Hi friends! This week we’re going to talk about something I never thought about until I was diagnosed with my lung disease, travel insurance. Now that I am a sick kid, I won’t travel internationally without it. If something happens while I am out I need to make sure I’m taken care of…and not in a kajllion of dollars of debt by the time I get home.
My first time purchasing travel insurance was for my trip to Japan. I didn’t do any research beforehand, just purchased it through the travel site I booked the trip through. It covered lost luggage, trip cancellations, flight delays, and medical bills. There was probably more, but that what I remember at the time of writing. Mine was for $100,000, but there are other options. In the future, I might opt for a higher amount depending on what my plans are.
What is Travel Insurance and Why You Should Have it?
So after all that, you might be wondering what exactly is travel insurance is and it’s a little self-explanatory. It is an insurance plan that covers unexpected costs due to illness, injury, canceled flights, lost luggage, damaged property, needing to get home due to a family emergency, etc.
That definition essentially answers both questions. I would also suggest reading the details of the plans you’re looking at to make sure the dollar amount meets your needs and you know the particulars of what’s covered. That way, you’ll get as much of your money back as possible.
Now, my demographic is people with pre-existing conditions (and those who have them in their lives). It is extra important for us to know the fine print. There are some companies that offer insurance coverage to us, but there are some conditions that need to be met. NerdWallet wrote a good article on the topic and offered some advice.
Where Should You Buy Travel Insurance?
There are SO many options when it comes to where to purchase travel insurance. Credit cards made for traveling offer some protection, but you should have more coverage than what they can provide. Like I said before, I purchased mine through TrovaTrip when I booked my trip to Japan so I haven’t purchased through a site.
I did find a site, InsureMyTrip, that will compare plans for free so you don’t need to request quotes from a ton of different companies. It looks like you can book on the site too.
Other Resources
Thankfully, I didn’t need to make a claim during my travels, but that means I don’t have that experience to share with you. A travel blogger I follow on social media Nomadic Matt has a informative blog with personal experiences that would be helpful to check out. He breaks down the confusing nature of travel insurance in an easy to understand way. In fact, he has several blogs which could answer a lot of questions.
Have you used travel insurance before? What was your experience? Comment below!
Remember to take care of yourselves and be safe out there! Seeyalaterbye <3
Also, if you feel called to help a sista out with her travels, check this out!
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