What is trip protection insurance? Trip protection insurance - or trip cancellation insurance, as it is also known - will usually reimburse you for non-refundable travel expenses if an unexpected crisis...
Trip protection insurance - or trip cancellation insurance, as it is also known - will usually reimburse you for non-refundable travel expenses if an unexpected crisis occurs before or during your trip causing it to be cancelled, interrupted or delayed. Some of the more common reasons for a trip being delayed or canceled are: death or illness, (of the passenger or a family member) airline strike, travel company or airline bankruptcy.
Not everybody wants or needs trip protection insurance although it's a good idea to take out some kind of trip protection insurance even if you don't feel you have to have it. This type of insurance differs from general travel insurance, in that it just addresses these factors. You may need to purchase extra coverage if you want to include emergency evacuation or emergency reunion medical services in your insurance coverage.
You can purchase trip protection insurance from the same place as other types of travel insurance - tour operator, cruise line or travel agent. The advantage of purchasing through your travel agent is that your agent knows your itinerary and has a good idea of what you may need. The advantage is that a travel agency may be receiving commission on selling insurance through a particular company.
One of the most important clauses in most trip protection insurance is the one covering the possibility of your airline going bankrupt. In today's economy, many people are wary of booking on a bankrupt airline and this may be one occasion when trip protection insurance is a particularly good idea.
One of the things problems most commonly encountered by passengers is missing or delayed luggage. If your luggage does not reach your destination with you within a certain time, you may be entitled to compensation; it depends on the extent of the delay - most airlines will start to compensate you after 24 hours. You may not receive as much compensation if you are at your home, rather than away from home.
If your luggage is damaged, you are usually entitled to some form of compensation. Generally, you usually have to report the damage in person to the airline within a certain timeframe - anything from 24 hours to 7 days from your flight's arrival, depending on whether you were flying domestically or overseas.
Most travel experts say that you should always keep important things in your carry-on bag - passport, tickets, medication, and prescriptions. And keep your carry on bag with you at all times - you are not entitled to compensation for loss or damage to your carry on bag or any items in them, under trip protection insurance. And keep an eye on your laptop if you travel with it - that's another thing that isn't covered.
Finally, make sure you read and understand all that small print on your policy. Check with the insurance company if there is something that isn't clear - after all, you do want to be able to relax on that long-overdue and well-deserved vacation.
