How to Buy Travel Insurance

When we envision trips, we typically think of fun and carefree moments, new sights and flavors - a guaranteed good time.  

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But there’s no denying the uncertainty and risks that come along with traveling. Bags go missing, flights get delayed or canceled, natural disasters and extreme weather surface, and more.  

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To help contain these risks, decrease the likelihood of financial losses, and safeguard their health, many travelers turn to travel protection. And for many of them, this form of assurance isn’t an option; it’s a need.  

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But when is the right time to get travel protection? And how do you go about assessing your needs, reviewing quotes, and ultimately buying your plan? That’s what we’ll help with in this blog. Our aim is to give you a stronger grasp on how to buy travel protection.  

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Why It Pays to Know How Travel Insurance Works

Before we get into the travel insurance-buying process, let’s look at why it’s critical to know how travel protection works. This knowledge can help you to find and secure the right plan for your travel needs.  

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Those who don’t know the basics could find themselves overseas or on holiday with a plan that doesn’t adequately serve them. They may have to cancel their trip entirely and bear the financial consequences of non-refundable deposits and charges.  

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Worse still, some may contract illnesses and find themselves with unexpected medical expenses in a hospital bed instead of participating in the trip activities they paid for.  

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Travel protection can help you be equipped to handle these hang-ups.  

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But it’s not enough to know that you need travel protection. You need substantial knowledge of how and when to buy it.

When Is the Right Time to Purchase Travel Insurance?

You can technically buy travel protection up until the date of your trip. But buying travel protection early can open you up to valuable coverages, like:  

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• Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage. This optional coverage may allow you to recover part of your trip cost even if you cancel for reasons not covered by your plan.*

• Pre-existing conditions exclusion waiver. If you buy a plan within the time sensitive period and you are medically able and not disabled from travel at the time of purchase the exclusion for pre-existing medical conditions can be waived. See the plan documents for full eligibility requirements.

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Ideally, you’ll have your plan in place right after you’ve paid your initial trip deposit. But if you purchase it within 14 to 21 days of that deposit payment (depending on the plan), you may be able to access the time-sensitive benefits above.  

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On top of that, purchasing early gives you coverage that whole time before trip-related disruptions occur, rather than afterwards. If a disruption, cancellation, incident, or illness gets in the way of your trip and you haven’t secured a plan yet, you may not get reimbursed.  

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*CFAR and other optional benefits have an additional cost. Eligibility requirements apply.
CFAR is not available to residents of New York.

Key Factors to Consider Before Buying

Once you realize that you need travel protection, you might be tempted to go straight into the buying process. Here’s our advice: stop and make some considerations first.  

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Here are some key factors to consider before buying a travel protection plan:  

Trip Details

Nail down your destination, trip dates, how much the trip costs (and which costs are non-refundable), your travel suppliers (airline, cruise lines, etc.), and which activities you’ll be participating in.  

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Not only is this information necessary for your applications, but it can also help tremendously with your personal planning.  

Coverage Types

Become familiar with the coverage types available to you. They may include benefits for trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, medical expenses, baggage protection, and more. Are you looking for a more basic plan, or would you prefer one with a more robust coverage mix?  

Maximum Benefit Amounts

Note each plan’s maximum benefit amount for each coverage type. They vary and may be set at a specific dollar amount or “up to” a percentage of your trip cost. For instance, a traveler may be eligible for reimbursement of up to $200 per day, to a maximum of $2,000 if their trip is delayed for at least 3 consecutive hours from the original departure time for a covered reason. Keep an eye out for additional terms like time requirements.  

Exclusions

As you review plan documents, be on the lookout for exclusions. These are risks, conditions, events, or property that a plan does not cover. Some of the most common exclusions are pre-existing conditions and high-risk recreational activities. So, if you’re traveling to participate in high-risk activities, it can be advantageous to select a plan that doesn’t exclude coverage for them. (Check out our optional add-ons for this!)

Provider Quality

Not all travel protection providers are created equally. An established company with reliable customer support and a strong assistance network is more likely to deliver good service than others.  

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After considering each of these factors, you may be one step closer to choosing a plan that delivers the protection you’re looking for.

How to Compare Travel Insurance  

When shopping for travel protection you may quickly notice that plan options are organized into tiers. There’s usually a basic plan, a mid-level plan, and a premium plan with robust benefits (though plan options vary by provider). Knowing how to compare these plan options side by side can help you decide whether a given plan might fulfill your trip protection needs.  

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While doing your travel insurance benefits comparison, keep these tips in mind:  

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• Verify covered trip cancellation and interruption reasons. Just because a plan covers trip cancellation or interruption doesn’t necessarily mean you’re covered in every circumstance. Some may only reimburse you if you get sick or weather disrupts your travel. Others cover you if you lose your job or have to go to jury duty. The broader the list of potential covered reasons, the less financial risk you may carry if your plans unexpectedly change.

