For Your Post-Pandemic Vacation, Avoid These Travel Insurance Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes when it comes to travel insurance. After all, policies are chock full of exclusions and legalese. And that’s especially true for trips that were booked after the outbreak.
Travel insurance has undergone a seismic upheaval as a result of COVID, with aftershocks still being felt. Additionally, experts report that passengers are having trouble navigating this new post-pandemic atmosphere. Concerning what insurance to purchase right now, there are far more queries than there are solutions.
According to Christina Papavlasopoulos, co-founder of Shefari, a tour operator for women’s travel, “Travel insurance suppliers are still spinning from all of the pandemic-related claims.”
Errors in Purchasing Travel Insurance
Travel insurance can be quite important, but it’s also a minefield of avoidable mistakes. This is where you can make a mistake.

Considering You’re Protected

The adage “The huge print gives, the small print takes” is one you may be familiar with. That’s definitely the case with travel insurance.
In the large print, “protection” is promised, and it is implied that you will always be able to submit a successful claim. But the small print frequently goes against that.
According to Phil Sylvester, a World Nomads spokeswoman, “the most common, and expensive, travel insurance mistake is in assuming you are insured for everything.” “Be sure you know what the plan you are considering covers and what it does not, and shop around to locate a product that meets your specific situation.”

Travel Insurance Ignorance

Avoiding travel insurance is not a good idea, especially now. You can lose everything you spent on your trip, and sometimes much more. For instance, the cost of a medical evacuation might potentially put you out of business if you experience a significant medical issue while you are abroad. However, some tourists choose not to buy travel insurance because it is too expensive.
According to Damian Tysdal, a travel insurance specialist and host of the Safe Travels Podcast, this is especially true of “cancel for any reason” insurance. When arranging a trip after the coronavirus, “cancel for any reason coverage is increasingly the preferred option,” the author claims. “The higher cost is less than you think, and there is just too much uncertainty to not get it.”
In comparison to 5% to 10% for a standard travel insurance coverage, the cost of a “cancel for any reason” travel insurance policy often ranges from 10% to 12% of the cost of your trip.

Unable to Find a COVID-Covering Plan

Many insurance policies won’t provide coverage in the event of a coronavirus outbreak, but some do.
“Travelers should search for policies that cover COVID-19 when booking trips in 2021 and beyond,” advises Jeremy Murchland, CEO of travel insurance provider Seven Corners. Don’t make the error of not being ready for this, I warned. (A few of Seven Corners’ insurance include both COVID-19 and any COVID mutation coverage.)

Not Being Aware of Your Coverage’s Limits

Just because a policy covers COVID doesn’t guarantee it also covers all of the virus’s effects. Travel experts like Kyle Bruening are learning this, at least.
According to Bruening, the owner of Cruise Finder Inc., some insurance plans state they will pay for COVID-19 testing but not therapy. “Alternatively, they will only cover COVID in some jurisdictions while excluding others.” You require coverage for the coronavirus and any existing conditions that could deteriorate as a result of COVID-19.
Some of Bruening’s mildly diabetic clients are experiencing COVID-related consequences like acute renal failure or hypertensive crisis, and they’ve discovered that travel insurance doesn’t cover deteriorating symptoms.

Their “Cancel for Any Reason” Coverage Is Not Clear

According to Laura Heidt, the manager of Brownell Travel’s insurance desk, “people make the mistake of paying for this more expensive coverage while not comprehending all the rules.”
For instance, you must acquire a “cancel for any reason” coverage between 7 and 21 days after paying the first trip deposit. Additionally, in order to be eligible for compensation under the “cancel for any reason” coverage, you must cancel the trip no later than 48 hours before to departure.
Additionally, travelers believe they will receive a full refund. Heidt continues, “However, depending on the level you select, ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage only offers 50% to 75% of your out-of-pocket expenses. “Many customers mistakenly believe that it means a complete refund, cancel a trip at the last minute, and are shocked to learn that the policy doesn’t cover it or only reimburses them for half of their loss.”

Putting off purchasing travel insurance until the last minute

According to Krista Hull, a travel agent with the Colorado-based travel business My Best Friend Went, “we occasionally have a client who has a cause to cancel and they phone wanting to acquire travel insurance quickly.”
But that’s not how travel insurance operates. You cannot purchase a policy if you intend to cancel it. Hull says, “Insurance is a game of risk. “When you get insurance, the firm bets that your trip will go as planned, while you wager it won’t.” She claims that having insurance in place and never using it is the best case scenario for all parties.

Choosing the incorrect source for travel insurance

Travel agencies, airlines, cruise lines, and travel insurance providers are just a few of the places you can purchase travel insurance. In the post-COVID era, experts argue that sourcing is more important than ever.
According to Daniel Durazo, a representative for Allianz Travel, “it’s crucial to know if the company is offering its own products or just marketing items from other companies.” Pay attention to how claims are handled as well. Does the business control the claims procedure on its own? Exists a 24-hour customer service staff? Does it have an internal travel assistance team that is on call 24/7 to provide aid with travel emergencies? If “yes” is the response to those queries, you can probably purchase a policy with confidence.
And yet another. Do your research, advises Sherry Sutton, Travel Insured International’s vice president of marketing. The most crucial piece of advise, in my opinion, is to study your strategy paper, she adds. “It’s instinctual to believe your insurance will cover your event when something goes wrong.”
Not so. There is a list of exclusions in every insurance policy that outlines what is not covered. Read those in advance of purchasing your policy, not after you have to make a claim.
So how can you plan your post-pandemic holiday to avoid the worst travel mistakes? Never assume anything and carefully read your plan. Consider purchasing a “cancel for any reason” coverage, but make sure the provider is credible.
But whatever you decide, give travel insurance careful thought. The biggest error of all might be to not do that.