| There's been a lot of confusion over whether or not | | | | or more hours to your time of departure. One Gold |
| travel insurance covers a natural disaster such as the | | | | Plan reimburses you $250 for a missed connection. |
| April 2010 volcanic eruption in Iceland that stranded | | | | 4. Doesn't my airline refund ticket costs, and put me |
| tens of thousands of travelers. When someone asks, | | | | up in hotels and cover food expenses in the case of |
| "Does my travel insurance cover this type of event?" | | | | trip cancellation and interruption? So, why do I need |
| I answer, "Check the fine print." Clicking the insurance | | | | extra travel insurance? That's a good question. Years |
| button when buying an online ticket most likely will | | | | ago my family and I traveled from San Francisco to |
| not give you very good coverage. These types of | | | | Singapore and our trip was delayed due to |
| travel insurance offer very basic coverage, which | | | | mechanical failure. The airline bused all passengers to |
| may be fine if your trip doesn't cost much. Or if your | | | | a nearby hotel, paid for our rooms and gave us food |
| itinerary is not a complicated one requiring multiple | | | | vouchers to use in the hotel restaurant. |
| stops over a longer period of time with expensive | | | | Another time I had to cancel my flight due to illness. |
| hotel reservations. | | | | Because I bought a non-refundable ticket, I was able |
| Here are five guidelines for knowing how much travel | | | | to apply that ticket to another travel date, minus of |
| insurance to get. | | | | course, a penalty fee of $100. I had one year to use |
| 1. What is your trip worth to you? A young student | | | | the ticket. |
| sleeping in hostels throughout Europe and carrying a | | | | Once, when dense fog grounded my plane for 8 |
| backpack won't need a "Cadillac plan" trip protector. | | | | hours, the airline gave everyone who asked for it |
| Compare that to a couple in their early 60s who | | | | food vouchers for an airport restaurant. Because it |
| have reservations in 5 star hotels in some of the | | | | was a foreign country, and I didn't speak the |
| most expensive cities in Europe and who fly first | | | | language, I didn't know food vouchers were being |
| class. Their travel will cost quite a bit, so they should | | | | given out, and so I missed out on coffee and |
| consider paying top of the line coverage. | | | | croissants. Best advice here is to know your |
| 2. Compare the cost differences between a basic | | | | passenger rights. |
| plan and a premium plan. I went on a well-known | | | | Missed connections are another form of travel |
| travel insurance website to see how much it would | | | | frustration. If your missed connection occurs when |
| cost me for a two week international trip. The Basic | | | | traveling with the same airline or air alliance, then you |
| plan sells for $127 for a person my age. When I | | | | will be taken care of by the airline company. |
| added in "cancel for any reason" coverage, upgraded | | | | However, if your missed connection happens when |
| medical coverage, and optional flight coverage, the | | | | you fly two different airlines or airline alliances, then |
| total jumped to $202. So now I have to ask myself, | | | | you are out of luck with the airline companies. If you |
| is that extra $75 worth it? | | | | have travel insurance that covers missed |
| 3. Know what you are buying. Travel insurance | | | | connections, then you are in luck. |
| policies contain 4 types of trip protection: trip | | | | 5. Buy travel insurance for the medical coverage and |
| cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay and missed | | | | other services. Sure, airlines do reimburse and are |
| connection. | | | | obligated in many cases by law to compensate for |
| - Trip cancellation reimburses you the full cost of | | | | long travel delays, interruptions and cancellations. But |
| your pre-paid ticket in the event you have to cancel | | | | they won't pay any medical bills should you be injured |
| prior to your trip. One insurance company sells a | | | | on your travels. And they won't pay for worldwide |
| "Cancel for Any Reason" policy for an additional cost, | | | | assistance services such as medical evacuation, |
| though most other companies have specific - but still | | | | physician referrals, translation services, prescription |
| extensive - conditions under which one can cancel. | | | | replacement, emergency cash transfers, and |
| Find out what your trip cancellation covers, and what | | | | concierge services, and a host of other services you |
| exclusions are not covered. Some companies, for | | | | can purchase with travel insurance. |
| example, did not reimburse those affected by | | | | So, the choice is yours. Most trip cancellations and |
| volcano ash because they considered that a weather | | | | interruptions are pretty straight forward, and you can |
| disturbance instead of a natural disaster. | | | | get reimbursements from the airlines. In those cases |
| - Trip interruption reimburses you for travel expenses | | | | you wouldn't need a premium Trip Cancellation plan. |
| in the event of an unexpected crisis during your trip, | | | | But in the event of a volcano erupting, or some |
| causing it to be cancelled, interrupted or delayed. One | | | | other natural disaster that severely disrupts travel for |
| worldwide travel insurance company paid 100% of | | | | days and days, you could be out hundreds of dollars. |
| the trip cost for trip interruption due to volcanic ash | | | | That's why there is travel insurance. Like any |
| that affected Europe April 2010. | | | | insurance, we get it because we don't know the |
| - Travel Delay reimburses you for expenses you pay | | | | future. |
| for trips delayed for more than 5 hours due to | | | | Trip insurance is worth it for the medical coverage |
| covered reasons but only up to a certain amount, | | | | alone. All travel insurance covers trip delays or |
| some $1000, others $750. Travel delay typically | | | | cancellations for specified reasons (again, check what |
| covers hotel accommodations for stranded travelers, | | | | they WON'T cover), and are easily upgraded for |
| meals, taxi fares and essential phone calls. | | | | additional costs. Their real value, however, is medical, |
| - Missed connection reimburses you if inclement | | | | especially for medical evacuations which cost tens of |
| weather or common carrier causes cancellation or a | | | | thousands of dollars. |
| delay of a regularly scheduled airline flights for three | | | | |