travel insurance masterThinking of traveling for spring break? Even if your travel dates are shorter this year, keeping you a little closer to home than usual, or you think there's a possibility of postponing your trip, you will want to consider the flexibility and protection of travel insurance.
Worried about your travel budget? Travel insurance is an easy way to protect your travel investment for relatively little and gives you important peace of mind. It can save you thousands in the long run as the unexpected can happen on any trip! Travel Insurance Master’s trusted smart algorithm recommends the best plan based on your specific trip details, and offers side by side comparisons to find the best plan for your trip and budget too.
CLOSER TO HOME
A great rule of thumb is to buy travel insurance if you’re traveling 100 miles or more from home. There are still some risks with any kind of travel and you will want to be covered in the event of the unexpected like an accident, delay, or cancellation. The Emergency Medical benefit can reimburse you for medical treatment in the event you need to go to urgent care or the emergency room, which can be costly even if you’re just in another state. A spring break road trip can benefit from travel insurance too as some plans offer benefits that may reimburse non-refundable prepaid expenses like a campground reservation or RV rental if you have to cancel or shorten your trip due to a covered reason. Travel Insurance Master even offers filters to find plans offering cost-saving rental car coverage too.
PROTECT YOUR BELONGINGS
Travel insurance can also protect your belongings in the event they are lost, stolen, or damaged. With Baggage Loss, items like your personal effects and documents like your passport are protected. Check your specific plan details for coverages and benefits.
In the event of baggage delay, be sure to keep receipts for any necessary items you may need to purchase, and check your specific plan for reimbursement details.
24 Hour Travel Assistance Services offer a wide range of help and advice that can be useful if you find yourself in an unfortunate situation. They can help with travel document and ticket replacement, emergency cash transfers, medical assistance and evacuation, and much more. If you’re in an unfamiliar place, these services can be invaluable.
COVID-19 AND SPRING BREAK
Trip Cancellation plans are increasingly popular as they give you protection if you, your traveling companion, a family member, or your business partner becomes ill with COVID-19 before your trip and you cannot travel. If you or your companion are diagnosed with COVID-19 while on your trip, Trip Interruption will provide reimbursement of non-refundable prepaid trip costs and expenses for your return home. Trip Delay will cover hotel expenses and meals if you are delayed through quarantine required by a physician on your trip.
COVID-19 is treated the same as any other illness by travel insurance companies, so Emergency Medical and Evacuation benefits will cover your otherwise non-refundable prepaid trip cost if you were to become sick during your travels. If you plan on traveling to another country for spring break, Emergency Medical coverage can save you from a costly bill if your regular health insurance plan is not accepted.
Travel insurance can also help you meet the new foreign tourism requirements in many countries. Look for plans with Emergency Medical, Evacuation, and Travel Delay to meet the specific insurance coverages necessary depending on your trip.
FEAR OF COVID-19
It’s important to note trip cancellation due to the fear of COVID-19 is not a covered reason for cancellation however that’s where a Cancel for Any Reason plan would be a wise choice. Cancel for Any Reason or CFAR benefits, are just that – you are able to cancel for any reason whatsoever usually up to 2 days before departure for a reimbursement up to 75% of prepaid non-refundable expenses, depending on the specific plan. For this reason, these plans are more in demand than ever. They are generally the most expensive option but may be worthwhile to you, especially since most spring break dates cannot always be moved. If you’re interested in purchasing a plan with CFAR, add this to the top of your vacation checklist as you will need to purchase the plan within 1-21 days of your initial trip deposit – the sooner the better!
Wherever spring break takes you, always do your homework and be sure to read your plan details for benefits and all the information you need like proof of cancellation.
