Every time I book a trip the subject of travel insurance always comes up. Now, the thought of insurance never makes anyone smile. It’s just something that is going to cost you more money and we hate spending money on things we assume is never going to happen to us. Well let me tell you, it will happen to you. There are no exceptions to this rule, only maybe if you’re that one lucky person.
I had never purchased travel insurance because I wanted to save the money to spend on my trip. I eventually paid the price for this mistake when I got sick during my last trip. After my whirlwind through New Zealand, I fell ill and my skin started to grow lesions that were quite painful. I was in denial for ages and refused to go to the doctor because I did not have insurance. I convinced myself I was just having a skin reaction to a new environment or something of that nature. Eventually it was so painful I broke down and sprung the cash for a doctor appointment and tests. It turned out that I had a staph infection. Holy cow! Not good at all. Then followed the shelling out of more money for treatment.
Life is always unpredictable especially when you are on the road. The unpredictable experiences are the thrill of traveling, but to every good situation there is a bad situation. So just like it is good to have health insurance, it’s good to be prepared for the worst with travel insurance.
Travel insurance can cover more than just injury or healthcare costs while you’re traveling. Depending on your policy, it can cover a range of issues: tour/trip cancellation or interruption, medical costs, evacuation, baggage and flight insurance. You can also purchase policies that provide coverage for pre-existing conditions or risks that come with elements or sports, but keep in mind policies are only active for the exact amount of time of your trip.
If you plan on a long term backpacking adventure, or any type of trip where you are away for longer than 6 months, make sure to check into Expat insurance. As the old saying goes, better safe than sorry.
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