Hurricane season has started in the Atlantic. Weather news has been focused on Hurricane Dean, the massive storm relentlessly chugging toward Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Views of the Category 4 storm taken from the International Space Station show an alarming whirlpool of angry clouds spinning over a huge section of the ocean. No wonder frightened tourists are mobbing Caribbean airports trying to flee Dean's path. When you plan a vacation, sometimes renting a timeshare months or even a year in advance, there's no way to plan for the weather or natural disasters. No one plans to vacation in the eye of a hurricane, on a tropical island during a tsunami, in the midst of a crowded city when an earthquake strikes or during any of the other myriad disasters that befall our planet. You can plan your vacation down to the minute, but you can't plan on the weather. Mother Earth has a mind of her own! What you can do is consider purchasing travel insurance. There are various types of travel insurance to cover the host of unpleasant emergency situations you may find yourself in when you are far from home:
- Travel Medical Insurance and International Medical Insurance pay for major medical expenses including doctor and/or hospital care, emergency surgery and extended hospital stays for sickness or injury, even medical evacuation back home, if necessary. Deductibles and co-pays may apply. Travel assistance may also be included.
- Travel Accident Insurance and Accidental Death Plans pay a lump sum if you are killed or seriously injured (loss of limb or eye) in an accident. Repatriation of remains in case of death if usually included. You can purchase insurance for travel by plane, common carrier or 24-hour coverage which pays a benefit for accidental death or dismemberment no matter how or where they occur during travel. Terrorism is usually included, though some policies require a separate rider. War is generally not covered, but you can purchase War Risk Insurance at very high prices.
- Emergency Evacuation Insurance covers the cost of transporting a seriously ill or injured person to either the nearest medical facility, a hospital near home or a hospital of his choice. Often included in travel medical and trip protection plans, emergency evacuation insurance can also be purchased as a stand-alone policy.
- Travel Protection Plans and Trip Cancellation Insurance cover the cost of unreimbursed travel expenses if you are forced to cancel your vacation due to an unexpected crisis (death, accident, illness, airline strike, travel company bankruptcy, etc.). Some policies also provide travel assistance, lost or damaged luggage, and limited medical coverage (sometimes with a co-pay).
- Post Departure Trip Protection covers you against travel delay, trip interruption, trip cancellation, and baggage loss or delay.
While most insurance covers only a specific vacation period, Multi-Trip Travel Insurance may be a cost-effective investment for frequent travelers. Multi-trip insurance is usually sold as a package that includes medical, emergency assistance, medical evacuation, accidental death, baggage and trip delay protection. Plans are available for both domestic and international travel.
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