4 Myths About Travel Insurance

Do you know what kills the excitement of planning a new adventure faster than the thought of having to shell out more cash for travel insurance? The thought of having to shell out even more cash if you don’t have travel insurance.

Unfortunately, travel insurance myths can prevent travelers from taking the extra steps necessary to protect themselves. While it’s true that travel coverage does cost more, it’s a small price to pay in the event an urgent event pops up and completely derails your plans. 

Here are the top four travel insurance myths dispelled. 

Myth #1: Travel Insurance is Too Expensive

Many travelers forego travel insurance because they believe the myth that it’s too pricey. The truth is that travel insurance usually only costs 4-8% of your total trip costs. When you’re traveling, it’s safe to say you cannot foresee the cruise line misplacing your luggage or needing to be airlifted to a hospital. Luckily, most travel insurance plans include the cost of a new wardrobe and medical evacuations.

If you aren’t insuring any of your travel expenses and just want coverage for medical events and travel delays, travel insurance policies can be quite affordable. When you take into account that an emergency situation necessitating a medical evacuation could cost upwards of $50,000 (eeek…that’s expensive!), spending $30-$50 on a travel insurance policy to insure your trip seems like a no-brainer. 

Plus, you’ll have access to 24/7 emergency assistance services with your insurance plan. Considering how much travel insurance costs compared to the price of not having proper trip coverage, we would go so far as to say that it is too costly not to get insurance as a traveler.

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Pro Tip: The best way to find affordable travel insurance coverage without missing out on comprehensive benefits is to use a comparison site like Yonder

Myth #2: Buying Travel Insurance is Difficult

This is a total myth. Luckily for you, purchasing a travel insurance plan has never been easier –it literally takes a few minutes! Our travel insurance experts have gone over tons of policies from numerous insurance companies in order to guarantee we’ll find the best trip coverage that fits the needs of your trip. 

Plus, Yonder’s site allows you to compare top travel insurance policies from the top travel insurance providers side-by-side and filter quote results for specific benefits to ensure you’re getting the coverage you need the most. Regardless of whether or not you’re cruising, flying, or touring, we can provide an instant quote for a policy that is unique to your travel style. 

Pro Tip: If you need assistance finding a policy recommendation, our team of friendly humans would be happy to help make a recommendation and answer any of your questions.

Myth #3: My Health Insurance Provides Enough Coverage

While you may feel like opting for extra medical coverage for your upcoming trip is unnecessary, we’re here to tell you that isn’t the case (and is one of the biggest insurance myths!). Don’t fall for this myth! Sure, you can spend that money on other activities on your trip, but you also may be unaware of the small print on your existing major health insurance that could leave you without coverage if an accident were to happen. 

Some areas of exclusion to your current health insurance coverage could be:

  • Medical evacuation
  • Emergency transportation home
  • Traditional medical costs
  • Hospital confinement allowance
  • Trip cancellation
  • Trip interruption.

The list can go on since different policies offer different benefits for medical coverage, but we think you’re starting to get the idea. Double-check to see if your health insurance provider covers pre-existing conditions in their terms, as it’s possible they may be listed as exclusions. There are some travel insurance policies that include coverage for pre-existing conditions if you need extra insurance.

Accidents and illnesses happen during vacations more than you think. If your health insurance doesn’t provide coverage outside the U.S., you’ll likely have to pay for the medical bill out-of-pocket. Here are some of the most common vacation injuries and conditions in no particular order:

  • Falls/slips
  • Bike injuries
  • Food poisoning
  • Sunburn
  • Heatstroke
  • Road accidents/injuries
  • Stomach illness
  • Heart issues

Pro-Tip: Travel insurance isn’t just coverage for medical mishaps. Most comprehensive plans also include trip cancellation, trip interruption, and other travel loss/delay benefits like baggage loss too.

Myth #4: My Credit Card Has Travel Insurance

Unfortunately, not every credit card has travel insurance, so make sure to look carefully at its conditions before going on your trip. Even if you do have coverage through your credit card, you most likely won’t have nearly the same amount of coverage or flexibility to increase coverage or cancel as you would with a comprehensive policy. If you use your affinity program to book flights, then you will be protected from any travel inconvenience in the event that your flight gets delayed or cancelled. Other than that, other medical expenses may not be covered unless it’s clearly specified in the insurance provider’s policy. 

If your bank card travel perks are not up to par with your traveling needs, we can help make sure you have any other needed coverage. Learn more about our comprehensive insurance plans and compare them today.

All in all, travel insurance is a vital part of preparing for your next trip that many unfortunately overlook –until they experience a crisis or accident on their vacation. Buying a policy can save you thousands of dollars and provide you with the inner peace you need to travel with confidence!

Start the travel insurance plan comparison process right now to find the best insurance for you by using our instant quote tool. You can even email your travel insurance quote to yourself to review it another time or reach out to us at [email protected]

Kate's authoritative voice in travel writing is backed by years of extensive travel experience, allowing her to infuse her writing with the tips and tricks she has gathered over time. This wealth of experience enhances her ability to write authoritatively on travel-related topics.

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