CONSIDER Travel Insurance

A sailing trip around the Greek Islands was to be my 2016 birthday cruise. It was $6700.00 including airfare. Ten days on a yacht with 39 other people. I had a cabin to myself. I was SO excited.  I bought the trip in January 2015 for May of 2016. I paid the entire fare. Well, in February, 2015 I injured my foot and I am STILL wearing a boot. I had no idea the extent of my injury would/could keep me from going to Greece 15 months later. In July the sailing company called to offer me excursions. I told him I was in physical therapy and wearing a boot with no healing date in sight. He let me know this Greece trip would NOT be the trip for me because it’s on rocky hills and there is a lot of climbing. OMG. I had to cancel my trip of a life time. I was crushed. BUT, I had insurance. All was NOT lost.

This is what travel insurance is for, not to mention hurricanes or blizzards that shut down the East Coast and strands thousands of tourists for days. People still hesitate to get travel insurance. Most people think they are going on this vacation and nothing is going to stop them. They are determined to go and do not consider other ways the trip can get cancelled. What about when your plane has been cancelled and the next fight is 24 hours later? The hotel cost maybe on you. And, what happens when the first leg of your trip is late and you miss your connecting flight? Getting another flight on a different airline is your cost. Can you afford to pay for a trip and miss it?

“Last year a friend slipped on an escalator and broke her ankle a day before she was to travel to Egypt. Instead a of a ride on a camel back to see the Pyramids, she took a trip to the hospital. She had to cancel her flight on OpenSkies, owned by British Airways. OpenSkies was not very openhearted: it offered her a small credit for a future flight but, she had paid full fare for the flight she missed.”

Travel insurance should always be considered as part of your travel cost. The cost is based on your age, destination  and total pre-paid cost of your trip, to include your shuttle to and from the airport, hotel stay, excursions, etc.  As I see it the big difference between and basic policy and a premium policy is the medical coverage (more for emergency  evacuation and traveling companion). Read the small print, there maybe more material benefits. Cheap travel insurance will offer you a voucher for a future trip. If you already have a “future” trip in the making this could be okay. Otherwise, I would want my money back.  I may not ever get to go on a “future” trip (heaven forbid).

My husband admitted to me he has never considered insurance because of the extra costs (he is extremely frugal). He will be 62 years old this year and he TOTALLY considers insurance these days. Most of us ‘baby boomers’ are experiencing “good days, bad days.” On those bad days I may not be able to even walk. Illness and accidents can strike anyone at any age. CONSIDER travel insurance, buying it is  prudent thing to do to protect your investment.

Most all travel agents, cruise lines, and vacation companies offer insurance. At least ask.