WHAT IS TRAVEL INSURANCE ALL ABOUT?
Ready to dig into the ultimate travel insurance guide? We’ve done our research to provide in-depth answers to all your travel insurance questions starting with:
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WHAT’S THE PURPOSE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE?
Travel insurance is there to protect you if travel emergencies strike, but also to reimburse you for money you’ve already spent on your trip – on plane tickets, hotel rooms, tours, luggage, and personal items – if you have to cancel before it’s even time to leave.
If you think you won’t have travel issues when you travel, consider that:
More than 22 million bags are mishandled annually[1]
[1] https://www.sita.aero/globalassets/docs/surveys--reports/baggage-report-2018.pdf
More than 300,000 flights annually are cancelled[2]
[2] https://www.flightstats.com/v2/global-cancellations-and-delays
More than 6,000,000 flights are delayed[3]
[3] https://www.flightstats.com/v2/global-cancellations-and-delays
HOW DOES TRAVEL INSURANCE WORK?
Every traveler won’t choose the same kind of insurance. In general, the best travel insurance for you is going to depend upon a few variables:
+ Where you’re going
+ How you’re getting there
+ How much you’re spending
+ What you’re doing
And those variables have to be matched up with the different types of travel insurance:
Flight protection
Plans like AirCare®, that just cover your flights.
Basic plans
Inexpensive trip policies that cover trip interruption and cancellation, medical emergencies, and luggage, but may not pay out as much as higher-priced plans.
Comprehensive plans
Mid-priced plans that can offer standard limits for trip interruption/cancellation, medical evacuation, and medical expenses; coverage for pre-existing conditions; and coverage for things like missed connections not covered in basic plans.
Luxury plans
More expensive plans that offer higher limits of coverage for medical expenses and medical evacuation.
Specialty plans
Medical-only, evacuation-only, or adventure plans, often with higher limits than might be found in comprehensive or luxury plans. Many times these plans are bought in cases of obvious need – for instance, an adventurous traveler venturing deep into the Amazonian bush who decides she needs a standalone medical-evacuation in the event she needs to be air-lifted out.
When you match up the variables with the types of travel insurance, you get this:
Note that this is a highly simplified guide, and if you’re serious about travel insurance you need to look at the advantages of individual travel insurance plans in much more detail.
To get into coverage specifics, visit Chapter 2: "What does travel insurance cover?".
WHAT IS TRAVEL INSURANCE GOOD FOR? JUST ASK OUR CUSTOMERS.
The main thing travel insurance is good for? Peace of mind – both during and after a trip. Here’s a true story of how travel insurance works and can help a traveler in need.
"Got Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection for our 5th anniversary trip to Japan. The idea here is to always purchase such insurance but hope to never use it. So it helped that the prices offered to us were very competitive. The agent on the phone was very friendly and efficient and the whole call took less than 15 minutes.
Sadly, my wife sustained a medical emergency during the trip and we ended up having to visit the ER in Tokyo. When we came back, processing the claim with Berkshire Hathaway was one of the most painless experiences I have experienced. The agents in question were very helpful and the whole thing was completed inside of 2 weeks. I will definitely purchase any future travel protection plans from them."
– Mahesh N.
For coverage and quote information, see our travel insurance plans or get a quote now.
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The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries. Coverage and benefits will vary depending on product and state of residency. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travel Insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company; NAIC #22276.
