Travel 101 - Travel Insurance

There are three general types of travel insurance to consider: trip cancellation insurance, travel health insurance and emergency evacuation insurance. While it is preferable to cover all your bases and purchase a travel insurance plan that includes all three types, Global Basecamps strongly advises obtaining the trip cancellation and medical evacuation insurance.

Trip Cancellation Insurance

For a small percentage of the total cost of your trip, Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance covers any penalties that may be accrued due to trip cancellation or an early termination of a trip in the event of a personal or family medical emergency. The benefits of having Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance far exceed the costs, especially for travel to far-flung, remote destinations where airfare can be very expensive.

Emergency Evacuation Insurance

In the event that a medical emergency should occur while traveling, Emergency Evacuation Insurance covers the costs of being evacuated by a chartered air ambulance with an attending physician and nurse and medical supplies, as well as any necessary customs and immigration clearance costs. Although Emergency Evacuation Insurance can be expensive, the cost of being insured is next to nothing in relation to what you would have to pay out of pocket in the event that a medical emergency occurred. This type of insurance is especially recommended for travelers who will be traveling to Third World or remote destinations where proper medical facilities may not be available and for travelers who are planning on participating in recreational or adventurous excursions. Emergency Evacuation also applies to political or natural emergencies where it is imperative that a flight out of the country is available for safety and health reasons.

Travel Health Insurance

Travel Health Insurance is a general health insurance plan that covers most medical expenses that may be accrued while traveling. Although it is good to have in the case of an emergency, it is also rather expensive and tends to be more of a secondary insurance by reimbursing you for any medical expenses that your primary health insurance plan will not cover. For those reasons, a general Travel Health Insurance plan is more typically recommended for those who do not have a primary health insurance plan, or for those who are simply accident prone. However, Travel Health Insurance is required for all foreign travelers to the United States, where there is no national healthcare system resulting in extremely expensive medical expenses.

Global Basecamps is proud to partner with Travel Insured to provide multiple levels of comprehensive trip insurance for our clients. Please contact a GBC Travel Specialist for more information.