Top travel insurance tips for 2022

Whether you are a solo traveler, business traveler, or a member of the family planning a trip abroad, getting travel insurance is a must in 2022. It’s generally considered a wise and necessary way to protect your trip and the payments you’ve made if the unexpected happens. This point remains valid given how the pandemic continues to disrupt travel arrangements globally.?

So if you’re eager to learn more, here are Pacific Prime ’s top travel insurance tips for those planning to travel in 2022.

Match your travel insurance policy to your travel arrangements and destination

You should consider your vacation destination and schedule when deciding which short-term or travel insurance policy to secure. You could be traveling during uncertain weather conditions, political situations, or stopping over in several foreign countries. Furthermore, if you are traveling to multiple destinations during one trip, then you are likely to come across a few unexpected hiccups along the way.

As a reminder, travel insurance offers financial protection from the potential pitfalls of traveling, such as:

• Baggage loss or travel document loss coverage can compensate if your personal belongings get lost, stolen, or damaged.?
• Travel delay coverage to compensate for costs incurred during an unexpected layover and/or missed arrangements you paid for in advance that are non-refundable.?
• Trip cancelation coverage for a reason outside of your control, such as a car breakdown or severe weather condition.
• Emergency medical coverage if you need to travel by medevac to a more suitable medical facility with the right medical specialists.

Medical expenses coverage should be top of mind

In most cases, travelers would typically opt for a comprehensive travel insurance plan that covers many eventualities and offers peace of mind. This is true for travelers heading to a destination far from home and offers a different level of healthcare. Hence, travel insurance plans generally come with medical expenses coverage as they cover medical treatment, medicine, X-rays, and more, depending on the policy details.

Will a travel insurance policy be enough to cover medical expenses?

It’s important to highlight here that travel insurance is intended to provide short-term emergency medical treatment within your specified destination or period of cover.?

As such, you are advised to review your destination as the medical cost of each destination will most likely vary. What’s more, your medical coverage may also be limited to a few medical benefits or have a limit attached.

This is why spending time talking to an insurer or broker (intermediary) can help you picture what you need precisely and whether the cap or limit is sufficient enough. You may also want to consider international health insurance for countries with high medical costs.

Further reading: Travel insurance vs. health insurance: What’s the difference?

Secure travel insurance once you’ve booked your trip

You should know that travel insurance, just like any other insurance policy, has specific conditions that policyholders must meet for the agreement to be binding. That said, a rule of thumb when buying travel insurance is that you should purchase a policy as soon as you've booked your trip.?

For instance, if you travel first and buy later, anything that happens between the time you depart for your trip and when the policy starts will not be covered. This decision also defeats the purpose of buying insurance in the first place.

Add “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage

Another great tip to mention is adding CFAR coverage to your plan. A standard trip cancelation benefit on a travel insurance policy applies when you cancel for a reason noted in your policy agreement. But if you need to cancel for a reason not stated in the policy, then any claim made will most definitely fall through.?

(Do note that CFAR may vary from insurer to insurer, and you tend to need to cancel ahead of time and not at the last minute. Some insurers may require you to cancel at least 48 hours before departing in order to make a CFAR claim.)

Planning for an adventure? Make sure your travel insurance covers it

If you didn’t know already, a standard travel insurance plan would typically exclude high-risk activities unless you add it as an option. For instance, if you plan on paragliding from the top of a mountain peak or skydiving from a plane, then your travel medical insurance coverage might not cover you if you sustain an injury. Therefore, it’s a good idea to ask your insurer or broker for a policy that will cover your specific higher-risk activities. This includes water sports and skiing activities wherever you plan to go.

Need more tips for buying travel insurance in 2022?

As an insurance broker, Pacific Prime has over 20 years of experience offering impartial travel insurance advice to clients worldwide. So if you are still wondering, “why do I need travel insurance?”, “how much medical travel insurance do I need?”, or “what’s the best pandemic travel insurance plan in 2022?” then our experts can help provide you with the answers.?

Contact our travel insurance experts for a free quote and price comparison today!