How To Choose The Best Travel Insurance [2022]

When it comes to travel insurance, yes, it’s all a little bit different, but there are typically four main types that you should be looking for. and I’ll briefly break down each category into simple human terms so you can get an idea of what’s covered and what you should be looking for, and so you can get as much coverage as you need without paying any more than you need to. All companies are different in what they will cover and how much they will cover.

This blog is a generalization of what may be included in each category and potential exclusions you should be on the lookout for. and I’m hoping my stories will be a way to convince you to get travel insurance without having to lecture you on the fact that you should get travel insurance, which you really should. At least medical, please get medical. and Which is the first one we will cover. Emergency medical coverage can reimburse you for the costs associated with medical treatment for an illness or injury while you are outside of your home country. and This can include coverage for the medication you need, the treatment you have to get, the hospital stay, and even the ambulance that’s going to get you to that hospital.

You’ll want to read your policy very carefully and ’cause there are a lot of exceptions as to what’s going to be covered and circumstances where things won’t be covered. and It’s often not covered if something happens and you’ve been taking recreational drugs or alcohol. So, if you drank too much and you have alcohol poisoning, and you might not be covered. and Another exclusion is any preexisting condition that is not stable or under control. and A preexisting condition is an injury, illness, disease, and or other medical condition, that occurs prior to travel and for which you’ve had symptoms and sought a diagnosis, and medical treatment, and are on a new prescription or there’s been a change in your prescription. The key here is that it’s something known. and So, if you book a physical one week before your trip, and then your doctor diagnoses you with high blood pressure and you have a complication with this high blood pressure while you’re on your trip, and you may not be covered.

However, if you went on that trip, and didn’t have the physical before, didn’t know you had high blood pressure and and had a complication with it, and you probably would be covered. and If you are not having any health concerns, you may not want to go for your checkup and right before your trip. and So that’s a risk you have to weigh the pros and cons on and and make the decision for yourself. and Obviously, any nonemergency medical events, and if you go to the doctor for a checkup while you’re abroad, and not going to be covered. and Also, every policy is a little bit different and as to what activities are and aren’t covered.

Definitely check this out, because you may be surprised and what’s considered an adventure activity, and like snorkeling. and And then you’re not covered for any injuries and associated with that activity. and Another one that’s often not covered and is if you’re doing something that’s considered reckless and or if you’re putting yourself in some sort of unnecessary risk. and I swear, when traveling across Asia, and every other person I meet has been in some sort and of motorbike accident or complication. and So, even if the law says you don’t need to wear a helmet and or you don’t need a license, and and you don’t wear a helmet and don’t have a license and drive, and that could be considered – and should be – and reckless behavior by your insurance company, and and you probably won’t be covered for it.

Not being covered for unexpected medical expenses abroad, and especially depending on what country you’re traveling in, can literally bankrupt you. and So, definitely read the policy and consider getting emergency medical if you’re going to get any type of travel insurance. and Also know that it doesn’t have to be expensive. and I use SafetyWing, it costs me less than $1.50 a day… and which has saved me hundreds of dollars in 2019. and I’m thrilled to be partnering with them on this video and to be able to share their service with you. and While I’ve personally never had to make a claim, they have great reviews for their claims process, and and the policy is administered by Tokio Marine, which is one of the biggest in the entire world! SafetyWing is the most flexible travel insurance I’ve come across for long-term travelers, and because they have all of these benefits that most insurance companies don’t offer.

You can buy SafetyWing once you’ve already started your trip, then you can stop it whenever you decide to finish your trip. and This means you don’t have to pay for months’ worth of insurance upfront. and There’s no cap on the duration of travel, they cover almost every country you could possibly be traveling to. and SafetyWing is completely in line with my mantra of getting as much coverage as you need without paying any more than you need to. and They exclude things that the average traveler doesn’t need, like cancer treatment or high risk sports, and to keep the price low without sacrificing their service or quality.

