Few things in life are as rewarding as a trip abroad, and most of us can't wait to get on our big trip. The more we look forward to things, the happier we get. Part of the fun of our trips is making plans for them. We don't even think of running around and buying our tickets, luggage, clothes, and other things we want to take with us as work. Even though it hurts to pay for these things, we don't mind because we know we'll soon be going to places we've never been before. But there's one "fly in the ointment"—an extra cost we'd rather not have because, even though it costs us money, it doesn't give us anything in return. Where am I going with this? Why, yes, you should have travel insurance!!!
Is it okay to buy travel insurance at the last minute?
I don't know about you, but paying for travel health insurance is not my favourite way to spend money. Could it be that travel insurance is just not that exciting? Or is it because it adds to the cost of a trip that is already pricey? I'd rather not spend the money on travel insurance, no matter why. But I buy it because I know it's really something I need. Still, I try to wait as long as possible to buy it because it still feels like a "extra." Am I being kind to myself or not?
Are You a Gambler?
Is it good or bad for me to keep my money in my pocket as long as I can? I'm actually hurting myself by waiting to buy travel medical insurance until the day I leave. This is because, until I buy insurance, I'm betting that nothing bad will happen to me. I'm betting that neither I nor anyone in my family will get sick or hurt before we leave. Also, if I don't buy it and something bad does happen, I won't be covered by insurance and I'll be in trouble. Shouldn't I get my travel insurance as soon as possible to reduce my risk and get the most out of it?
Don't lose coverage for conditions you already had.
There's another reason why you should buy travel insurance right away. We don't always book all of our flights at the same time when we plan a trip. We travellers can get coverage for pre-existing medical conditions if we buy our travel insurance within 7 to 21 days of making our plans, depending on the policy. If we wait longer, we might not be able to get those benefits, especially if a health problem we didn't know about shows up.
Don't wait until everything is settled before you buy.
When I've travelled, I've always known ahead of time how much my plane tickets would cost. What about you? You might have plans to go somewhere, but you haven't bought your plane tickets yet. Even if you haven't bought your tickets yet, I think it's a good idea to buy travel insurance. This will make sure that you can get the pre-existing condition exclusion waiver. If you don't know how much your flight will cost, make an estimate and add it to the cost of your whole trip. When you buy your flight tickets later, you can let the insurance company know. So, you won't have to worry about being turned down for coverage if you get sick before you leave.
What if you've already left on your trip?
I'm one of the best people in the world at putting things off. "Never do today what you can do tomorrow, because if you're lucky, you might not have to do it at all," is my motto. Maybe you're also a Great Procrastinator who doesn't buy travel insurance before going on a trip. What happens if you wait to buy travel insurance or expatriate insurance until AFTER you leave? Have you lost your chance? You didn't buy insurance before you left home. Does that mean you can't get it?
The good news is that you can still get insurance even if you decide to buy it after you've already left. Travel insurance and expatriate insurance can both be found and bought online, even after you've left on your trip or moved abroad. All you need is access to the internet. In this case, it's better to be late than never, as the old saying goes.
Can you get insurance for someone who has already left?
Here's a different case. What if there is an emergency and a family member (even a child) or a friend or employee has already left on their trip but did not buy travel insurance? Must they go without insurance? They don't have to go without travel insurance, though. You or another person they choose can go online and buy travel insurance for them. It's good to know that friends, family members, or employees don't have to go without travel insurance if they're too busy to get their own.
In this case, all you have to do is fill out an online application and make the required online payment. You'll get confirmation right away, and you can even print a copy of the policy. But there is one thing to watch out for. If you want to buy travel insurance for a minor, you must first sign up as an adult. It's also important to know that they won't be covered for any pre-existing medical conditions that happen on the trip after they leave and before they buy insurance. This is just one more reason why you shouldn't wait to buy travel insurance.
When it comes to travel insurance, timing definitely "IS" everything.
They say that timing is everything. Whoever came up with that phrase probably wasn't thinking about buying travel or expatriate insurance. Still, those words are true for buying travel insurance just as much as they are true for anything else. Since you could lose all your money if you don't have insurance, the best time to buy it is before you need it. Buying it after you need it is impossible and way too late. Get the insurance you need before you need it. Learn from the "Great Procrastinator."
