5 Simple Reasons Why Travel Insurance is Important

There’s a lot you have to think about before going on a trip abroad. You need to check if the destination requires a Visa followed along by planning your itinerary and what to pack.

Even though all these things are important, you shouldn’t forget to get yourself a travel insurance. I know there are still many people out there who don’t think buying one for only a few days of vacation is not necessary.

However, I want to share with you 5 simple reasons why travel insurance is important and how it can protect you from unforeseen events. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, right?

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking.)

1. Reimbursement For Various Trip Costs

First of all, you can get reimbursement for trips that are prepaid and thus mostly not refundable.

Imagine you just paid $ 5,000 for the ultimate Safari experience in Kenya for your birthday and you’re extremely excited.

However, a few days before you leave, your Dad gets really sick and ends up in a hospital. Of course, you want to be with him so you decide to cancel or postpone the trip.

So when you call the safari company and explain what happened, they understand and are very sorry. Nevertheless, you most likely won’t get your money back.

That’s the part where your travel insurance comes into play.

If it includes trip cancellation benefits (what most insurances do), you can get your money back when you have to cancel your trip for covered reasons.

Most of these reasons include unforeseen happenings such as serious illness, injury or the death of either, the insured traveler; a travel companion or even a family member.

Moreover, you can even get a refund if a natural disaster like an earthquake or a tsunami happens at your destination.

2. Emergency Medical Benefits

The second reason why travel insurance is important is that it covers many medical emergencies.

Let’s suppose no one gets sick and you can go on your dream Safari trip.

But now consider another scenario: You spot an elephant in the distance and because of all the excitement you lean yourself way too far out of the Jeep to get the perfect photo.

Seconds later you find yourself on the ground with your right elbow broken and serious head injuries. After rushing to the closest doctor/hospital, you pull out your health insurance card and show it to the staff.

Unfortunately, it’s useless and you have to pay for the medical treatments up front.

Of course, it always depends on the severity of the injuries and the kind of treatment, but the bills can range from “only” € 1,000 to more than € 10,000.

Plus, if you need medical evacuation the costs can rise up to € 100,000 and more.

Most travel insurances include emergency medical benefits and thus pay for occurring medical emergencies.

They can even cover necessary transportation to the closest hospital or medical facility, as well as more expensive costs such as getting back from a country due to injury or illness.

So if you were wondering if travel insurance is really worth it, simply look at the difference in costs between buying travel insurance and paying for medical emergencies. Then you have the answer.

3. Delayed or Lost Personal Stuff

Undoubtedly, one of the major reasons why people buy travel insurance is to cover the loss of personal stuff.

However, compared to the two reasons stated above, it’s actually the least important. You can always buy a new laptop or phone but you have only one health!

If an airline loses your complete luggage or it gets stolen, most travel insurances reimburse you for the value of your lost bags and the personal stuff inside.

Even if your luggage is only delayed, many insurance companies cover the costs involved in purchasing necessary items until your bags arrive.

4. Some Countries Require it

Believe it or not, another reason why travel insurance is important is the fact some countries simply require it.

Imagine you just landed in one of your absolute dream destinations and are now on the way to immigration.

As you arrive at the immigration counter, the staff denies you entry because of the missing travel insurance. Even though you have a valid visa, you’re prohibited to enter the country.

So every time you travel abroad, don’t forget to check whether insurance is mandatory or not.
There’s a useful list of all the countries requiring travel insurance.

5. It Makes You Feel Safer

Last but not least, one of the simplest reasons why travel insurance is important is that it makes you feel a lot safer.

Whatever unforeseen event may happen, the fact that your costs will most likely be covered by your travel insurance company makes you feel so much more carefree during your trip.

It’s a way better feeling to not have to worry in case of unexpected arising expenses.

What Type of Travel Insurance Should I Get?

With so many different travel insurance companies out there, it’s hard to decide which one to buy.

Some travelers want insurance with lots of coverage for cancellation, lost/stolen luggage, etc. Whereas others are fine with having medical benefits only.

There are even companies specified for certain types of travelers such as backpackers or even elder people.

The travel insurance I use is from SafetyWing – a company founded by digital nomads. In my opinion, it’s the best company offering overall travel insurance.

They cover a lot at a very good price and you can easily renew your insurance online within a few minutes.

Even if you travel on a tight budget, it’s smart to buy travel insurance for all your trips.

You know, prevention is better than cure!

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Do you want to travel like me?
Here are some of my favorite travel tips and resources:

Flights: I prefer using CheapOair or Skyscanner to book flights. The destination everywhere feature is perfect for finding some cheap deals!

Accommodation: Booking.com is my favorite site to find some great hotel deals. I do love staying at a local place as well, thus I book an Airbnb every now and then.

Travel Insurance: There are many reasons why travel insurance is important and I never travel without one. I use the simple and flexible one from SafetyWing that protects me against unforeseen events.

Tours: I love taking tours to explore destinations like a local. My favorite website to book them in advance is GetYourGuide.

Camera Gear: I use a Nikon D5300 camera with an 18-105 mm and a 10-20 mm wide-angle lens to take my photos.