Travel Insurance 101: What it Covers and Why You Can't Skip It
Section 1: What Exactly Does Travel Insurance Cover? (The Core Benefits)
Travel insurance is more than just a single policy; it’s a package of protections. While plans vary, most comprehensive policies include four main pillars of coverage:
1. Emergency Medical Coverage (The Most Critical)
This is the non-negotiable part, especially for international travel.
Hospital and Doctor Fees: Coverage for sudden illness or injury while traveling. Your domestic health plan often provides very limited (or zero) coverage overseas.
Emergency Evacuation: If you get seriously ill or injured in a remote area, this pays for the necessary air or ground transport to the nearest suitable medical facility—costs that can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Repatriation of Remains: Covers the unfortunate event of death while traveling, including the costs of preparing and transporting remains home.
2. Trip Cancellation & Interruption
This protects your upfront financial investment in the trip.
Cancellation: Reimburses your prepaid, non-refundable expenses (flights, hotels, tours) if you must cancel before your departure due to a covered reason (e.g., sudden illness, severe weather, death in the family, or layoff).
Interruption: Reimburses the unused portion of your trip, and the cost of an emergency one-way ticket home, if a covered event forces you to cut your trip short.
3. Baggage & Personal Belongings
Travel delays and lost bags are common hassles that can be expensive to fix on the fly.
Lost/Stolen Baggage: Provides reimbursement for the value of your checked baggage and its contents if the airline loses it permanently.
Baggage Delay: Provides an allowance to purchase necessary essential items (toiletries, clothing) if your checked bags are delayed for a specified period (e.g., 6–12 hours).
4. Travel Delay
Reimbursement for Expenses: If your flight is delayed by a covered event (mechanical issue, weather) for a certain number of hours, the policy can cover reasonable expenses for meals and accommodation that you incur while waiting..