Why travel insurance should be in your budget

You have booked your travel and deciding if you need to shell out more money for travel insurance. Whether it be a short domestic trip or a big international adventure, there is always the risk that things can go wrong.

So if you do take out insurance and it comes to the point you need to claim, travel insurance companies make it so difficult to you may as well not even bother right? Suddenly all those things you think you were covered for are buried in pages and pages of terms and condition loop holes.

Well here it is, from a seasoned traveller, the myths of Travel Insurance debunked. I have always travelled with travel insurance and while mostly I have been lucky to have incident free travel, there has been occasion when I have needed to claim. A prime example was the Bangkok riots, where I was stuck in Bangkok an extra 5 days before I had to make my way t o a military base to get out of the country.

  1. It will never happen to me

You are pretty clued in and street wise, so know when travelling to look after your belongings, travel safe and be aware of your surroundings. Sure, that is a great way to be. However, unfortunately, unforeseen weather, flight delays, illness, injury or other catastrophes can very quickly and easily derail the best of travel plans. This can often lead to hefty unexpected bills, normally payable up front. And let’s face it, you would rather keep your money for the fun stuff while travelling. Don’t think it will never happen to you because good old Murphy’s Law – if it can happen, it will happen.

  1. It is impossible to claim unless something catastrophic happens anyway

As long as you are aware of your terms and conditions, you will know exactly what you are covered for. There are cheaper insurance policies that offer less coverage. So make sure you take out a policy that gives you adequate coverage. I was surprised to find after claiming for the Bangkok riots incident, my dog’s extra days kennel fees were also claimable.

  1. Medical costs abroad are cheaper anyway. If I need any treatment, I’ll be able to pay for it

Straight out I will say it’s the old adage of “you pay for what you get”, which especially applies in third world countries. The last thing you want is to pay a cheap price for medical attention on a simple cut, where the conditions are not the same as in Australia, and within days you are being evacuated home when the wound festers and turns into a full-blown blood infection.

  1. I will buy travel insurance just before I leave, not when booking my travel

Remember you are covered from the moment you purchase your travel insurance. These days most people book their travel well in advance to get the best deals. That leaves a lot of time between purchasing the travel and actually leaving. If you take out your travel insurance at the same time you book travel, you are covered from that moment forward, and if anything unforeseen happens that stops you from taking your trip, you are covered. If you wait until the last moment before leaving you run the risk of being hit with large cancellation / change fees.

At a relatively minimal cost to you, travel insurance can not only give you piece of mind, but will give you a leg to stand on in a multitude of sketchy situations. Like packing your passport, it should just be part and parcel of the preparations you undergo when travelling. It’s always better to spend the money on travel insurance that you don’t use than to waste thousands due to lack of proper preparation.

For a quote on your travel insurance visit Southern Cross Travel Insurance at www.scti.com.au/

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