How to Buy the Best Travel Insurance in 2020

Are you in the midst of planning for your trip? If so, you should consider purchasing travel insurance when you book your trip.

Of course, not many of us have bought travel insurance before (that does not mean to avoid buying insurance), and so you may not know where to look for the best travel insurance. This article will help answer any questions you may have on how to buy the best travel insurance in 2020.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Best Travel Insurance Dad and Son

When planning a vacation, you are bound to feel excited and eager to start your travels. However, sometimes your vacation plans do not go smoothly and you may end up in a costly and stressful situation. Travel insurance will protect you from such mayhem. Travel insurance typically covers unexpected expenses that you may run into on your vacation. These additional expenses covered by travel insurance may be:

  1. Hospitalization in a Foreign Country
  2. Loss of Non-Refundable Hotel Stays
  3. Loss of Non-Refundable Airfare
  4. Loss of Cancelled Tour Costs (if you book a tour for your trip)

The examples above highlight what may be covered by the travel insurance plan you choose. Every plan is different and the plan you decide to pick should address the top concerns you have while traveling. Below are some different types of travel insurance plans available.

Types of Travel Insurance

Before choosing a travel insurance agency to book your travel insurance, you would be wise to know the variety of plans available for vacationers like yourself. This will help you in your quest for finding the best travel insurance for 2020.

Trip Cancellation:

You made the traveling plans for your cousins wedding over Labor Day and now you found out that the wedding is off! Too bad you did not book the travel insurance on your flight, hotel stay, and car rental.

However, most travel insurance plans do cover these unforeseen events. You can buy travel insurance on your plane tickets via the airline’s website as an additional purchase, but this is not always an option if you fly basic economy.

A travel insurance company would ensure that you get your full refund back from your flight and also take care of the hotel and car rental refunds. This peace of mind will benefit your travel plans because you will know that if anything goes awry, that your travel insurance plan will have you covered.

These types of plans also cover trip delays and interruptions, so no matter what happens you will be entitled to your money back.

Baggage and Personal Items:

This insurance will cover you if any of your personal belongings, such as luggage, are lost or stolen during your travels. Items that are damaged are also usually included in the travel insurance plan. Some travel insurance companies will even reimburse you for additional expenses incurred by losing your luggage. For example, the travel insurance plan will pay you back for clothes you need to buy if your luggage is lost while on vacation (or a work trip).

Emergency Medical Insurance:

If you find yourself in need of emergency medical assistance while abroad or traveling, then your travel insurance plan will pay for you to go to seek medical assistance and also pay for you to return home. This is covers illness, injury, or sickness while traveling.

For those of you who are traveling for an extensive period abroad, for weeks or months at a time, travel insurance plans are available to cover your comprehensive medical care. This will cover a higher limit of medical needs and will keep protect you against high hospital or medical fees if you run into any illness or injury while abroad. This is something to consider only if you will be traveling for a longer length of time.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance:

This type of insurance will pay your beneficiary if you die in an accident during your travels. Some plans also pay a lump sum for any dismemberment, e.g. losing a limb, while traveling. However, read the fine print on the plan you choose because they may only cover accidental death on an airplane.

No insurance:

While straight forward, this is the best option for some people. No travel insurance should only be considered if you are not traveling long or only have a hotel stay. Many hotels will reimburse you if you cover within a 24-hour window of booking the room(s).

Where to Buy the Best Travel Insurance in 2020

buy travel insurance

Now that you know what is covered by travel insurance and what various types of plans are out there, now you can find out who to trust with your travel insurance needs. Below are the top-rated and recommended travel insurance agencies of 2020.

Travelex:

This company has been reviewed and researched on many travel insurance recommendation websites, and is considered the top travel insurance company to use for your vacation. The Travelex Travel Select policy covers up to 100 percent of your vacation if it is canceled and up to 150 percent if it is interrupted.

You are also covered up to $50,000 for any medical expenses and allows you to cancel the trip because of a pre-existing condition. Flight delays due to weather are also covered and if you have any work-related emergencies, you are safely covered as well.

If you are traveling with any children under the age of 17, they are also covered under the plan for free. This is a fantastic travel insurance policy plan for families.

Travel Insurance.com:

travel insurance

This travel insurance website is a great resource because you can compare hundreds of different insurance plans at once for your specific travel needs. You have access to quotes from top U.S. travel insurance agencies within minutes, which takes the stress of insurance shopping out of the equation.

There is also a price guarantee included on the website, so you will know that you are getting the best deal around.

World Nomads:

world nomads

This travel insurance company is the perfect fit for any avid traveler. World Nomads covers medical and dental expenses, emergency medical transportation, trip cancellation, interruption, and delay, 24-hour assistance, and baggage protection.

Of course, World Nomads do have different policies at various price points, but they are very affordable no matter which option you choose. Also, this company covers over 150 different sports or adventure activities during your travels.

This is rare among travel insurance agencies, so if you like a more adventurous type of vacation, this company is highly recommended for you.

Travel Guard:

travel guard

Travel Guard has the best Better Business Bureau rating out of any travel insurance company, an A+ on their website.

Travel Guard has impeccable customer service and satisfaction with their business practices. They have three tiers of vacation insurance policies: Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

Platinum has all the bells and whistles of travel insurance (basically everything is covered and protected during your trip), and Silver is more affordable but does not cover as much. Travel Guard also has a 24 hour concierge service for all of your traveling needs.

General Global Assistance:

Generali Global Assistance

This insurance company is one of the largest travel insurance agencies around. They offer a wide variety of coverage and their plans are easy to understand. They also cover trips for domestic or international travel.

RoamRight:

arch roam right

If one of your biggest concerns during your travels is the baggage and personal items you will be traveling with, then RoamRight is a travel insurance option you should consider.

RoamRight covers groups and families as well, which not every insurance plan does. There are many options of varying protection available for purchase, and your luggage is safe with each option. They also are very responsive to your luggage damage or loss claims, which is key when choosing a company.

Final Takeaways

When choosing a travel insurance plan, you should start by addressing what you want to be covered and what type of trip you want to embark on. The travel insurance agencies described to you above will assist you in making sure that your trip is protected against any unknown events. Other things to remember when purchasing travel insurance are to:

  • Shop Around for the Best Options
  • Consider Your Budget
  • Read Loopholes and Exclusions on Vacation Policies Very Closely

One last item to remember is to buy the insurance as soon as possible. If you think you will wait to buy a plan and an unforeseen event happens, you will not be covered. Waiting till the last minute to buy travel insurance is never a good strategy. You should purchase your plan straight away to avoid any pitfalls. A tip would be to examine your vacation plans and insurance options at the same time.

Buying travel insurance is a very smart mood for any vacation goer. This type of security will keep you covered and safe when you are traveling or somewhere unfamiliar. Plus an additional peace of mind will help you relax during your travels.

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