After obtaining a travel insurance quote, many travelers wonder which travel insurance plan they should select. The answer depends on the traveler and the trip. Try to isolate which benefits of coverage are most important to that person.
A good place to start is whether or not pre-existing conditions are a concern for the traveler. Remember, even though the traveling party may be in perfect health, a family member back home may have a pre-existing condition that could lead to trip cancellation or trip interruption.
From there, try to determine if there is a desired limit of emergency medical & dental coverage. Always pay attention whether the allotted amount is per traveler or per policy. Many countries require at least $50,000 of cover in order to obtain a Visa. This tends to be a comfortable limit for many travelers. Always consider the destination, type of travel and activities that might be involved, as they may influence the limit of emergency medical & dental with which the traveler is comfortable.
Emergency medical evacuation & repatriation often has a strong influence on choosing a policy when the traveler is going to be international, or on a cruise ship. The costs of an ambulance or airlift can be substantial depending on the circumstances. Again, see if the scheduled benefit is per traveler or per policy.
If the traveler has any other specific concerns about trip cancellation or trip interruption, investigate to see if there are covered reasons addressing those concerns. If not, suggest adding cancel for any reason to the policy in order to provide complete peace of mind.
Throughout this process, continue to refer back to the premium cost. Once several benefits and desired limits of coverage are satisfied, price can become the next important criteria for selecting a plan. Also, perform a side by side comparison of the remaining plans being considered. Start to identify each plans limitations with regard to: travel delay, baggage delay, baggage & personal items loss, life insurance and other benefits. Minor variations here can help elevate a policy above the rest. For example, two policies that are similar in price, medical, medical evacuation, but one only requires a six hour delay for the travel delay benefit, while the other requires 12 hours or more, will help make the decision.
Overall, comparison is valuable in helping a traveler find the right policy for them. Thus, it is imperative to search, sort and select based on their criteria.
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