Before we get into the individual posts about the companies that are offering holiday insurance, first I’d like to go a little bit into the whys and wherefores of the whole topic.
Things are really tight these days. I know that when I travel, one of the first savings that I think about making is on my holiday insurance. In fact, the first thing I think of dropping altogether is my holiday insurance.
Let’s face it, it’s not going to add to your enjoyment, you’re only going to use it if you get into trouble, and most people go on holidays with no intentions of getting into trouble … so the question has to be why get it?
Many people go on holidays every single year without mishap or misadventure.
But, and there’s always a but, there are many people who wish that they had taken out travel insurance prior to departure because one of the following things happen to them:
- They became ill before they left on vacation and couldn’t travel.
- They became ill during their vacation, or had an accident.
- They forgot their necessary medications which had to be filled while abroad.
- The flight was cancelled because the weather was too bad.
- The tour operator, the one that came highly recommended by George and Mildred down the road, all of the sudden filed for bankruptcy and went out of business.
- Their baggage mysteriously disappeared from the plane, and they were left staring at the empty baggage conveyor belt wondering how it could take over an hour for their luggage to appear.
- Their wallet, jewellery, passport, baggage, etc (or all of the above), was stolen while they took a dip in the pool after their second gin and tonic.
Another reason to purchase travel insurance is in case you lose your job.
It has happened to the best of us, especially now!
You book your holiday in all faith that you are going to have a great time.
A month before you are due to depart, your ever loving boss comes in and tells you the bad news.
At least, if you have travel insurance, you can cancel the holiday while you get back into the workforce.
There are many different reasons why you would need to cancel a vacation, travel insurance gives you the peace of mind.
This type of travel insurance, the cancellation or interruption type, is the most common kind.
If your vacation, flights, car rental, etc, is something that you got on the cheap, then I really wouldn’t bother spending the extra money on the travel insurance.
But, if you just forked out a few grand for a luxury vacation in the sun, or an around the world trip with your granny, then I would certainly spend the necessary money to guarantee that you’re not going to be out of pocket if anything should happen.
We’re going to go into a lot more about travel insurance in future posts including what kind of insurance you should purchase, the different insurance companies that are available, and the all-important cost factor.
Excellent photos by Chris Willis
- What is the Best Travel Insurance Deal for You and Your Family
- Is Virgin Holiday Insurance Worth It?