• Medical evacuation benefit levels. Overseas medical emergency evacuations can be costly. Plans with higher benefit levels can provide some financial help for these bills, as this benefit can cover transportation expenses for evacuation to the nearest suitable hospital or medical facility where medically necessary treatment is available. This must be to treat an unforeseen sickness/injury provided your condition is acute, severe or life threatening and that adequate medically necessary treatment is not available in your immediate area.

• Baggage protection amounts. This benefit is designed to cover the value of your physical items if they’re lost, stolen, or significantly delayed. Since reimbursement has a maximum benefit amount, compare those limits against your items’ value. For travelers who’ll be taking electronics or other high-ticket items, higher limits can be especially appealing.

• Delay coverage requirements (hours before eligible). Some plans require delays of 12+ hours before you can claim meals, lodging, or rebooking costs; others kick in after just 3 to 6 hours. Shorter waiting times mean you may get reimbursement during frustrating disruptions.

• Available add-ons (such as CFAR or cruise bundles). Optional upgrades can greatly expand your protection flexibility. Optional Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage, for example, allows you to back out of a trip for reasons that are not normally covered. And cruise bundles may add protection for itinerary changes and other inconveniences that may happen on a cruise. These add-ons and others can help you match a plan to your trip type and distinct needs. (Additional cost and terms apply.)

• Provider reputation and assistance services. The true test of travel protection is what happens after you’ve filed a claim. Established providers with strong non-insurance global assistance networks are typically able to coordinate medical care, arrange evacuations, and support you 24/7. A responsive company can help lessen stress and provide faster solutions during emergencies.

What Travel Insurance Can Typically Cover

Many first-time travel protection shoppers wonder what they can expect from the average travel protection plan. On average, your plan may protect against some of the most routine travel disruptions:  

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• Trip Cancellation & Interruption Coverage. You may be eligible to receive your nonrefundable trip costs back if travel is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason, such as illness or severe weather.

• Emergency Medical Expense. This benefit may cover hospital bills for unexpected illness or injury on your trip.

• Baggage Protection Benefits. If your luggage is lost, stolen, or delayed, you may be able to receive reimbursement to replace these items.  

• Travel Delay & Missed Connections. Should your trip be delayed or you miss a connection, you may be able to claim reimbursement for lodging, meals, or transportation.  

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If you’re unsure of what your plan covers, read your plan document. It determines what your plan covers, as well as any accompanying stipulations.  

Optional Upgrades Can Be Worth Considering

How much risk are you willing to take on? Does the plan you’re considering cover all the bases you were hoping for? Your answers can help you decide whether to reach deeper into your wallet for optional upgrades (available at an additional cost). Here are a few that are worth considering:  

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• Cancel for Any Reason Coverage. Offers partial reimbursement if you cancel a trip for any reason not already covered by your plan.

• Rental car protection. Can cover damage and theft to a rental vehicle.  

• Adventure sports coverage. Provides plan holders with benefits for higher-risk activities like skiing or scuba diving.

Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Coverage

Those who aren’t well-versed in travel protection could unknowingly set themselves up for claim denials and gaps in coverage if they make these mistakes:  

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• Waiting too long to buy a plan and potentially forfeiting CFAR, and other time-sensitive benefits.  

• Buying a plan that doesn’t have the benefits you may need to feel secure during your trip.  

• Skipping key add-ons that allow for expanded protection. For instance, if you’re an adventurer traveling to participate in high-octane experiences, not getting adventure sports coverage could be a mistake.  

• Not reading about plan exclusions and finding out later that your plan doesn’t cover what you need at the moment.  

Step-By-Step Guide to Buying Travel Protection

When you’re going in blind, buying travel protection can be overwhelming, to say the least. But it doesn’t have to be. With the roadmap below, you can help prepare for an experience with the least amount of stress as possible:  

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1. Add up your nonrefundable trip costs, which are trip-related charges you won’t get back if you have to cancel or delay your travel plans.  
2. Compare available travel protection plans; favor those that have the coverage levels and benefits that fit your unique travel situation.  
3. Generate a quote with the travel insurance provider of your choice. Enter some identifying information, as well as information about your trip.  
4. Add any upgrades that interest you.  
5. Look very closely at your plan documents. The goal here is to fully understand covered items, exclusions, and maximum benefit amounts. Reach out to your provider for any questions or concerns. It's important to clarify any unclear information upfront.
6. Complete your plan purchase before your trip begins.  
7. Save your documents and emergency contact information in a secure and accessible place.  

Final Thoughts

You should be making memories during your travels - not stressing over risks that could derail your journey. That’s where travel protection comes in. When you buy a travel protection plan early, do a deep comparison of your plan options, and choose the right upgrades, you can move forward knowing your trip is backed by protection that truly has your back.  

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Ready to insure your trip? Get a travel protection quote here.