I haven’t really written about travel insurance in the past, and it’s a really important subject, so I believe this post is long overdue. Travel insurance is something you will need on the road. You never know what could happen, and most regular insurance plans won’t cover you overseas. Check your health care provider to see if you are covered when you travel overseas. If you are not, you should get travel insurance. Moreover, travel insurance also covers the stuff you take on the road, any accidents that might occur, or cancellations that might arise. It’s very handy to have.
I’ve never had any problems on the road and have never had to make that dreaded call to an insurance company. But I know plenty of people who have. On the road, there are a million different things that could happen to you. For the few dollars per month travel insurance costs, it’s better to be safe than sorry. I still have it even though I’ve never needed it.
Good travel insurance includes the following:
- Covers most countries in the world.
- Make sure they cover electronics.
- Cover injury and sudden illnesses within the country and abroad.
- Twenty-four hour emergency services and assistance.
- Cover lost, damaged or stolen possessions like jewelery, baggage, documents, etc.
- Cover cancellations such as the trip, hotel bookings, flight, and other transportation bookings.
- Cover emergencies, strife in the country visited, etc. that cause you to head home early.
- Cover hazardous activities such as jet skiing, scuba diving, sky diving, paragliding, etc.
- Policies should include personal accident coverage.
- Cover any legal expenses if incurred.
- Financial protection if any company you are using goes bankrupt and you are stuck in another country.
If you make a claim, remember that travel insurance companies, no matter how good, are there to make money and will try to avoid paying out as much as they can. Make sure you have all your receipts and necessary forms. Be prepared to wait a while to receive your money too. Even the best companies drag their feet.
You should also be aware of what is not covered and exclusions. Travel insurance policies do not normally cover alcohol or drug related incidents or carelessness in handling your possessions and baggage. You won’t get reimbursed if the problem happened because your were reckless (why should you anyway?). Always read the fine print, too. It may be long, and it may be boring, but knowing exactly what is and is not covered, and what legalese they will use to try to weasel their way out of paying, is super important. Always keep copies of EVERYTHING because they will ask you for them.
One of the best travel insurance companies is World Nomads. They are the one I use and are one of my favorite travel companies in general. They are very reputable, and claims are quickly and fairly processed. Moreover, you can also purchase insurance even after you have already left for your trip. Additionally, you can get a new policy on the Internet without having to be in your country of residence.
I love companies that have great people at them too, and it’s one of the reasons why I stick with them. I’ve spoken to their General Manager many times on Twitter and talked with a lot of people on the business end. They are all very friendly and very helpful- even their busy CEO. If he takes that much time out to talk to strangers, that kind of emphasis on customers will surely trickle down through the ranks.
Even if you don’t go with World Nomads, remember to always find a company that gives you as much total coverage as possible because you do not want to find out later that you are not covered. When it comes to travel insurance, don’t be cheap. Pay as much as it costs to get the coverage you need. (FYI: World Nomads only covers people under the age of 61)
Travel Insurance
World Nomads Quick Quote
Great information! A good travel insurance is really important! And there are many out there. So I do agree it’s a good thing to take time to find out if all your requirements are fulfilled and unfortunally, sometimes that means you have to pay that little bit extra for it. But it’s worth it. Well, that my opinion
Thanks for the info Matt!
Great post matt – I personally have gone through Bon Voyage (Canadian travel insurance company) – they were really good. Price was relatively cheap and covered the all the big things. Injuries, Flights, lost baggage, cash, mp3 players, etc. I personally never had to use it but my friend I was travelling with at the time, had his surfboard stolen. After he got the police forms filled out and all that fun stuff, he actually got a few hundred bucks for it. All was sorted out pretty quick too, no more than 2 weeks. Travel insurance is a must if you plan on having a good time. Thanks again for the info. I’ll look into world nomads next RTW.
It’s amazing how many travel insurance companies in the UK exclude all valuables worth over 250 pounds, meaning if you have a good camera or a laptop (i.e. for flashpackers like me!), they are pretty useless – although some will let you pay an excess fee to cover these items on top.
It’s well worth checking the small print on the activities list – every provider has a different list of what is and isn’t covered, and there weren’t many that covered all the things I was likely to be doing over my year away (scuba diving, mountain biking, hiking over 3,000m, white water rafting). If you knwo you are going to be doing lots of this sort of thing, one of the best UK providers is the British Mountaineering Club, who have their own specialist insurance that’s actually quite reasonably priced.
