Travel Insurance For A Multi-Destination Vacation

Vacations where you go to more than one place are fun because you can cross more than one place off your list in one trip.

You might have planned your own multi-destination trip, or you might have signed up for a tour package. When you go to more than one place, you usually have to do a lot more planning, like choosing the right travel insurance.

Lisa Cheng, a spokeswoman for the travel insurance company World Nomads, says, "Being on the go all the time can pose a number of risks and challenges. You should think about getting travel insurance to help you on every leg of your journey."

How important travel health insurance is

A very important part of a travel insurance policy is travel medical insurance. It pays for any medical bills you get while traveling.

"Your policy could cover unplanned accidents, injuries, or illnesses, and costs like doctor visits, prescription drugs, diagnostic tests, X-rays, and hospital stays could be covered," says Cheng.

It's for medical bills that come up while you're on a trip.

She says, "This kind of coverage doesn't cover preventive or routine care, like glasses or annual checkups."

Cheng says that when you buy a travel insurance plan, you also get access to a company that can help you in an emergency. The emergency assistance team can help you use the health care system at your destination. For example, they can refer you to a doctor, watch over your care in a hospital, and send your medical records to your doctor back home.

Choose a plan that has a benefit for emergency evacuation.

Emergency medical evacuation coverage is a perk of a travel plan that lets you get moved to a different hospital or sent back home if you get sick or hurt suddenly. Cheng says that some travel insurance plans also cover evacuations that aren't for medical reasons. These can be used in situations like natural disasters or political or security issues.

It's important to read your policy carefully to find out how it covers medical evacuation. It usually needs a doctor's note and should be okayed ahead of time by your travel insurance company.

Other Problems on a Trip

Cheng says that if you are going to more than one place on your trip, it is important to have a strong travel insurance plan with benefits that cover extra flight costs or personal necessities. Think about getting a travel insurance plan with these extra types of coverage:

Trip delay coverage will pay you back for any costs you have to pay because of a delay that lasts at least the number of hours your policy says it will. For example, bad weather could cause your incoming flight to be late, and you might have to wait for several hours.

A trip delay benefit could pay for things like a hotel room, food while waiting, transportation, and toiletries.

If you have to cut your trip short and come home early, trip interruption coverage can help. Check your policy to see what kinds of things are covered. "This could be anything from an accident injury to an urgent situation at work," says Cheng. "You could get reimbursed for the pre-paid parts of your trip that you didn't use and a one-way ticket home in economy class."

When your bags will be moving around a lot, it's especially important to get coverage for them. Cheng says that if your luggage or other personal items are stolen, damaged, or lost by an airline or other common carrier, a baggage benefit may be able to pay for the loss.

Here are some baggage tips for multi-destination trips.

1. Keep essentials close. Melissa DaSilva, U.S. president of Trafalgar Tours, says that you should pack your most important items in your carry-ons or day packs. This includes toiletries, medications, money, chargers, and anything else you might need for a few hours if you lose your other bags.

2. Ask for assistance. DaSilva says that if something goes wrong on a tour, people should lean on their tour guides. Da Silva says that they will help you work out any problems.

3. Make a list of everything you have before you leave. If you're bringing cameras, binoculars, jewelry, or electronic devices, take pictures of them before you leave. If something gets lost, stolen, or broken, the photos will help you get your money back.

4. Don't bring too much. Try to pack light and don't bring anything valuable. When you pack less, you have less to worry about.

Do You Need a "Upgrade to Cancel for Any Reason"?

If you have made large deposits that you can't get back, the standard trip cancellation coverage in a travel insurance policy is very helpful for a multi-destination trip. If you can't go on the trip for one of the reasons listed in the policy, you can get all of your money back.

"Cancel for any reason" (CFAR) insurance is an upgrade that you can choose to buy. It lets you cancel for a wider range of reasons than the base policy allows. Not every insurance company has CFAR.

For example, if you start to be afraid of traveling, you won't be able to use the trip cancellation benefits of a standard policy. But if you have "cancel for any reason" coverage and get scared of traveling, you can get some money back after canceling.

Your travel insurance will cost about 40% more with CFAR coverage, and CFAR reimbursement is usually 50% or 75% of your trip cost. Check out the rules for canceling a trip under a CFAR claim: You might have to cancel at least two days before your flight.

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