Travelling can be an exciting and enriching experience, but it can also become a nightmare when things go wrong, especially when you’re in a foreign country and you have none of your usual back-ups to rely on.
From flight cancellations and lost or stolen luggage to medical emergencies, here are five reasons why the relatively small cost of travel insurance is worth every cent.
Travelling can be expensive and, for many, a major investment. Unexpected events like trip cancellations or interruptions can result in significant financial losses, and travel insurance can help protect your investment by providing coverage for these types of situations. This can include reimbursement for non-refundable expenses like flights, hotels and tours if your trip is cancelled or interrupted due to covered reasons such as illness, injury, or severe weather.
So, while it may seem like an unnecessary expense at the time of booking, paying that little bit extra for travel insurance will give you peace of mind that your investment is protected.
One of the top reasons to invest in travel insurance is to protect yourself in case of a medical emergency while travelling abroad. Medical care can be expensive in other countries, and even if your health insurance offers some sort of travel insurance, chances are it will not fully cover the astronomical costs of medical care in a foreign country.
No one likes to think of getting ill or worse while travelling, but remember that medical issues, accidents and health emergencies never take a holiday. For a couple of hundred extra Rand, a good travel insurance policy will give you full coverage for emergency medical expenses, including hospital stays, surgeries, and even medical evacuations.
So if you want to travel worry-free, it’s best to take out travel insurance to ensure you have financial protection in case of unexpected health issues while travelling.
Life is unpredictable, and unexpected events such as illness, injury, or natural disasters can force you to cancel or cut short your trip. With travel insurance, you can be reimbursed for non-refundable expenses such as flights, hotels, and tours if you have to cancel your trip due to a covered reason (top tip: always be sure to read the fine print of what is covered!
You can also be reimbursed for additional expenses if your trip is interrupted and you have to return home early. This can save you a lot of money and frustration in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Losing your luggage or having it stolen can be a nightmare for any traveller. Not only can it ruin your trip, but it can also be expensive to replace all of your belongings. With travel insurance, you can be reimbursed for the cost of lost or stolen luggage, and/or any essential items you need to purchase while waiting for your luggage to be returned.
Any traveller who’s had the unfortunate experience of lost of stolen luggage will tell you that travel insurance is a small price to pay to ensure you’re covered against the major stresses of lost of stolen luggage.
Travel insurance really isn’t expensive, but what it provides is priceless: the peace of mind that you’re covered in case of unexpected mishaps, such as medical emergencies, trip cancellations, or lost luggage.
Aside from the financial assistance, having a good travel policy is like having someone in whatever country you’re in who has your back. Your travel insurance provider will know how to navigate the system, be it lost luggage or a medical emergency, and they can (quite literally) speak for you when you can’t via providing translation services when needed.
Ultimately, the chances that you will need your travel insurance are not high, so it’s tempting to opt out of what may seem like an unnecessary expense at the time of booking.
On the flipside, if things go wrong, not having travel insurance can ruin your holiday and possibly leave you with huge financial debts. Is that risk really worth it to save a couple of bucks? We think not…
Sure Travel advises all clients to take out travel insurance with our trusted partner, Travel Insurance Consultants (TIC). Ask your Sure Travel Agent for a quote on travel insurance with any booking made.
