How to Buy Trip Insurance
By Chris Joseph
Having to cancel your long-awaited golf vacation due to illness or unexpected circumstances could be a major disappointment. If you are unable to recoup the costs associated with the trip, it can be a financial disaster. One way to protect yourself is to purchase trip insurance, which can provide you with a refund of your hard-earned money that you might not otherwise be able to recover.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Determine your need for trip insurance. If your trip is relatively inexpensive, it may not be worth the additional expense. If making travel arrangements by credit card, it may be that the card provider offers trip insurance as a low-cost or free benefit. You should also check with your medical insurance provider to see if there are any gaps in coverage when you travel.
Determine the type of coverage you desire. You can purchase insurance to cover your baggage being lost or stolen; to provide a refund in case your trip is canceled or the tour operator or carrier goes bankrupt; or if you are unable to travel due to medical reasons. If purchasing for medical coverage, check if it covers any preexisting conditions that might pertain to you.
Use an online tool to help you compare rates. InsureMyTrip.com allows you to compare rates and coverage options for a variety of plans so you can find the one that is best for you. It also provides telephone support to answer any questions or to assist you with claims.
Check the individual trip insurance plans that may be offered by the travel entities involved after finding your best option on the online tool. You may be able to find additional savings. For example, if you are traveling on a particular cruise line that offers its own trip insurance, compare its cost and coverages against those of the online tool to see which is a better deal.
Explore available options when booking your vacation with a travel agent. If you are using the travel agent for a group package, for example, it is possible that trip insurance could be part of the package. If not, check with the travel agent to see what other options may be available to you.
Tips & Warnings
Regardless of where you purchase your trip insurance, be sure you are purchasing it from a licensed agent.
About The Author
Chris Joseph is a freelance writer residing in Pennsylvania. He has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and the Internet on a variety of topics, including several on golf for GolfLink.com. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from York College of Pennsylvania.
