How Comprehensive Should Travel Insurance Be?

It is never fun to contemplate the possibility of anything going wrong while travelling. Most of us get swept up in the excitement, or distracted by all the planning details involved, so we barely give the ‘what ifs’ a second thought. However, with so many factors and variables involved in the experience of ‘going on holiday’ it is vital that the majority of them run smoothly. Unfortunately, the laws of probability may be against you, so it is best to fight back with comprehensive travel insurance.

Worst Case Scenarios

So, let’s just for a minute indulge all those nagging little voices in your head and contemplate all the things that could possibly go wrong. The basics come to mind first; what if my flight is cancelled or delayed? Beginning a trip on this very wrong footing can start an even worse domino effect. Flights, despite most airlines’ best efforts, are still a somewhat unreliable form of transportation. They are subject to both the whim of Mother Nature and the human ability to accurately adhere to a tight schedule, neither of which have a typically strong or steady track record. It is best to think about comprehensive travel insurance as the voice of a reassuring granny, offering sage advice and telling you not to worry, go and have a good time. At its most basic, travel insurance will cover the expense of flight delays, cancellations and general transportation related shenanigans that you might encounter.

The other common concerns that most people have about travel include problems with accommodation, lost luggage, and/or personal injury or sickness. Depending on your destination, some of these concerns are more warranted than others. Prior to any trip abroad it is best to peruse the FCO’s (The Foreign and Commonwealth Office) website for any travel advisories pertaining to health and safety, including any recommending travel inoculations. Again, comprehensive travel insurance is your safety net in the event that you do become sick or injured while abroad. The expenses that can potentially be incurred abroad from a trip to A&E vary highly from country to country. Regardless, the last thing you want to be worried about at the time is an astronomic hospital bill to take home as a souvenir.

More Means Less

The more ‘comprehensive’ your travel insurance is, the less you have to worry about. Even the most talented worry-wort cannot possibly fret over every possible problem or disaster that could occur while travelling. Most of us cannot anticipate the random falling-coconut related concussions, or the complete lack of snow while on a ski trip, which are both true insurance claims that have been covered in the past. Comprehensive travel insurance’s job is to take both the headache and the worry out of the process of travelling.

Think Positive!

In the end, the best form of comprehensive travel insurance that you can purchase is the kind that you never use, and then wonder ‘was it really worth the money’? The answer is ‘yes’, it is really is worth the money, and it is always best not to tempt fate. Fate loves a good challenge and rarely fails to deliver. So take your granny’s wise advice and get the most travel insurance you can. Then you can truly go and have a good time and not worry about a thing!