We have discussed how the right travel insurance coverage can protect your vacation and give you peace of mind.
You’ve also learned about the 2 most popular types of travel insurance, and how vacation plans are by far the most popular choice for travelers.
The next step is to pick a plan, but first we need to get back to the topic of coverage.
Each travel insurance company has a variety of plans to choose from. These plans will each have varying coverage, which makes some plans more affordable and other plans higher priced.
Start by identifying your most important coverages
When you start comparing plans, you will need some criteria to help you prioritize and narrow down your choices.
Use a list of coverages that you think are the most important for your trip. You might also factor in minimum coverage amounts on certain coverages like medical expenses.
For example: A family taking a Disney cruise in September might have the following coverage criteria:
- Hurricane & Weather coverage for cancellations is a must
- Medical Evacuation coverage of at least $100,000 is necessary as well
- Missed Connection coverage would be nice since there is a connecting flight
This list of coverage criteria will help the family choose a plan that meets their needs. They will be able to filter out plans that do not have these minimum criteria, making the choice easier.
This is not a complete list of coverage, but simply a prioritized list of the most important coverages for their trip.
How to determine the key coverages for your trip:
- Browse the list below to find the most important coverages for your trip
- Start with the 2 or 3 key coverages to get started
- When you’re ready to compare plans use a comparison website
(Note: You can print this page with the ‘Print Friendly” button at the bottom right corner)
Most Popular Coverage Criteria
- Emergency Medical (at least $50,000)
- Medical Evacuation (at least $100,000)
- Pre-existing Medical Conditions
- Cancel For Any Reason
- Hazardous Sports
- Hurricanes & Weather
- Terrorism
- Employment Layoffs
- Missed Connections
- Rental Car Coverage
Cancellations
- Trip Interruption
- Hurricane & Weather
- Terrorism
- Financial Default
- Employment Layoff
- Cancel For Work Reasons
- Cancel For Any Reason
Medical Related
- Primary Medical
- Emergency Medical
- Pre-existing Medical
- Medical Deductible
Evacuations
- Medical Evacuation
- Non-Medical Evacuation
Loss or Delays
- Travel Delay
- Baggage Delay
- Baggage Loss
- Missed Connection
Life Insurance
- Accidental Death
- Air Flight Accident
- Common Carrier
Sports
- Hazardous Sports
Other Benefits
- Rental Car
- Money Back Guarantee
- 24 Hour Assistance Service
- Identity Theft
- Renewable Policy
- All Events Upgrade
Use a comparison tool to compare plans based on your criteria
When you’re ready to compare plans based on your criteria, use a comparison website where you can filter by coverage and compare plans side-by-side.
Next in the series:
Next we will look at 5 Common “Loopholes” and How to Avoid Them, where you’ll see the common ‘small print loopholes’ in travel insurance and how to avoid them.
Go back to the Travel Insurance 101 series.