Like Matt though, I went with World Nomads as they gave me all the cover I want for the best price.
Geoff,
Really valid points, every traveller will have specific needs and there is a growing trend towards longer independent and adventurous travellers heading off with much higher value items. What use to be just a decent camera is now an iPhone, Mac Laptop, Digital Camera, Video Camera ( well that’s me) and even items like the new Kindle.
It’s because of that we’re looking to build on benefits for higher value items, whilst at the same time focusing on ensuring that World Nomads like Lilly below and yourself are given the best care should something happen.
Cheers for weighing in on the subject, it’s not the sexiest of topics but it’s great that you’ve shared your thoughts
Chris Noble
General Manager ( Matt keeps calling me CEO, I’ll get smacked soon)
WorldNomads.com
Well this post just came in time. I am on my 2nd day into my trip and I broke my foot I tripped on a rug in the hotel while carrying my bag twisted it badly and broke it ( photo in my blog), I was taken to the best hospital in Istanbul. There they wanted me to call World Nomads to arrange which company they use in Istanbul so they can send a guarantee of payment to the hospital, I called the 24 hours emergency phone number and they were so concern and right away they were making phone calls and sending faxes and calling me to arrange things as fast as possible. I highly recommend them this is the first time I needed my travel insurance for medical reasons and I am glad I choose them the way they took care of everything I just sat there and got checked all I had to do was make one phone call and provide the info of the hospital and then every thing after that was taken care of by World nomads chosen coverage company which was bupa in Netherlands. I was seen by 2 doctors and x-rays were done and bandaged and I was on my way all I had to do was sign and give them a copy of my World Nomads policy.
The other thing is actually I wanted to thank you Matt for writing these tips and recommendations of things that actually work and are good to use because I choose them after I saw a post a while ago on your site recommending them. Your tips are really great.
I’m glad they were very helpful. I’ll tweet Chris the CEO and let him know!!
They are such a great company and I’m glad my recommendation helped you!
Lilly,
I’m really sorry you broke your ankle. It’s one of those injuries that’s not only incredibly painful, but a total drag, particularly given the amazing walking routes around Istanbul. I completely share your frustration, having had a similar event occur with me in Canada a while back.
I’m also really grateful for the kind words re our assistance team, Bupa is an excellent insurer and we’re very lucky to have them with us. I’ll pass on your kind words as I know they’ll be chuffed to hear them.
Get rested and get well
Look forward to hearing about your next adventure soon!
Chris Noble
General Manager
WorldNomads.com
Matt,
your recommendations are great and I always now look up your site for tips so just keep them coming in.
Chris,
Thank you there was no hassle what so ever every thing with Bupa went very smoothly and they were nice, kind and concerned with my situation just trying to get things done quickly.
Hi Matt,
Great article on travel insurance and so refreshing to see a buget traveller realizing the importance of insurance. As a professionals travel consultant I often find that long term travellers and budget travellers feel they are invincible which is of course so far from the truth.
I thought I would toss in a couple more ideas to consider when buying travel insurance:
- will they pre-pay the hospitals in the event of emergencies or do you need to pay up front and then file a claim with the insurance company?
- a reminder to always call the insurance company immediately when you need to make a claim – most good companies will recommend reputable hospitals or clinics in the area you are at to deal with
- if you have a baggage claim to save all your paperwork – luggage tags, boarding passes and any receipts for items you have to purchase
- for stolen items make sure you take the time to get a police report as most insurance companies will require it
- if you have (or think you have) coverage through a work policy, or credit card company – check out the details very carefully – compare the risks they actually cover and benefits they give – especially with credit card companies – they are in the credit card business not the insurance business – there will be a difference in coverage. Unfortunately too many people only find out when they file for a claim
- if you do have coverage through another policy – make sure you bring along all the proper documentation – policy numbers and phone numbers.
Hope that might help out other travellers trying to understand insurance. If anyone still wants to learn more here is a link to some good real life testimonials:
Click on “Why Buy Travel Insurance” – http://www.tpiworldwide.com/CarlHenderson/index.asp
Thanks again for the great site Matt!
