Travel has slowly but surely been increasing since the end of last year. However, we all have to remain vigilant and flexible because rules and regulations have been adjusted several times since the pandemic started. This has impacted all travelers and the industry in general. No matter what you need to have a backup. Travel insurance could save you time and money. Some coverages can cover: trip cancellation/interruption, emergency medical expenses and even issues with luggage and personal items.

Here are some tips that can help you before buying travel insurance:

Know your plan

When you have decided where you’re going and what activities you will be doing, this will determine the type of insurance you’ll need. Depending on the country you travel to, the medical services may not be that accessible. If that’s the case you may want to look for coverage that includes medical emergencies and even evacuation. Also check if it includes car rental insurance. Get yourself an annual policy and you’ll almost certainly save some cash. Check the maximum number of days covered for each trip, though many policies limit the number of days for which you’re covered. If you’re going backpacking, we recommend choosing a specific backpacker’s travel insurance policy.

Traveling solo or with a group?

This could save you money when buying travel insurance because if you’re going with a group then the entire group could purchase a group policy and prices may be lower than an individual policy. The same goes if it’s a family and kids, insurance companies may have special policies.

Familiarize yourself with booking terms

Make sure that what you’re being offered is what you’ll need. Some basic plans could cover medical insurance and qualifying trip cancelations but nothing else most of the time. This could mean you may need a more extensive plan. Cancellation is the most common reason for insurance claims. Having to cancel or cut short a holiday is bad enough; ending up out of pocket as a result is pure misery. Check how much you have paid per person for your holiday and make sure you purchase a policy with the right amount of cover, including cover for any excursions you have already organised and paid for. Your policy should also include the cost of getting you home if your holiday is cut short or if you miss a connection due to an unexpected delay. Cover yourself for last-minute cancellations and always consider buying travel insurance at the same time as buying your holiday as advance preparation. Unexpected illness or injury, jury duty and burglary are some top reasons for people needing to cancel their holidays, yet studies indicates that only one in five travelllers buy it just before travel.

Read before you ride

If your idea of being active on holiday involves doing a lap of the pool on your way to the swim-up bar, you needn’t concern yourself with this. If, however, you’re the fidgety, thrill-seeking sort, you should consider which activities you can undertake on your travels while staying covered by your insurance policy. While the likes of bungee jumping and kitesurfing will be automatically covered by some policies, activities such as horse riding and skiing are often seen as higher risk and will cost extra.

Check for protection against failure

Travel insurance can grant you peace of mind that your flights or holiday will be covered in the event of an airline or holiday supplier suddenly ceasing to trade. Be sure to check your policy for details of cover in the event of airline or travel agent failure, as this is often not included as standard. Whichever insurance company and policy you go for, we recommend having paper and digital copies of your insurance documents handy, as well as any emergency contact numbers you may need, so that you can always access the information when you’re away

Compare, compare, compare

Always compare pricing of multiple plans and what they offer, shop around! This can save you money and you may find better coverage at less cost. If you’re looking for alternatives, this resource provides insights into the Best Travel Insurance  you can get for your budget and travel needs.

Find more on the Best Travel Insurance HERE

Find the best Safari Package HERE