Is Travel Insurance Worth It?

In short, yes, travel insurance is worth it. We all know the critics out there, and the confident travelers who believe they are so invincible that they don’t need travel insurance. While it is a personal decision (security won’t kick you off the plane if you don’t have it), buying travel insurance is smart and safe not only for your health but also for your wallet. Traveling internationally without a travel insurance plan is definitely not the same as opting-out of the insurance for the $300 iPad you just bought. The mentality of “it won’t happen to me” is not one you want to have when deciding on whether or not to purchase travel insurance.

Debunking Travel Insurance Myths

One of the most common myths is when people think they don’t need travel insurance because they never get sick. You may have a rockstar immune system, but that won’t help you if you get seriously injured when cliff jumping in Croatia or if your laptop gets stolen. Travel insurance covers you for so much more than just illness.

I also hear quite often, “I already have health insurance” as a reason to not purchase travel insurance. In most cases, your health insurance won’t cover you abroad. Even if it did, as I mentioned above it still won’t help cover situations specifically covered by travel insurance such as your personal valuables, emergency evacuation, or trip cancellation.

Skiing in Colorado

What to Look for in a Travel Insurance Policy

When purchasing travel insurance you always want to read through the details of the policy to make sure it includes everything you need for your trip. The following are a few options you’ll want to look for:

• Emergency accident and sickness expense
• Emergency evacuation & repatriation
• Trip cancellation – covers previously purchased items such as hotel and flight bookings
• Trip interruption – if you suddenly need to return home due to death/illness in the family, or another emergency
• Trip delay
• Lost baggage and personal effects (including at least some coverage for your electronics)
  • Note that there typically are add-ons to cover you if you’re traveling with a lot of expensive equipment, like for photography or videography for example.
• Baggage delay
• 24-hour assistance – you never know when an emergency will occur!

Again, the most important part is to always make sure you read the policy wording so you know exactly what’s covered – and what’s not. There are different plan levels, such as higher coverage amounts or more “adventurous” activities like cliff jumping, hang gliding, or skydiving.

World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers. If you leave home without travel insurance or your policy runs out, you can buy or extend while on the road.

Hiking in Colorado

Why Travel Insurance is Worthwhile

Think about how much it will save you if anything were to happen. Buying travel insurance is a small price to pay for a safety net that could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars if you experienced an unexpected emergency. The cost of an emergency trip evacuation could cost upwards of $100,000 without travel insurance, and that is certainly not worth the risk for me to travel without insurance.

When planning your trip, include travel insurance in your trip expenses and don’t think about it as something you’ll maybe add on later. To receive the full benefits including trip cancellation coverage, make sure to buy it when purchasing the tickets for your trip.

Travel insurance is well worth it so you can travel feeling safe and confident knowing that you’re in good hands if an unexpected accident, theft, or illness were to happen along your journey.

Kayaking in Croatia

Why I Use World Nomads

Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more. It is a quick and easy process through their website, and they make their options clear so you can make a well-informed decision about the plan that is best for you. They have the most affordable options I have seen in the travel insurance industry, but they certainly do not sacrifice quality as their plans offer thorough coverage suited for the majority of travelers.

Why buy travel insurance?

1. Backed by specialist insurers and global assistance partners
2. Buy Online, even if you’ve already left home
3. Extend and claim online while traveling
4. Covers a range of adventure sports and activities
5. Give a little back and support a community development project

Whether you are traveling now, tomorrow, or six months from now, buy your travel insurance today and don’t skimp on your health. Fill in your details here to find a travel insurance plan that works for you!

Please note that some of the links on this page are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission that will help support this site if you make a purchase. World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers in over 100 countries. As an affiliate, I receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. I do not represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance. All opinions are my own. If you have any questions about the companies or products mentioned on this page, please reach out to me and I will happily answer them.