non-refundable expenses should you need to cancel or change your travel plans. Now that you have an idea of what trip insurance is, let’s be clear about what it it’s not. Trip insurance is not medical insurance. While trip insurance may offer some coverage if you get sick and need to cancel your plans prior to your departure date, it generally won’t cover any costs related to illnesses, injuries or hospital bills incurred during your trip.
But that doesn’t mean that basic trip insurance isn’t worth adding to your packing list. Now more than ever travelers need to be prepared for the unexpected. And that’s exactly what a good trip insurance plan does. With trip insurance, you can book your travel accommodation with confidence knowing you can recoup some financial expenses associated with certain prepaid travel expenses should your plans suddenly change.
What exactly are these ‘prepaid travel expenses’? Well, it varies from policy to policy so it’s important to read the trip insurance plan benefits before purchasing a policy. Here are some of the non-refundable fees a trip insurance plan might cover:
- Non-refundable airline tickets
- Prepaid hotel or vacation home rental costs
- Lost, damaged or delayed luggage
- Plane change costs if you miss your flight or your flight is delayed
- Lost ski days or golf rounds related to a missed connection or flight delay
- Equipment rental fees associated with missed events, like golf clubs, or skis.
Aside from this basic trip insurance, which will benefit every traveler, there are some travel insurance add-ons that will give you coverage for specific activities you might participate in as you travel the country.
If you want even more flexibility than standard trip insurance can offer, consider adding Cancel For Any Reason coverage. This extra coverage allows you to cancel for literally any reason, not just the ones specified in your basic trip insurance coverage. With CFAR, you can get reimbursed for certain prepaid travel expenses, even if you decide you just don’t feel like going.
Looking for adventure? We’ve got trip insurance coverage for you. Say you’re headed off to Hawaii, you might be looking forward to some activities like scuba diving or snorkeling. Hiking enthusiasts will want to add hiking and mountaineering insurance to their backpacks before they set off on the PCT or climb the Rockies. If you’re planning on engaging in strenuous activities like these, you may have limited options but some trip insurance plans may include a sports or hazard rider that can give you some protection.
If you’re going on a cruise, you’ll need cruise insurance. With this kind of insurance, cruise-goers can stay financially protected if they need to cancel their plans for a covered reason. Beyond that, cruise insurance may offer emergency evacuation coverage, which will help keep you safe should the ship need to be evacuated.
If you’re planning a road trip, one thing you might think about is car rental insurance. Adding rental car collision insurance to your trip insurance usually gives you more comprehensive coverage than if you were to get car insurance directly from the rental place. Likewise travelers flying to another state or city can find peace of mind with flight accident insurance.
In these uncertain times, insuring your travels with trip insurance can save you from the financial and mental stress that so often comes with trip planning. Paying a small amount up front for coverage can literally save you thousands should you need to cancel or change your trip plans.
