Do Vacationing Seniors Need Travellers Insurance? 5 Insights to Consider
Your bags are packed, your passport is at the ready, and you’ve arranged for your neighbor to water your plants and collect your mail. All that’s left to do now is enjoy your vacation, right? Not so fast. Have you considered whether you need travellers insurance? It’s sensible for vacationing seniors to purchase a policy. Here are five insights to consider.
1. Travellers Insurance Reimburses You for Canceled Trips
What happens if you become ill right before your trip or the beautiful island destination you had in mind is hit by a hurricane? Travellers insurance reimburses you for the cost of flights, car rentals, hotel rooms, and other expenses in these situations.
However, it’s important to note that you will only be reimbursed for covered reasons unless you purchase a more expensive cancel-for-any-reason (CAFR) policy. Additionally, you should know that CAFR policies only reimburse a percentage of your travel fees.
2. Travellers Insurance Helps With Trip Interruptions and Delays
Similarly to cancellations, travellers insurance protects you if you experience delays or interruptions to your trip. So if your flight is delayed due to severe weather, you become ill during your trip, or you need to return home to attend to an emergency, travellers insurance helps with the expenses.
Remember, it’s important to save all your receipts to show proof of your expenses. Your insurance company will ask for them during the reimbursement process.
3. Travellers Insurance Covers Lost Luggage
Have you thought about what you will do if you arrive at your destination but your luggage doesn’t? It’s an all-too-frequent occurrence.
Fortunately, travellers insurance covers lost and delayed luggage so you can purchase necessities or be reimbursed if your luggage isn’t found. However, cash and very expensive items, like heirloom jewelry, aren’t covered. So don’t pack these items in your luggage.
4. Medical Expenses Abroad Can Be Devastating Without Travellers Insurance
As seniors, we need to be especially aware of our health and the potential need for medical care while travelling abroad. What happens, for example, if you become ill or experience a fall? Your Canadian and provincial health insurance plans are unlikely to cover your medical bills abroad, and medical expenses in other countries can be very expensive.
Additionally, you may be refused medical care in some countries if you do not have insurance and cannot pay immediately. As a result, all seniors should be sure to have travellers insurance that covers preexisting conditions and medical evacuation back to Canada or to another country where you can receive appropriate medical care.
5. Travellers Insurance Covers Repatriation in Case of Death
Although death is something none of us like to think about, it’s important to consider what would happen if you were to die abroad while vacationing. Without travellers insurance, your family members could face a nightmare trying to repatriate your remains.
Be sure to purchase a policy that covers expenses for preparation and repatriation of your remains and which will pay for a loved one to travel to identify you, if necessary. Your policy should also cover burial or cremation outside of Canada. These clauses should be covered under your medical travellers insurance.
Travellers insurance gives vacationing seniors the peace of mind to know that their expenses are covered in the event of delays, cancellations, lost luggage, accidents, or illness. It’s well worth the investment to be able to enjoy your trip, regardless of any hiccups you experience along the way.
P.S. Before you leave on vacation, don’t forget to fill out your leave of absence forms so you don’t receive applicable charges while you’re away!
