Have You Considered Holiday Insurance?

Last Updated on May 15, 2014 by Jody Halsted

There was a time before I was married that I was convinced I was bad luck.  Or rather, my planning anything was bad luck.  Like the time I bought my first house and planned a house warming party- my brother’s girlfriend died.  Or the time I planned a weekend canoeing trip with girlfriends- my friend’s dog got out of the house and got hit by a car.  Then there was the time a friend and I planned a trip to Ireland quite far in advance- and she got pregnant and wasn’t able to go.  (Believe it or not I could actually go on…)

That last example would have been a great time for us to have purchased holiday insurance.

Of course not every trip requires insurance; here’s my checklist for how to decide if you should buy vacation insurance:

  1. If something happens and you can’t go can the trip be refunded; and if it can’t will the loss of money hurt or bother you?
  2. If an accident occurs that requires medical attention do you have the cash to cover the costs?
  3. Will you be driving a rental car that isn’t covered by your own auto insurance?
  4. Do you have any sick or elderly relatives?

No one want to think about the worst scenario happening, but it does.  My friend Lara was vacationing in Vietnam when her appendix burst.  Thankfully she had purchased travel insurance before she left, the operation was performed and she only missed a few days of her trip.

Probably the best news, though, is that insuring your vacation against the unexpected is quite inexpensive- and many policies include the kids for free!

Not all vacation insurance policies are created equal, nor do you always need every option offered.  The best advice I can give on that end is to know what you need, do your research and ask questions if you don’t understand what you are buying.

A great site to begin your holiday insurance research is HolidayExtras.com, winner of the Globe Travel Awards 2010 Best Insurance Provider Award.  Their “key policy facts” page is in easy to read language and their options can cover everything from hazardous activity to weddings.

Have you purchased trip insurance?  What were your experiences?  Did you find it gave you peace of mind?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HolidayExtras.com. All thoughts and tips are my own.

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