If you are planning a vacation or a business trip to another country and you think you do not need travel insurance, you may want to reconsider. 

Even if you have excellent health care coverage, auto insurance that fully covers rental cars and homeowner’s  insurance that covers your personal belongings, you may want to consider travel insurance when you go to a foreign country.

Depending on the destination country and your insurance policies, your existing policies may not cover:

Ø      Accidents

Ø      Transport to an appropriate medical facility inside or outside the country

Ø      Dental care

Ø      Loss of luggage or personal property

Ø      Damage to motor bikes, rental cars or other vehicles you rent

Ø      Trip cancellation

Ø      Weather related damage or travel delays

Ø      Evacuation

Ø      Hospitalization or surgery

Before you leave for vacation or a business trip to another country, look at all your policies and talk to your insurance agent if necessary to determine what coverage you will have while you are out of the country and where the gaps may be in your coverage.

You may be surprised to learn that most standard U.S. medical and health care plans do NOT cover the cost of your care while you are outside the U.S. and in many countries you are expected to pay for your care at the time you receive medical attention.

What happens if a trip is cancelled or you are left stranded in another country without passage back to the U.S. because of weather related delays? 

How will you pay for accommodations and living expenses until you get back home? 

Travel insurance policies can be obtained at most airports, through self-service machines, but you may want to plan ahead and see what rates and coverage you can get before you leave for your trip.

Standard travel policies cover:

flight delays

strikes

weather related delays

delays because of disaster or catastrophe

hijacking

emergency medical and dental care

hospitalization

medical evacuation

accident coverage

repatriation

luggage loss or delay

theft or loss of belongings

liability protection             

Coverage can cost as little as $1.50 per day (under $50.00 for a month of travel), and is well worth the cost, especially if you are traveling to an underdeveloped country or a country where local travel and medical care may be tricky.