You saved a lot of money on booking a low-cost flight at the right time. Why then spend your savings on travel insurance? Well, most insurance policies cover incidents such as trip cancellation – when you either got sick or had an accident that prevented you from traveling. Or trip interruption – when you are prevented from reaching your destination or staying there. Airlines and travel agents are not going to refund you and this is a good bet to hedge against such incidences.
It should come as no surprise that I am a big fan of Squaremouth, a website specializing in the comparison of travel insurance programs. They recently shared some nightmare scenarios that might not be covered in your policy. What happens in the case of:
– Security delays
– Being bumped from a flight
– Hotel / Lodge lost your reservation
– Accommodation is not as advertised
– You fell for a ticket scam (read excursions)
– Last-minute changes (to itinerary or excursion)
In these cases, most operators will work with you to save face. Your travel insurance company might intervene to help your case, or might not.
In today’s travel environment, it is better to have insurance than not. You can get barebones insurance for shorter (domestic) travel and more comprehensive options for international travel. Rather have it, than not. It is a small price to pay in case of a major catastrophe and a wise application of that airline savings.