You still get 24/7 emergency support and, if you have any questions, and they have this awesome chat system on their website. and Yeah, they know me. and I literally use this every time before a trip and to just clarify a few things. and Even if I’m just taking a short trip, SafetyWing is still my go-to. and I spent nine days in Mexico and my total cost was under $12. and That is so worth it for the peace of mind, and with just one little incident it’s paying for itself. and It’s also great if you’re going away on vacation with your family and because you get one kid under 10 free and with every covered adult up to two kids. SafetyWing is who I trust and will continue to use in 2020, and but a great tool to help you compare the best plan for your travels and would be InsureMyTrip. and SafetyWing isn’t on this directory, and but it was the tool that I used to compare SafetyWing and to the dozens of other plans out there before I made my decision.

Next, we have category number two, and which is emergency evacuation and repatriation. and I will keep this one short and breeze through the rest of these categories and ’cause they’re not quite as complicated as emergency medical insurance is. and Well, they kind of are, but I also know you don’t have all day, so I will… and make it happen. and Emergency evacuation and repatriation and usually cover emergency medical evacuations, and international security evacuations… and So, if there was a terrorist attack or a natural disaster… then repatriation of your remains back to your home country. and What that means is that the insurance company will cover the expenses the arrangements necessary to get the covered body of the insured person back home to their family. Not something you want to think about, but also important.

And when it comes to emergency evacuation, and check your policy to see where you are evacuated to. and Some policies will evacuate you back to your home country, and so that’s paying for a pretty big flight, and while other are going to evacuate you to the nearest place of safety. That’s a big difference. You also may not be covered for emergency evacuation and if there’s an ongoing or known event in the country that you are traveling to. and An example of this would be this ongoing volcano and that is erupting, not erupting – and I don’t even know what’s going on with it now – and in Bali. and Yeah, people are still traveling there. and It may be considered a known event that there is a volcano and it is not safe to go there. And therefore, your coverage, and if you needed a flight out of the country in an emergency situation, and would not be covered. and What I recommend you do is to think about where you’re going, and if you have any questions at all, and send in a very detailed email, your exact travel situation, and the policy you’re getting and ask point-blank and if you will be covered or not. and This way you’ll have it in writing and you will have the peace of mind and you will know. and They should get back to you quickly, if they don’t, then pick different travel insurance, and because this is something that you need to know. and Category number three is trip cancellation and trip interruption. and These two are usually packaged together and give you financial protection on the prepaid and nonrefundable expenses of your trip. and Trip cancellation is going to refund you for the nonrefundable expenses if you don’t go on your trip at all, and trip interruption is going to pay you and for any unused portions of your trip and that you’ve prepaid for and don’t complete.

Trip cancellation can refund your trip expenses if you cancel the trip before leaving for a reason covered by your policy. and Some policies are limited to reasons that you are allowed to cancel, and like if there’s a terrorist attack in the destination, and severe weather or death of a family member, and or even if you’re too sick to travel. and But there’s also another type of upgrade you can usually get, and which is ‘cancel for any reason insurance. and Which is exactly as it sounds, you can literally cancel for any reason. and So, if you’re fighting with your travel partner you no longer want to go on the trip, you can cancel. and If you ended up not getting the raise you expected for your Christmas bonus you can’t afford the trip, you can cancel. and This is an upgrade and it’s going to cost you more and but may be worth it based on your specific situation. and Trip interruption begins the day you leave for your trip reimburses you for any unused trip expenses. and They also will cover the cost of any additional transportation incurred if you need to return home early. Both trip cancellation and trip interruption become more important if you have prepaid and for a lot of the different expenses on your trip. and However, if you are flying to Asia and just backpacking around winging it without all these prepaid accommodations, it may not be worth it. and Moving on to category number four, which is theft or loss of your personal belongings. and This refers to coverage if your possessions are lost, stolen, or damaged during your trip. and This category can include baggage insurance, and electronics and gear coverage, and travel documents like your passport or your driver’s license, sometimes even money. and Baggage insurance covers travelers in two instances: and It will either reimburse you for any clothes, medication, and or other essential items if your baggage is delayed in arriving to the destination.