Yes, Hurricane Irene tumbled throughout the United States’ Atlantic coast this past week and every corner of the news could only forecast doom-and-gloom situations. The impact was bad, but not as bad as many believed. And thus, at the very least, it led to a few ruined vacations for some poor folks out there, who had waited until the end of August to finally “get away” (mission: unaccomplished).
Would these folks in question have benefited from a little thing called “travel insurance?” Well, take a wild guess.
Gabe Saglie is the senior editor for the website Travelzoo. On the issue of travel insurance, he advises (according to the website DailyFinance) people at “this time of year” to consider it.
“It’s the peak of hurricane season,” he explains as his reasoning. So, if you’re venturing off into an area sensitive to be hit by hurricanes (i.e. the Atlantic coast) it might be a smart venture.
"Hopefully you never need it, but travel insurance is a cushion that could offset thousands of dollars,” he added. And what traveler wouldn’t feel better with that kind of safety cushion!
That being said, getting travel venture can be quite risky. Almost as risky as deciding to take a trip when a hurricane is imminent! Companies shell out attractive offers so you will be drawn to their policy. The odds are typically in their favor, too, because odds are your trip will not be affected and you won’t need any compensation for the reasons stated in the policy you agree to.
Travel insurance usually runs in the ballpark of $100 to $200, but a good rule of thumb is this: it will be about 4 to 8% of the trip’s total. In addition to that, travel insurance depends on the following: trip cost, trip length, age of travelers. Any add-ons you get will affect the overall price. And, lastly, it is in YOUR best interest to use a comparison website for pricing.
There’s also the trip’s value to take into account. For example: a lavish honeymoon, which is (usually) an expensive outing (unless you decide to just check into the neighborhood Holiday Inn). Cruises also fall under this category (especially if you have to fly to your port). Cruise companies, though, have very strict refund policies. And if you’re planning a vacation far ahead in the future, you should consider insurance. As we all know, a lot can happen within the course of just a year.
Saglie recommended, to the Daily Finance, Travel Guard and Access America, if you decide travel insurance is in your best interest.
“But read the fine print,” he advised. Weather can be a gray area for carriers as well as policies that can shift on anything from terrorism to baggage to illness, etc.
Be sure to pick an insurance policy, though, that is independent of your airline or trip packager (if you went that route). Also try and avoid going to places where the hazard of catastrophes such as hurricanes is high.
Another suggestion for any traveler scoping out insurance policies, according to the website Smartmoney, is to secure the insurance right after you book your trip (except if you are taking a cruise). Make sure you are not duplicating your claim: check with your respective credit card company to find out what it indemnifies.
It all comes down to how you feel about your vacation plans. Do you think you are possibly in jeopardy and need the peace of mind insurance can provide? Then, go for it. If not, bon voyage and hopefully you will be in a destination with minimal risk (i.e. not a hurricane hot-spot or the side of a volcano).
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