Always good to see positive reviews on a travel insurance company. Or negative for that matter.
However i find the cost of a policy is often much higher for those traveling for over 18 months. Like me.
As Matt mentioned reading the small print often turns up many things that can prevent you from being covered by many many companies. Really really read all insurance terms and conditions
Greta article. Most people make sure they have the sun tan lotion, extra clothes and the newest travel gadgets and then forget the most important thing…insurance. Most peoples medical insurance won’t cover them abroad and just one bad day could rack up huge bills not only ending the vacation early but depleting bank accounts as well..
I just taught a class to my professors, all of whom will be going overseas, about health insurance and going to the doctor. One point I must have repeated 5 times was that you have to read every single line of your policy. Be fully aware of what you are covered for, what situations, and how much money. Especially for travelers coming from countries with occasionally backwards systems (ahem, China) it’s extremely important to know what you are paying for and why.
All good points, Matt, but I think this one should be reiterated. Always know what you’re paying for, and find someone to help you before buying if you don’t understand the legalese. You don’t want to be half-way around the world and find out your travel insurance doesn’t cover some utterly-bizarre, handicapping situation you just happen to find yourself in.
very useful post
Thanks for this useful info, Matt. Reminds me that I need to buy a good travel insurance myself when I next leave Sweden. I’ll consider WorldNomads.
Another thing to keep in mind is what activities and sports your travel insurance cover. Especially if you’re planning to partake in extreme sports or sports such as skiing, snowboarding, trekking etc. Few travel insurances cover this. I’m not sure whether WorldNomads does.
Thanks so much for this comprehensive post on travel insurance and the World Nomads information. I admit I’ve rarely purchased travel insurance for trips. But I too have never had any problems on the road. Investing in travel insurance though means that if I do encounter difficulties there is a helpful travel resource.
referring to the article will be a great support for the all who are willing to buy travel insurance. since the topic has explained the all major points in a very simple language, any one can select a best product according to their own choices.
It’s also important to know which types of insurance you need for hiring a car. Obviously it’s a good idea to have it, but there’s no point in paying more than you should.
Auto Europe has just launched a step-by-step guide to car hire, explaining all the hidden costs and the jargon you often come across in the terms and conditions. It’s free to download from the website: http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/pdf/Car-Hire-Made-Easy.pdf.
Thanks for the post. It’s really great. Travel insurance is very important. One should go for travel insurance for making the trip more beautiful.Waiting for more post.
When I was younger I always used the insurance sold by STA (in the US). They reimbursed me twice for different problems on different trips without issue. I’m shopping again for travel insurance and looking into the fine print. World Nomads doesn’t provide insurance for any pre-existing conditions, so if you have asthma or any other health condition, you are out of luck if you need medical attention for it. Squaremouth.com does a great job of comparing different companies plans. I think I’m going to go with Travel Insured International or Travelex. Note: if you need pre-existing condition coverage, the plan usually has to be bought within 10 days of the first trip deposit/payment.
Great post. Thanks!
Great post and good comments.
World Nomads use to be the best and cheapest for backpackers/flashpackers, but for us in Europe that is not necessarily the case any more.
Globe Spots (www.globespots.com) has an overview of travel insurances for backpakcers depending of your country of residence. There are money to be saved and still be well covered (some times you are even covered by the same underwriting insurance company, but for a cheaper price).
Happy (and safe) travels!
A few more tips for the regular or pending traveller;
- items stolen out of cars are not usually covered by any insurers
- insurance bought from an online vendor (closer to the source of the under-writing company) can be up to 50% less expensive than if you were to buy the exact insurance through your travel agent (budget or otherwise).
- check the rating of the under-writing company. ie AAA (in Australia at least) is good.
- you cannot claim for stolen goods unless you have an original proof of purchase and a police-statement.
- check to see if your credit card gives you travel insurance. For example; many larger CC’s insure all trips when you use your card to book. This includes car insurance… so you don’t have to pay extra to the rental car companies if you’ve booked it with your card.
- to claim for lost/damaged baggage on airlines, you must get paperwork/receipt from the airline stating that your bag is damaged/missing. If you walk away empty handed, they won’t take responsibility for your bag.
Happy and safe travels!
Great additional info!
Thanks!