5 Reasons to Buy Travel Insurance

When clients are asked, "Are you interested in travel insurance?", travel agents know the stigma that is associated.  You are potentially going to spend a significant amount of your hard earned dollars on your trip.  The last thing you want to do is spend more money on something that probably won't be used.  And we as travel agents don't want you to have to use your travel insurance.  But it is much better to safe than sorry when traveling.

At Blue Sea Vacations, we have gotten lucky in that travel insurance for our clients has only been used on an extremely limited basis.  Go to any travel agent conference, and you are likely to hear horror stories.  It isn't uncommon to hear about clients of other agents spending thousands of dollars on unforeseen circumstances.

#1 - Natural Disasters Can Happen Anytime

Tropical Storm Franklin from our Mexican trip in August 2017.  Reviews Part I & Part II.

As we have all seen with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria recently, the toll that these disasters can take is catastrophic.  By having travel insurance, you can protect yourselves if you are ever in a situation where a natural disaster takes place.

This includes if you are forced to stay in a location for longer than expected because you can't get a flight out, you are covered.  Just as a point of reference, recent "distressed" rates were about $150/per person per night.  Or if you need to cut your trip short and go home, you will be reimbursed for any pre-paid non-refundable expenses.

#2 - Getting Sick or Injured Before or During Your Trip

What happens if you get sick or have an injury two days before your trip?  With travel insurance, you'll be covered.  But a bigger issue is what happens if you get sick or are injured during your travels.  This is where having travel insurance can have a huge impact.  If you need to be medical-evacuated, the costs can go into the tens of thousands of dollars, but you would be covered.

#3 - Lost or Delayed Baggage

The little known international arrivals building at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, WI. This is where you go through customs and get your luggage.

This can be one of the most frustrating things for a traveler to experience.  Especially on your way to a destination.  If this situation ever happened to you,  rest assured that you will be reimbursed for lost or stolen items.  If it's just delayed, any essentials you might need to purchase are covered.

I used to think that this would never happen to me.  Then, sure enough, flying into Milwaukee after my wedding, one of our checked bags didn't show up on the carousel.  When we checked with the agents, they could immediately tell that our bag was in Albuquerque!  It arrived back in Milwaukee the next day, and luckily it only had clothes and not our wedding gifts!

#4 - Missed Connections and Cancelled Flights

Could there be a worse way to start a trip?  Your flights can make a huge impact on a trip.  If you missed a connection, you could very well miss the departure of a cruise.  Or a pre-paid tour or hotel reservation may go to waste.  A great feature of travel insurance is that if you miss your connection, and it is due to weather or the airline (not your fault), you are covered.

#5 - Help When Traveling

When you use an agent, and specifically us at Blue Sea Vacations, you can contact us anytime to help with your trip.  But what happens if there is an emergency?  Many times it will be quicker to just call the insurance company themselves even before calling your agent.  That is because the insurance company will have a list of doctors in foreign countries you can see.  They can wire you money in case your wallet or purse is stolen.  And help with missed connections.

The cost travel insurance can vary, but in general it will be between 4-8% of the total cost of your trip.  This is a small price to pay for the security and benefits that come along with purchasing a policy.

Contact Blue Sea Vacations today with any
travel insurance questions.  
​Or to help book your next amazing vacation!

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