Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Family emergency coverage.
If your mother or another family member suddenly gets ill
or dies and you need to go home, you'll want to know that there is coverage available
so the flight home will be paid for. As Dawn from wanderingwhy.com states, “While we
were in Thailand, my father passed away unexpectedly. I called my insurance carrier, World
Nomads, before I bought my ticket home to the States. They told me to go ahead and buy
the ticket, and we would sort out the details when I got home. Once things settled down at
home, I called them and filled out a form online, and although it did take numerous phone
calls, I did receive a check for my plane fare prior to my return to Thailand.”
Personal accident coverage.
Coverage for legal expenses if incurred.
Financial protection.
If the tour company or airline you're using goes bust (and this hap-
pens a lot, especially with airlines), ensure you're covered up to $10,000 USD. This is a
relatively new addition to some policies, so you might have to shop around to find it.
On the subject of electronics, most travel insurance companies only cover a small amount, usually up to
$500 USD as part of their basic coverage. You can often buy supplemental insurance for a higher amount.
For instance, Clements Insurance (clements .com) offers special coverage for your electronics. Prices vary
depending on the country you visit (between $145 USD and $195 USD per plan), but they don't offer in-
surance for the whole world. You have to get coverage for your specific country. World Nomads Insurance,
one of the most popular companies in the world, only covers up to $500 USD, but you can purchase a sup-
plemental plan to cover more expensive electronics, and they cover a trip around the world.
Many regular insurance companies and home insurance companies such as State Farm offer plans that
can help you cover your electronics. If you already have homeowner's insurance, there is a possibility some
of your gear is covered if it is already specified in your existing policy. If your travel insurance doesn't have
a high coverage amount for electronics and you aren't covered via your homeowner's insurance, consider
buying supplemental insurance.
It's also important to know what is not covered by your plan. Travel insurance policies do not cover ac-
cidents sustained while participating in extreme adventure activities, such as hang gliding, paragliding, or
bungee jumping, unless you pay extra. The vast majority of insurance companies won't cover you if you
injure someone on the road (called third-party liability).
If you are drunk and fall out of a window, most travel insurance companies won't cover you because you
were drunk and that would be considered recklessness. As would being under the influence of drugs. All
policies may become void if you are under the influence. If you topic a trip somewhere but then decide to
cancel it because of conflict, unless there has been a State Department warning that advises travelers to stay
away, your trip cancellation insurance won't cover you. You decided not to go not because your destination
was officially declared dangerous. Knowing these exclusions will become very important when you decide
to make a claim.
Every insurance company is different, and you should look around to see what companies offer and
which are best for your trip. For that, I highly recommend the website Insure My Trip (insuremytrip.com).
They compare insurance policies for more than twenty insurance providers, and because they let you com-
pare plans in a grid layout, it's easy to see exactly what each company covers. You'll be able to compare
medical coverage limits, emergency evacuation coverage, trip cancellation coverage, dental coverage, dis-
aster coverage, and everything else under the sun.
