The Most Common Vacation Accidents – And How Travel Protection May Help

Vacations are meant to be a time of relaxation, exploration, and memory-making with friends and family while you see incredible sights and dine on amazing food. However, accidents can happen when you least expect them, turning your dream vacation into a nightmare.

That's where travel protection comes in. Travel protection plans, like the ones Generali Global Assistance offer, which include insurance and assistance services, can help mitigate the impact of unexpected mishaps, so you can focus on enjoying your trip.

In this blog, we’re sharing a list of the seven most common injuries people experience while on vacation and how travel protection may help. From slips and falls to traffic accidents, and even water-related incidents, having the right protection can make all the difference. We Offer Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage, which provides crucial support in the most severe cases.

1. Slips and Falls

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) Falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among adults aged 65 and older, with the age-adjusted fall death rate increasing by 41% from 55.3 per 100,000 older adults in 2012 to 78.0 per 100,000 in 2021. These incidents can occur in various settings, including while traveling, such as navigating uneven terrains, slippery hotel bathrooms, or crowded airports

These stumbles can lead to broken bones, sprained joints, and worse. Fortunately, travel insurance plans with 24/7 Travel Assistance from Generali Global Assistance offers coverage for medical expenses resulting from these accidents, as well as emergency medical evacuation from practically anywhere.

If you need to see a doctor, get an X-ray, or receive physical therapy while abroad, our plans  help provide coverage for these costs.

Also Read: Best Free Travel Translation and Language Apps

2. Traffic Accidents

Traffic accidents are a leading cause of injury and death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and it doesn’t matter if you're renting a car, riding a scooter, or simply crossing the street. They’re all dangerous for travelers.

It’s understandable. Often, you’re driving an unfamiliar vehicle on unfamiliar roads in a country where all the signs are in an unfamiliar language, and maybe they’re even driving on the opposite side of the street than you’re used to!

Travel protection plans from Generali Global Assistance Services offers coverage for medical expenses related to accidents on the road – not just medical coverage but coverage for your rental car is available too for Standard and Preferred plans as well as included in our Premium plan (Rental Car Damage coverage is not available for residents of Texas).

3. Water-Related Incidents

Did you know that swimming, snorkeling, and other water-related activities are among the most common causes of drowning? It’s true.

Seriously, it’s almost a sure bet that anywhere you swim on vacation, that isn’t the resort pool, is going to be more dangerous than the waters back home. There are unfamiliar bottoms, unexpected shallows, rip currents, monster waves, hypothermia-inducing waters, and poisonous sea creatures,  all posing risks..

Travel insurance plans with 24/7 Travel Assistance Services, like the plans offered by Generali Global Assistance, helps provide coverage for water-related accidents, including emergency medical evacuation, if things don't go as planned.

Also read: Tips for Luxury Travel on a Budget: Your Guide to Affordable Elegance

4. Sports Mishaps

To be explicitly clear, most travel protection plans, including ours, will not cover injuries incurred from organized sports, whether a kids’ BMX competition or a pro soccer game. However, if you sprain an ankle playing a friendly game of beach volleyball or blow out a knee skiing, our plans may help.

And assuming your skiing isn’t of the extreme variety, our travel protection plans may help pay for emergency rescue, medical costs and more.

Many travelers seek out adventure while on vacation. Generally, the younger and more adventurous you are the more likely you are to throw caution to the wind when you go on vacation, leading to accidental injury in the quest for adrenaline.

If you’re considering making adventure sports a part of your next vacation, a word of warning: Most travel protection plans won’t cover you or your travel expenses if you're hurt while mountain climbing, bungee jumping, hang gliding, parasailing, caving or spelunking, or skydiving. Here’s a full list of activities our travel protection plans don’t cover.

Also read: Tips for Luxury Travel on a Budget: Your Guide to Affordable Elegance

5. Food and Waterborne Illnesses

In some destinations, water quality and sanitation practices may not meet the standards you're used to, which can sometimes result in intestinal issues. Drinking bottled water and eating food that’s thoroughly cooked in front of you can help ward off many food and water-borne diseases but should some bug scrape through your defenses, travel protection plans like ours may help reimburse expenses related to testing, treatment, and hospitalization.

Also read: Tips for Luxury Travel on a Budget: Your Guide to Affordable Elegance

6. Animal Encounters

Animals have all kinds of ways to hurt you, from bites and stings to kicks and violent dismounts. And you might even encounter types of animals you’re not familiar with when you travel.

The travel protection plans available on our website help if you encounter animal-related accidents on your trip (unless you’re involved in a rodeo or other organized sport), so you can get the medical attention you need and focus on recovery.

Also read: Tips for Luxury Travel on a Budget: Your Guide to Affordable Elegance

7. Natural Disasters

Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and other unexpected disasters can strike while you're on vacation, disrupting your plans and threatening your safety.

In addition to providing coverage for Trip Interruption, Trip Cancellation, and Emergency Assistance & Transportation related to a natural disaster during your trip, our plans help pay the cost of medical treatment for injuries incurred during a natural disaster.

However, for those events that are significantly more severe and far less common, our plans offer …

Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Coverage

Sometimes accidents are life-altering events that cause the loss of a limb, an eye, or even a life.

While rare, accidents happen. If you’re in an accident during your trip and suffer a loss of life, limb or sight, our plans offers  coverage options that can help provide payment:

• AD&D-Air Flight Accident may provide coverage if anyone listed on the plan is injured in an accident on a flight during the trip. This coverage is included with all plans available on Generali Global Assistance.
• AD&D-Travel Accident may provide coverage if anyone listed on the plan is injured in an accident at any time during the trip. This coverage is included with our Preferred and Premium Plans.

AD&D coverage may pay certain amounts depending on the severity of the event, helping individuals and their loved ones recover and rehabilitate.

These vacation accident risks are hard to talk about and far harder to experience, but travel protection is there to help, especially in the worst situations.

If you’re curious about how a travel protection plan helps all sorts of accidents and injuries, read your Plan documents for full information.

We hope you never have to experience any of these events, but we also hope none of these keep you from traveling, because the world was meant to be traveled. For peace of mind, a travel protection plan from Generali Global Assistance is a great place to start.

Get a quick quote today and travel smarter!

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