Travel Insurance…a small fee most worthwhile

Posted by Zuriana on January 28, 2012

 
Sandals La Toc in St. Lucia

Travel insurance for honeymoons, vacations, and for guests attending a destination wedding is money well spent. I recommend it especially if you are traveling out of the country.

A travel protection plan provides you with a full refund in the event you need to cancel a trip for any reason right up to the originally scheduled flight departure time. Your entire trip is covered, including airfare regardless of ticketing penalties or airline regulations, if canceled prior to departure. You money will be refunded minus the cost of the travel insurance plan.

A Travel Protection Plan covers you for the unexpected like:

• Trip Interruption: Reimburses the unused, non-refundable portion of your land/sea arrangement plus the cost of additional airfare or change fees to original airfare to return home or catch up to your trip should you need to interrupt your trip due to an illness injury or death to yourself, a traveling companion or covered family member.
• Medical Expenses: Up to $5,000: Reimburses you for doctor and hospital charges should you become ill or injured during your trip.
• Baggage/Personal Effects: Up to $800: Reimburses you should your baggage or personal effects become lost, stolen or damaged while traveling.
• Bag Delay: Up to $100: Reimburses you for the purchase of necessary personal items should your bags be delayed by the airline for more than 24 hours during your trip.

Travel insurance typically runs $49 to about $178 per person and should be purchased at the time you place a deposit on your vacation or within 7 days of your deposit.

I have had to use my travel insurance a couple times for the unexpected. Travel insurance was especially valuable for vacationers in August 2011 when Hurricane Irene was headed for the East Coast. I was touring the three Sandals Resorts in St. Lucia and I chatted with a number of couples who were not able to fly home to the New York and New Jersey areas due to Hurricane Irene.  They spent a day or more extra in St. Lucia at an unexpected cost.