Debunking 5 Myths About Travel Insurance

As a travel blogger/ writer, I frequently get asked what my ‘travel must-haves’ are. When I think about my answers, they more or less remain the same and range from packing items to gadgets to beauty products.

But one thing that remains constant in all of these journeys with my must-have items: a solid travel insurance.

It’s horrifying to think that when I started travelling, I regarded travel insurance as something only parents do! Many years, miles and misadventures later, I always make it a point of signing up for travel insurance.

If you frequently travel and still do not make it a habit of signing up for travel insurance, I hope this article will convince you to.

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Imagine this, after weeks of grinding at work; you cannot wait to kick off your much-awaited holiday with your family. You have invested a significant amount of time and money to plan out everything well and ensure that your trip is nothing short of picture perfect.

However, an unexpected situation such as a passport theft, delayed flight, or road mishap crops up, and suddenly, your plans are all over the place. What do you do now? Delve deep into your pockets to dole out the extra cash and cover the expense? No, that wouldn’t make you feel nice.

Naturally, after spending so much money and effort, you wouldn’t want another dent into your savings because of a small compromise, negligence or cost saving regarding leaving out travel insurance out of your travel prep. However, if you happen to have any pre-conceived ideas and prejudice about the effectiveness and relevance of buying a travel insurance policy, you’re not alone. Here are the top five myths debunked:

1.Short Trips Do Not Require Any Travel Insurance

 Most people feel that if they are going overseas for a very short trip, the chances of an accident, mishap or injury are significantly reduced, and there is no need for travel insurance at all then. However, that need not be the case at all. If something were to go wrong, it would even during the short weekend trip.

In that sense, it isn’t entirely intuitive to completely rule out the probability of meeting with, say an unfortunate accident that may require critical care. If that happens and it’s not medically advisable to travel immediately, you could end up paying a lot more regarding hospitalisation and treatment expenses. Not to mention the cost of the extended stay, hospital expenses, rescheduling of flights and so on. In short, the short trip could end up into a financial disaster.

2.Airlines Always Assume Financial Responsibility in Case Flight Is Rescheduled/Cancelled

Another common assumption that we have is in the case of a flight cancellation or a flight rescheduling. We believe that the airline’s service provider will always put you on the next available flight if your booked flight is cancelled or rescheduled. However, that might not always happen in practice.

Now suppose your scheduled flight is delayed by a day, and you don’t get moved on to the immediate next flight. If that happens, you could lose out on your prepaid hotel bookings or other entertainment bookings that are usually never refundable. You could also be forced to spend on an extra night’s stay to take on the next flight if your delayed flight was a connecting one.

The possibility of such situations is always there, and if it so happens, travel insurance can be a big saviour at that moment by being a trustworthy source of financial support.

 3.An Insurance Policy Already Covers Me

 A common fallacy that is rampant nowadays is that multiple insurance policies are entirely redundant and are a waste of money.

Most people who have invested in insurance, say medical for instance, feel they don’t need travel insurance to support them in case of meeting with an unexpected illness abroad. However, whether that is possible or not depends on the policy contract for medical insurance. The chances are high that the existing medical insurance policy might not cover the expenses for treating the illness abroad.

With an additional travel insurance policy; however, you will be compensated with facilities such as cashless hospitalisation and even hotel expenses to fund the stay extension in the unfortunate situation of illness outside the country (after paying a nominal premium). This can be a blessing to help you recover fully amidst the best medical facilities without any financial burden.

4.It Is Unlikely for Me To Lose Anything

 Cases of passport theft, loss of belongings and terrorism are steep across the globe for foreign travellers. Therefore, it is not always a matter of practising caution to ensure that you are safe from being a victim of such theft. These occurrences can also be circumstantial, not to mention, extremely troublesome.

In such situations, therefore, a comprehensive travel insurance plan can be beneficial regarding providing you with the much-needed emergency cash allowance. Moreover, even if the unfortunate does occur, your trip can continue, almost uninterrupted and without any panic or hassle it would otherwise cause.

5. All Travel Insurance Policies Are Identical 

Many believe that all travel insurance plans are the same and they aren’t useful for everyone. However, this is not the case. Instead, insurers offer a variety of distinctive features and options that are not necessarily provided by their competitors.

Also, many insurance companies offer customisable plans depending upon an individual’s age or destination of travel, thus making travel insurance much more relevant and meaningful.

CONCLUSION

While going off on family holidays and solo trips might be a joyful affair, any unexpected situations during the journey could mar the entire experience. Thus, it’s essential for you to ensure own safety and security during travel, rather than to slack for a small amount in comparison to your travel expenses and regret later. So, if you’re travelling abroad for work, or vacation it’s a must that you look at the most meaningful travel plan for yourself.