Travel Insurance
Are you looking for insurance before you travel?
Insurance is a must for any study abroad or travel experience. The key is understanding what insurance to have where. Below are a few tips on utilizing your existing insurance coverage as well as additional insurance providers we work with.
Getting Started.
There are several types of travel insurance policies available. Policies range from trip cancellation insurance to emergency medical evacuation insurance, all of which vary widely in what they cover and how much they cost. Make sure you know exactly what your policy will and will not cover before you purchase additional coverage, and always buy your insurance from a reputable company. First take a look at your existing insurance policies to see what they will cover. Some health insurance policies will cover medical emergencies overseas while others will not. Many home-owner's policies cover baggage loss. Also, many credit card companies offer their members baggage loss, international medical assistance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance if they simply charge their airline tickets on their credit card or for a small additional fee.
A general travel insurance policy.
When considering travel insurance, take the time to think about how much money you'll be putting down before your trip. Are you purchasing expensive airline tickets that can't be refunded? Are you putting down a large non-refundable deposit on a cruise or tour? If the answer is yes, or if you might cancel for any reason, then buying trip travel insurance is a good idea. These policies will protect you and your trip from weather, theft, cancellation, accident, sickness, and even death.
Health insurance.
Most students and travelers have some form of health insurance and chances are that policy is going to give you some coverage abroad or ‘out of network.’ The only way to understand exactly what coverage you have is to call your existing provider and ask. A couple other ares to ask about are ‘evacuation coverage’ and ‘repatriation coverage’. Evacuation coverage will pay for you to fly home for treatments or surgeries and repatriation coverage will pay to have your body transported home if you die, god forbid! Each of these are generally required by most colleges and universities for those of you studying abroad.
Buying travel insurance.
We work almost exclusively with STA Travel. They have a good basic travel insurance package that is very flexible and affordable. They also offer discounts for students or teachers. These insurance package should be a nice supplement to any existing insurance plans you have and will protect you from weather, theft, cancellation, major accidents, and additional medical and life insurance coverage. Take a look at the link below and see if the coverage works for you and your travel experience!