Travel insurance (or any kind of insurance for that matter), is one of those must-have items that always comes with a rub—who wants to even consider the possibility of having to cancel one’s tour? Or the possibility of getting sick or injured?
Travel insurance is as important as your passport when travelling. Don’t leave home without it!
Those of us in the business, however, have witnessed over and over the value of this necessity, as well as the potential for disaster if this detail is overlooked. From Icelandic volcanoes to camel bites and everything in between, we’ve seen it all!
Indeed, even our staff at Adventures Abroad is not immune to the perils and vagaries of international travel.
Our Product Manager, Rick Unrau, was recently delayed in his homeward journey by a Chilean volcano, which cancelled all northbound flights:
“I’m SO glad I remembered to buy insurance for my trip. Hanging out in Buenos Aires for an extra two days was great, but also expensive. I kept all my receipts and an eye on my daily limits and within a week of returning home, I had a full reimbursement of the costs, including one of the best steaks I’ve ever had!”
Travel insurance can minimize the considerable financial risks of traveling: accidents, illness, missed flights, lost baggage, theft, terrorism, emergency evacuation, and getting your body home if you die.
These are some of the most common reasons for making a claim, but many insurance packages offer other, lesser-known, but no less valuable coverages:
- You, your travel partner, or a family member cannot travel because of sickness, death, layoff, or a list of other acceptable reasons
- A family member at home gets sick (check the fine print to see how a family member’s pre-existing condition might affect coverage) — some policies even include pets as “family”
- You miss a flight or need an emergency flight for a reason outside your control (such as a car accident, inclement weather, or a strike)
- Changes to your itinerary while the trip is in the field and unforeseen costs thereof can be covered (may depend on the reason for the changes)
- Unforeseen costs of cancellation or delay of yourself and / or your baggage — accommodation, food, transport, even entertainment costs qualify
It is always best to purchase your insurance as soon as possible after placing your deposit so that you are covered for anything that could pop up — some policies reward early purchase by covering your “pre-existing” conditions — a major bonus!!
In Canada we offer Manulife Travel Insurance, and CSA coverage to our travellers from the USA. Visit our website for more information, for a quote, or to purchase travel insurance.
