Domestic Travel Insurance: Keep Yourself Covered
Photo: Marco Ostini
Travel insurance can be purchased for international or domestic travel. Many people think that travelling within their country is safer than travelling abroad, however there is the same likelihood of lost baggage and accidents as anywhere else. Purchasing domestic travel insurance should be considered. It will cover you in the event that you cannot make the vacation that you have booked as well as any accidents that may occur while you are on vacation.
Why get Travel Insurance?
Consider what would happen if you are involved in an accident while on vacation. Hospitalisation can be expensive and this financial burden could continue for months or even years. If you don’t have travel insurance you are liable for all of these costs.
Travel should be carefree and cost you only what you are planning to spend for your vacation, right? Not always. Theft happens, as does accidents. If your belongings or cash are stolen or you find yourself being treated for injuries, these will all make your simple travel plans cost a whole lot more as you pay to replace items and pay the hospital bills. All of these costs can be reduced significantly simply by taking out a domestic travel insurance policy before you leave.
What Travel Insurance Covers
Travel insurance will vary from company to company so it’s important to ask questions and read policies before agreeing to go with a certain company or package. Common benefits include:
- Lost or stolen luggage
- Cancellation fees
- Personal liability
- Medical/emergency expenses
- Accidental death
Airlines lose luggage all the time. If this happens to you, you are covered for a certain amount past what the airline would give you. This way you can actually replace your belongings.
Cancellation fees are equally important. If you are ill or a family emergency strikes and you are unable to take your vacation, you will be assessed with cancellation fees for airline tickets, hotels and many pre-booked excursions. Instead of being out that money, the travel insurance will cover these for you.
Finally, if something were to happen to you, the insurance will cover health and other related costs for your personal well-being. Even though you are only partaking in domestic travel, it is still possible for you to encounter an accident that could leave you needing medical attention.
The policy coverage time needs to be considered as well. It will only cover accidents or incidents that take place during the coverage time. This means that if your policy ends on a Tuesday and you get injured on Wednesday, those costs are completely yours. This can be completely avoided by taking a hard look at your travel plans on letting the insurance company know about them.
What Travel Insurance Doesn’t Cover
Just as it’s important to know what is covered, it’s important to know what isn’t covered as well.
Injuries that resulted from alcohol or drugs will not be covered. While this should never happen, it does. While travelling and partying, should you get into an accident and your blood alcohol content is above a certain limit, the injuries will not be covered under your policy.
Dangerous activities will also be excluded from your policy. Snowboarding, rock climbing, hunting and even scuba diving can all be defined as dangerous. You may want to ask the insurance company how they define dangerous activities if you plan on participating in any extreme activities. This way you can decipher whether you will be covered or not if you are injured while participating in such activity.
It’s also important to let your insurance company know about pre-existing health conditions that you may have. If you are injured or hospitalised as a result of a condition you had before going on vacation, you will most likely not be covered. It’s better to know these things going in so that you aren’t surprised later.
Travel Insurance Costs
Travel insurance can be very affordable, which is why even the Australian government makes the suggestion that if you cannot afford insurance then you can’t afford to travel. While that may seem like a fairly broad statement, it makes sense as you look at what the insurance covers.
The cost itself will depend on how much coverage you want, your age, where you are travelling, the length of stay as well as medical conditions that are pre-existing.
Travel insurance policies are not created equally. You will need to take a look at what the actual benefits and costs are so that you can compare those to other companies. Things to consider:
- Where you’re travelling to
- What you will be doing
- What you’re taking with you
As you analyse these questions, you should take into worst-case scenarios. What happens if you lose one of your bags or are injured doing one of your activities? What is the likelihood of these happening? You will want to ensure that your policy covers you for most, if not all, of your travel plans and possessions.
There are many companies that offer additional services that you can add to your policy as well. These may cost a little extra money but may be worth it depending upon what you will be doing when travelling. These additional things may include:
- Rental car excess
- Coverage for pets on travel
- Ski insurance
- Travel Insurance Tips
When you get your travel insurance, you should always make copies of it. One should be taken on travel with you and the other should be left at home with a friend or relative. This way it is quickly accessible should you need to make an immediate claim. It will also help you to access emergency assistance numbers should you find yourself in a place that you are not familiar with.
Any questions should be clarified before you get the insurance. You want to make sure you are aware of any exclusions in the policy that could end up costing you money should they arise. You may also want to find out if there are limits to personal belongings as many people’s computers, cameras and jewellery can cost about the amount provided in a claim.
Related posts:
- Domestic Travel Insurance: Keep Yourself Covered
- Domestic Travel Insurance: Advice for the Aussie Traveller
- Domestic Travel Insurance in 2012: Pros and Cons
- Travel Insurance: What’s Covered (and What Probably Isn’t)
- Compare Domestic and International Travel Insurance
This article contains general advice about travel insurance. The author has not taken into account your financial situation or needs and you should consider whether the advice provided is appropriate for your own circumstances before relying on it.
START YOUR FREE TRAVEL INSURANCE QUOTE COMPARISON NOW!
Filed Under: Travel Insurance
