Why This Post is NOT About the Bahamas

Well, this newsletter was supposed to be about my recent trip to a bucket list dream of mine – specifically Exuma, in the Bahamas.

If you don’t know about the famous swimming pigs of the Bahamas, give me a call and I can fill you in! It’s been a personal dream of mine to swim with the pigs in the crystal-clear waters, and this year I finally booked the trip!

As the departure date got closer, I got more and more excited – I was packed and ready to go a week before we had to leave, the house was clean, and I was tying up loose ends at work – next stop, Bahamas!
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Until three days before I had to leave...

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- Vitamin Sea is not an effective treatment for pneumonia -

It started with a scratchy throat and sniffle here and there, but by the next day I knew I had to go to the doctor before it got worse. I was determined to fight what I thought was just a cold before my trip, but little did I know I would be diagnosed with pneumonia. I still had a couple of days before we left though, so I took my antibiotics, went home to rest and planned to use my sheer strength of will to kick the pneumonia in two days. I got this!

Unfortunately, I was wrong, and the worst was yet to come, which is why instead of sharing my experiences and pictures from Exuma with you, I’m telling you about how life just happens sometimes - whether we think it will or not.

As upset as I was about having to cancel my trip, it would have been a million times worse if I hadn’t bought travel insurance. Luckily, I was able to get fully reimbursed for the vacation and I decided to put that money towards a different bucket list item of mine – an African Safari! (You’ll have to wait until March to hear more about that though!!) I will get another chance to get to Exuma and will try again when the timing is right. 

I know it’s tempting to “wing it” when it comes to travel insurance, but the amount of things that can go wrong when you’re leaving your home are significant, and many of the instances that can occur are completely out of your control - which is what insurance is all about - unexpected situations.

Additionally, there seems to be a misconception that travel insurance is solely for if you need to cancel your trip, or that's it's a gimmick for the suppliers to make more money, but that is not the case at all.

Let's take a look at the 4 major protections that travel insurance offers:

1. Medical Evacuations and Medical Related Fees
   If there was one single reason why you should buy travel insurance, this would be it. In general, hospital expenses are high in virtually every country imaginable. No matter where you go in the world, if you encounter an illness and or need medical evacuation, you will undoubtedly encounter a mountain of debt. Think upwards of $1,000 to $10,000 per day or more for medical visits. Oh, and as for getting home - don't count on a cheap trip back. You'll also be out all the money it takes to get you home on top of it all.
   
   
2. Personal Liability
   The personal liability aspect of travel insurance can prove to be especially useful as well. Basically, if you have travel insurance and get involved in an accident, or if you accidentally cause damage and are viewed as the accountable party, the insurance may cover your legal expenses as well as your financial liability. This may not apply to automobile accidents, however.
   
   
3. Loss of Luggage and Personal Belongings
   Though you may never lose a bag, in the event that you do, some travel insurance policies will cover that loss. Yes, you know to take reasonable care with your belongings, but if the airport loses your luggage or if it's stolen from your hotel room, many policies will replace the full value of your loss.
   
   
4. Trip and Flight Cancellations/Interruptions 
   In the event that your flight gets canceled for whatever reason, you will be covered. This can help you to save money on the expenses that are associated with staying in a comfortable hotel for the night, or a new return ticket as you wait to depart on the next available flight, which could be days away in some cases. The right insurance will also help recover the cost of those unused vacation days you missed, but already paid for at the hotel. In addition, travel insurance covers trip cancellation scenarios as well. For example, if you get sick or have to miss your trip as a result of a family medical emergency, you can be covered up to and including your full travel package costs.

As you can see, travel insurance can be beneficial for a number of reasons and simply put, should just be built into the cost of anyone’s getaway. You wouldn’t drive without car insurance or leave your prized possessions un-insured, so give yourself and the trip investment the same kind of protection.

No one ever intends or wants to cancel a fun and exciting trip - especially when traveling for a special celebration!  I never thought I'd cancel my bucketlist trip, but coming down with pneumonia sure created a new plan for me :)

With a great travel agent and travel insurance, you’re setting yourself up for vacation success while minimizing stress!  Book your consultation or call (913) 244-9195 today if you’d like to see if you’re eligible to add insurance to your already booked trip OR if you’d like to chat about creating a new vacation experience!

Experiences Await...
#experiencesawait #destinationshd