Travel insurance is one of those things that you don’t think you need until an emergency happens on a trip. Reddit is filled with posts and comments detailing how travel insurance saved people money, stress, and even lives in unfortunate situations. So should you get travel insurance for your next vacation? Here’s what Reddit’s top posts have to say.
Main Questions Around Travel Insurance
Some of the most common questions around whether to purchase travel insurance include:
- Do I need travel insurance? While not mandatory, travel insurance can provide coverage if something goes wrong with flights, hotels, luggage, or health. Ultimately it’s a personal choice based on your risk tolerance.
- What does travel insurance cover? Policies can include trip cancellation, travel delays, lost/damaged baggage, medical emergencies abroad, flight accidents, 24/7 travel assistance services, and more. But coverage varies, so read the fine print.
- How much is travel insurance? Expect to pay 4-8% of your total trip cost for a comprehensive policy. The price depends on the policy level, trip cost and length, traveler age and residency, and covered destinations.
- Should I get airbnb travel insurance? Many home rental platforms don’t provide coverage for property damages or liability. Separate insurance designed for vacation rentals fills this gap.
Redditors Share Their Travel Insurance Success Stories in Top Posts
Numerous Reddit posters over the years have shared stories about times when they were extremely grateful they purchased travel insurance. A few highlights:
- One Redditor’s husband had a massive heart attack just after arriving for their cruise vacation. Their policy covered all medical bills, immediate trip cancellation without question, daily calls/support, and final flight home with a nurse escort.
- Another poster shattered their knee in Thailand and required surgery/hospitalization. Travel insurance reimbursed over $2000 in medical costs along with additional food and lodging expenses while recovering before they could fly home.
- A family traveling to Alaska all got COVID on their trip leading to quarantine and extra days there. Insurance reimbursed additional hotel and meal costs along with the prorated portion of their tour cost for the next cancelled leg in Canada.
- One Redditor had to cancel their transatlantic flight last minute due to their father’s death and got immediate reimbursement on the $1500 ticket cost difference for their new return flight arrangements.
The overall consensus is that while paying for travel insurance feels like wasting money in the moment, it can save you from financial disaster or provide invaluable assistance if catastrophe strikes. As many Redditors have learned firsthand, it’s an investment worth making for the peace of mind alone.
What Kind of Coverage To Consider
Travel insurance plans span from bare bones to very comprehensive. Assess your risk tolerance, existing coverage sources like credit cards, and budget to decide what to include:
Medical – Most important when going abroad. Covers overseas hospital/doctor/Rx bills, emergency medical transports home, 24/7 travel assistance services, etc. Some countries require this.
Evacuation/Repatriation – Evacs critical patients home or to nearest acceptable facility. Repatriates remains home when tragedy strikes. Often 6-figures without insurance.
Trip Cancellation – Reimburses prepaid non-refundable trip costs if you must cancel due to illness/injury, mandatory quarantine, family death, destination becoming high-risk area per government, and other covered reasons. Lets you reschedule.
Trip Interruption – Reimburses unused prepaid portions and additional transportation costs to get home early if a trip is interrupted mid-way by covered circumstances.
Travel Delay – Reimburses expenses like hotel, meals, and transportation if departures are delayed over set threshold like 12 hours due to reasons other than carrier insolvency/bankruptcy.
Missed Connection – Covers overnight stays and new travel arrangements if you miss a cruise, tour, or next flight due to a delay causing a tight connection.
Baggage Loss/Damage – Reimburses repair/replacement costs along with necessities if bags don’t arrive or get damaged. Often excludes high value items so read luggage limitation rules.
Other – Consideraddons like rental car damage waiver, sports equipment coverage, identity theft services, and insurance for high value items. Compare inclusions across plans.
Getting the right travel insurance coverage provides peace of mind should things go unexpectedly wrong before or during a trip. Asking for advice in r/travel community helps identify common issues and smart protection based on others’ experiences. Review policy options carefully to find the optimal fit.