Travel Insurance Online

There are several different types of travel insurance available with varying limitations and coverage from a variety of different travel insurance companies. Here is a short introduction into some of the various types of travel insurance available.

Medical Evacuation/Emergency Transportation: Covers transportation when a medical emergency while travelling requires transportation to a hospital or other medical facility.

Emergency Medical Assistance: Covers costs incurred due to injury or illness that occur while on a trip.  

Accidental Death: Covers if you or a family member dies on a trip.

Trip Cancellation: The most important and common type of travel insurance. Generally covers non-refundable payments or deposits if a trip is canceled or interrupted due to unforeseen circumstances.

Trip Delay: Provides reimbursement for expenses incurred when a trip is delayed.

Baggage/Personal Effects Loss or Delay: Provide coverage if your personal belongings are lost, stolen or damaged during the trip.
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Supplier Default: Covers deposits or payments lost due to the financial default of a travel supplier.

It is generally assumed that the purpose of travel insurance is to allow peace of mind in case of having your possessions are stolen or lost. Imagine losing a brand new computer or mobile telephone! It is true that your travel insurance policy could cover for that. However, there are wider, more serious implications for not purchasing travel insurance.

Travel insurance is required to prevent financial ruin resulting from accidents or vital medical treatment. This is particularly true when travelling in the United States where medical bills can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. It is therefore vital to protect your life savings and those of your family.

It is not only necessary to purchase travel insurance to protect against bungee jumping from the Grand Canyon or white-water rafting down the Amazon. Medical expenses can also result from sitting on a beach in South East Asia or Africa where mosquito bits can result in malaria or dengue fever. Although this is unlikely, it is vital to get treated for these diseases as quickly as possible without worrying about the cost.

In a nutshell, it is not against the law if you don't take out travel insurance. It is pretty stupid as you are potentially exposing yourself, and your family,  to a large financial burden or ruin.

Travel insurance is something you purchase as a safeguard against things going wrong when you travel. Just as car insurance will pay for the damage caused by traffic accidents, or house insurance covers stolen possessions in a burglary, travel insurance covers you against a whole manner of things when you travel. Here are some of scenarios where you might need travel insurance:-

1) Your expensive camera (worth over a years salary in some developing countries) is stolen  - your travel insurance should pay for a new one

2) Your suitcases are lost or damaged in the baggage handling system - your travel insurance should replace it

3) You fall over after a night on the tiles or need medical treatment when away - your travel insurance should pay for the treatment

4) You die overseas - your travel insurance should pay for your body to be flown home.

While this all sounds gruesome and far fetched, it is vital to obtain the right travel insurance before you travel.

Let us suppose that you pay £100 for your travel insurance and you have a bad accident. This leads to £300,000 of medical expenses. Does your travel insurance policy pay for it?

As long as you are 'covered' for such an accident then your travel insurancy policy should compensate you. Travel insurance companies sell many travel insurance policies and most travellers do not claim. For example, if 50,000 travelers pay £100 they stand to take £5 million. If total claims reach £4.5 million then the travel insurance company makes half a million pounds profit. The travel insurance companies also have insurance, so that even if there are an unusually large number of claims for a given period - you always receive financial help.