At the end of booking a flight on almost any airline or travel website, you are posed with the question of whether you want to protect your trip. The extra cost may help protect your travel plans if anything happens but most people are not exactly sure what travel insurance for flights does. Here FLYING discusses what travel insurance covers and helps you decide if you should purchase it.
What Is Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance is a third-party product offered by an insurance company, such as Allianz. Travel insurance is most commonly used as financial reimbursement if you have to cancel or interrupt your trip due to a covered illness, injury, jury duty, and more. Travel insurance can be purchased on a per flight basis or, if you travel frequently, you can opt to be covered on a yearly basis, similar to other types of insurance.
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
Travel insurance for flights covers a variety of unexpected changes in your travel plans.
Trip Delays
On average, more than 20 percent of domestic flights are canceled or delayed. If the type of flight insurance you purchase covers travel delays, it may reimburse you for eligible meals, accommodations, and transportation expenses during a covered delay.
Last Minute Cancellations
If you have to cancel your flight for a covered reason, such as a covered illness, injury or jury duty, travel insurance may reimburse you for your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs.
Baggage Loss, Theft, and Delay
If your baggage is lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed, your flight insurance may reimburse you for the value of your lost possessions. Which can be a lifesaver if you check luxury luggage.
In the United States, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires airlines to compensate flyers up to $3,300 for lost baggage and in foreign countries that amount is a maximum of $1,750. But to receive those maximum amounts, passengers must provide receipts proving the value of the lost bags and their contents.
Healthcare
Most travel insurance covers healthcare expenses in the event something happens on your trip that your regular health insurance does not cover. The medical benefits covered by travel insurance is to protect you in case of an illness or injury outside your insurance carrier’s plan. It provides benefits for losses due to covered medical and dental emergencies that occur during your trip. Depending on your plan, there may also be dental coverage.
What Does Travel Insurance Cost?
The cost of travel insurance varies depending on a few factors such as the age of the traveler, country traveling to and from, and how much the overall trip costs.
A domestic adult traveler within the continental United States can expect to pay between $40-$70 for travel insurance. This is based on a total trip cost of roughly $800. The same traveler traveling to India would likely spend twice as much on an airplane ticket. This means that their travel insurance would be roughly twice the cost as well, $80-$140.
The price of travel insurance will increase as the traveler ages, this is mostly due to the medical coverage attached to the plan.
Get Covered When Traveling
Now that you’re informed, consider purchasing travel insurance for your next trip. If you found this guide valuable, subscribe to FLYING Magazine to stay informed on all the latest aviation news.
FAQ
Travel insurance varies depending on your age, the countries you will visit, and the cost of the trip. On average, it costs between $30-$50 for domestic travel.
Yes, travel insurance covers loss, damage, or theft of baggage and personal effects.
Travel insurance can be a valuable benefit when traveling at any time. It can ensure you are protected in the case of unplanned illness, delays, or cancellations.
