Vacationing? Consider Travel Insurance.

It’s almost time to enjoy your pre-paid cruise. Everyone’s schedules are arranged. Your family members are packing their bags. Your neighbor will keep an eye on your vacant home for two weeks. You have thought of everything—or have you? What if your connecting flight is canceled, and the ship sails without you? What if a family member becomes seriously ill?

What Is Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance coverage can protect against the loss of non-refundable travel costs, such as airfare, hotel and tour expenses. Other types of travel insurance offer protection against losses due to medical emergencies, damage to personal property, and even death, which may occur away from home while on vacation.

Major Types of Travel Insurance

Here are some important types of travel insurance:

• Travel delay. This coverage reimburses you for pre-paid expenses if you aren’t able to take your trip because of a travel delay, such as a flight delay or cancellation.

• Trip interruption. This coverage reimburses you for pre-paid expenses if your trip is cut short because you or a family member becomes ill or dies or because of any other misfortune listed in the policy. Covered reasons might include bad weather, airline strikes, terrorism, bankruptcy, jury duty, or fire or flood damage to your home.

• Trip cancellation. This coverage reimburses you for pre-paid travel expenses if you aren’t able to take your trip because you or a family member becomes ill or dies.

Baggage and rental car damage insurance should also be considered:

• Baggage loss. This coverage reimburses you for lost, stolen or damaged personal items. This usually doesn’t cover personal items that may be lost or damaged by an airline. If you buy baggage insurance, review the policy for the list of property that wouldn’t be covered. Some of your property may exceed the limits allowed.

• Rental car damage. This coverage reimburses you for damage or loss to a rental vehicle. If you have this coverage, you may decline the “collision damage waiver” rental car companies offer. This coverage doesn’t provide liability protection.

Medical and accidental death insurance should also be considered:

• Medical/health. This coverage reimburses you for medical and emergency dental expenses because of an illness or injury while traveling.

• Medical evacuation. This coverage provides emergency transportation to take you either to a hospital in the geographic region where you are or for transportation back to a hospital near your home.

• Accidental death. This coverage is usually split into three parts. First is air flight accident, which covers death or dismemberment during flight only. Second is common carrier, which covers death or dismemberment while traveling on public transportation such as a plane, ferry, train, bus or taxi. Third is accidental death, which covers death or dismemberment at any time during a trip.

Before you leave home, talk to your personal insurance broker about domestic or international trips you or your family plan to take and ask about recommended travel coverage.

The above information does not constitute advice. Always contact your insurance broker or trusted advisor for insurance-related questions.