How Travel Insurance Can Help When You Fly
When flying, there are very few details you want to leave up in the air. Travel insurance for flights, which may also be called flight insurance or airline insurance, can help you travel with more peace of mind in case something unexpected happens. We’ve all heard about flight cancellations and delays, but how can travel insurance for flights help? And what other benefits does a more robust plan offer in addition to just protecting your flight?
Travel protection offers coverages and services that include benefits not found with many airline or flight-only insurance plans. If you become unexpectedly ill, get laid off from work or the plane has mechanical difficulties, then a robust travel protection plan can help.
For example, if you buy flight insurance through an airline, then it may compensate for the flight cancellation, but it may be credit towards a new flight. Airlines are not required to reimburse for missed hotel stays or transportation. However, you can seek reimbursement from a travel protection provider for all three expenses.
Flight insurance only plans cover mishaps that have to do with your flight, and that’s it. If you want a more robust plan that includes Trip Cancellation or Travel Delay coverages, then look for a plan that offers these as well as other pre- and post-departure coverages. But keep in mind, all travel protection plans have limitations about what kind of events are covered.
Flight Insurance Benefits for Cancellations and Delays
If your flight is cancelled or delayed, then it could cause a ripple effect. As part of your robust travel insurance plan, you could recoup the costs associated with booking a new flight, your missed hotel stay and transportation to and from the airport, in case of a covered event. Those costs can quickly add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars that you could be reimbursed for if you’re covered by a travel insurance plan.
Here’s an example. Let’s say you are leaving for France on a Sunday morning, and you have a prepaid, non-refundable hotel in Paris. The plane had mechanical difficulties and you wait at the airport for 5 hours before they tell you that you won’t be able to leave until the next day. When you arrive in Paris a day late, the travel protection plan would reimburse you for the hotel night you missed.
Frequent travelers recognize that this is something that happens all too often, and could happen to anyone. Imagine if you are going on a cruise and missed the cruise departure – you would have to try to catch up with the cruise at the next port of call.
Also read:
• What to do if Your Flight is Canceled
• Flying While Pregnant and Other Tips for Travel During Pregnancy
• Airport Security and Travel Advisory Quick Links
How Airline Insurance Helps with Lost or Delayed Baggage
Additionally, travel insurance often benefits someone who experiences other common airline-related difficulties including lost baggage, baggage delay and missed connections. Some plans can even cover sporting equipment delay, which means if your golf bag is late, and you have a tee time scheduled, then you could be covered for the costs associated with renting clubs.
When your baggage is delayed, then you may need to buy a few basic toiletries like a toothbrush and toothpaste until your baggage arrives. With travel insurance, you can have coverage for these items. Aside from the emotional heartache, travel protection can offer some benefits when your baggage is lost. Before you leave on your trip, take a picture or make a list of the items inside your suitcase. That way, you won’t be guessing its contents if you need to file a claim.
In the very unlikely event that there is an Air Flight Accident, travel insurance can cover Accidental Death & Dismemberment.
Also read: How to Keep Your Bags and Valuables Safe While Traveling
Travel Insurance Tips and Airline Insurance
Should you need to file a claim, here are a few tips to consider. Be sure to submit receipts items whenever possible, fill out the appropriate travel insurance forms and file the claim within the allotted timeframe. If you have questions about these details, then call your provider and ask. When it comes to travel insurance for flights, don’t be shy. Also, it’s a good idea to keep a copy of your plan documents with you in your carry on so that you can refer to your Description of Coverage or Policy.
Whatever your plans are at 30-thousand feet, be sure to consider buying a robust travel protection plan from a reputable provider such as Generali Global Assistance well before heading to the airport. That way, the only thing that will be left up in the air is your feet on the footstool in front of you.
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