Why You Need Travel Insurance

World travel has become more and more tenuous simply because of a growing range of disasters that can and have struck at the most inopportune moments, making travel insurance an imperative.
Even though you may not be a victim of a tsunami, hurricane or act of terror, you might become embroiled in costly delays or have to outlay for accommodation and medical costs that are not factored into the holiday budget.

Risks associated with travel are on the up and up

The risks associated with local and international travel seem to be on the up and up; one only needs to open the daily broadsheets to be reminded of the growing number of attacks on tourists.

A young French school girl is gunned down in Egypt; the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team is attacked en route to the Lahore cricket ground; and, since the failed 'War on Terror', foreigners are targeted on a daily basis by fundamentalists and fanatics. The world is arguably no longer a safe place to explore and it would be remiss of anyone in this day and age not to contact an insurance broker to cover oneself with some sort of travel insurance.

It doesn't have to be an unmitigated disaster that effectively scuppers your vacation time; you may simply fall ill during your brief stay on foreign shores. Without the aid of your travel insurance partners at the holiday destination, merely finding a reputable doctor or clinic could become a real burden, especially if you do not speak the language.

Medical costs can be more painful than the injury itself

The cost of medical treatment can often turn out to be a major expense if you are not adequately covered. Simply twisting an ankle on the snow-covered slope or having a run-in with an angry bull in Pamplona may very well be painful but, if you are not insured, the costs accrued could turn out to be far more damaging than the injury itself.

Should you be unfortunate enough to get seriously injured, then an emergency evacuation home may be the only option you'd be inclined to consider, which would come at a significant cost. What of the activities, accommodation and transport you have already paid for in full?

Weather delays will become more frequent

Then there are weather delays that consistently put pressure on flight schedules. One of the busiest transport hubs in the world, Heathrow Airport near London, was brought to a complete standstill recently because of unprecedented snowfalls. Experts agree that more and more unusual weather patterns are going to arise as a direct result of carbon emissions and resultant global warming, so if you plan to travel you should be prepared for the unusual.

Personal effects habitually disappear

Luggage and personal effects in transit have a rather mysterious way of disappearing these days, even though security has allegedly been beefed up. One can only assume that there is a Baggage Island out there somewhere, where thieves are harbouring all our missing booty. Although the insured can afford to be tongue-in-cheek about the increasing incidence of theft, the uninsured traveller will not be smiling.

In the words of the Director General of Home Affairs in South Africa, Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba:
"During the past few years, we have assisted a growing number of our people who have become victims of crime, accidents, illness, death, natural/man-made disasters, civil unrest or whose family and/or next-of-kin needed to contact them in an emergency". That said, all South Africans travelling abroad are encouraged to take out travel insurance.

http://www.chadwicks.co.za

5 Steps to Selecting an Overseas Insurance Policy

Most travelers have questions when it comes to selecting an overseas travel medical insurance policy. With a myriad of options and information available online, here is a simple five-step process to help guide you in your decision-making.

1 - Choose Your Insurer

The first step you'll want to take is to select an overseas insurance company. Many overseas insurance companies offer a wide array of products, but not all insurers are created equal. In the overseas insurance market, you can choose to buy direct from a specific company (Mnui.com, Imglobal.com, SevenCorners.com) or compare similar policies from multiple companies (GoMissiontrip.com).

2 - Let Trip Length be Your Guide

In general, overseas policies are designed for specific trip lengths and styles. Short-term policies generally focus on travel shorter than 6 months, while long-term policies can be annually renewable for folks relocating overseas. Special policies also exist for travelers taking multiple trips overseas in a given year, or groups traveling together for short-term trips.

3 - Select a Deductible and Plan Maximum Wisely

The key premium factors for overseas insurance policies include age, time overseas, plan maximum, and deductible. Of these four elements, the plan maximum and policy deductible are the easiest to change. The deductible is simply a matter of personal risk tolerance, and most overseas deductibles range from $0 to $2,500 per person.

The average emergency evacuation costs $25,000, and as a result of this, you'll most likely want a policy maximum of at least $50,000 for your policy. To be safe, it's best to opt for coverage of $100,000 or above.

4 - Any Special Circumstances?

Traveling inside the US? Looking for additional insurance when you return to the US after your trip? Need extreme sports coverage? Make sure that you take into account any "special" circumstances that may affect you when choosing a policy. Many additional riders and options are available - be sure to select the options according to your needs.

5 - Online or Mail Fulfillment

The final step in selecting your policy is a choice between online or direct mail fulfillment. Essentially, where do you want your policy documents sent? If your trip is approaching in the next week, you may want to opt for online fulfillment. If you like the security of having an official insurance card on your trip, select direct mail, and your policy documents will be sent to you via direct mail.

Matt Girden is the operations director of GoMissionTrip.com, a company dedicated to providing overseas medical insurance coverage to missionaries and worldwide travelers. The information listed above is generalized, and does not represent a specific endorsement of any insurance company or policy. See brochures of specific insurance policies for details, and be sure to speak with your insurance broker before making any decisions

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Girden