Travel Insurance vs Travel Assistance Services

The terms travel insurance and travel assistance services are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are actually very different. Travel insurance provides monetary compensation for losses that occur while traveling, and travel assistance services provides support and assistance services while traveling. Let’s dive in further, to better understand the difference between travel insurance and travel assistance services.

What is Travel Insurance?

Suppose you book a two-week trip to Europe to explore France, Italy, and Spain with your friends. The itinerary for your trip might involve various flights, hotel stays, museums, and excursions that are all pre-paid and non-refundable. After exploring the Roman Ruins in Italy, you’re headed to the airport to your next destination, Spain. You and your friends get to the airport only to find out that your flight has been delayed for 12 hours! While you wait, you had to purchase food, find a hotel to stay at, and get transportation. Lucky for you, you decided to protect your trip with travel insurance that has a trip delay benefit. Since the flight delay was covered by your plan, your travel insurance can help you get reimbursed for reasonable additional expenses (such as hotels and meals) and additional transportation costs.

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Travel insurance helps to reimburse you for unexpected monetary losses that occur while traveling. It’s important to check your plan documents for the coverages and covered reasons included in your plan as they can vary depending on the plan you choose.

What are Travel Assistance Services?

Travel assistance services, also referred to as non-insurance assistance services, are non-insurance benefits that enable travelers to have 24/7 immediate support and assistance while traveling. These services can be helpful and convenient if you find yourself in an emergency situation or just need a restaurant referral. Many travel protection plans include both insurance benefits and non-insurance assistance services that work together to get you the assistance you need and potential reimbursement for any covered costs that may occur. The non-insurance services available in your plan may vary, so consider reading through your plan documents carefully.

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For example, while on your two-week European trip, you might happen to lose your passport and your prescription eyeglasses. Luckily, the plan that you purchased includes travel assistance services, so you can get help retrieving new copies of your important documents and get assistance to receive a replacement for your eyeglasses.

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Non-insurance assistance services also include concierge services, so you can get help even when it’s not an emergency. These services include trip planning assistance, floral services, tee time reservations, directions, procurement of hard-to find items and more! Other services such as medical or legal referrals, assistance with medical evacuations, virtual doctor visits and hospitalization services are also available to you. Travel protection plans that include non-insurance travel assistance help to make traveling more convenient. You can get quality assistance services when needed.  

Travel Protected

We want to remind travelers, like you, of the importance of purchasing travel coverage.  Some benefits may be overlooked, so it’s important to read your plan document and know what services are included within your plan. At Travel Insured International, you can purchase both travel insurance and non-insurance travel assistance coverage within a single travel protection plan for single trips or for multiple trips throughout the year. To learn more, visit our website or ask your travel advisor about the coverage and services offered in our travel protection plans.