June 1, 2020
Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with travel dates on or after
Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with effective start dates on or after
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Maybe you’re taking your first trip overseas. Maybe you’re going on your first cruise. Wherever you’re headed, people keep saying: “Make sure you get travel insurance!”
But why? What does travel insurance do? Is it really worth buying? Find simple answers to your questions in these Travel Insurance 101 guides.
Travel insurance protects you from certain financial risks and losses that can occur while traveling. These losses might be small, like a delayed suitcase. Or these losses might be major, like a last-minute cruise cancellation or a medical emergency overseas.
Here’s how it works: Purchase your travel insurance before you leave on your trip. For the duration of the plan, you’re protected against the travel problems and situations that are specifically named in your plan. If one of these problems occurs and disrupts your trip, you can file a claim to get reimbursed for the money you lost or spent. If you have a medical emergency that requires an evacuation or hospitalization for more than 24 hours, Allianz Travel Insurance may be able to pay for your care up front.
In addition to financial protection, the other huge benefit of travel insurance is access to 24-hour assistance services, wherever you are in the world.
Read more: Travel Insurance 101: How Travel Insurance Works
For most trips you take, travel insurance is a smart buy. That’s because the cost of not having insurance can be huge, if anything major goes wrong on your trip.
Read your plan to make sure you understand what’s covered, the plan exclusions, and the maximum benefit limits.
Read more: When Does It Make Sense to Buy Travel Insurance?
Definitely! Allianz Travel Insurance is a stand-alone product. You can buy travel insurance any time before you depart for your trip.
However, it’s smart to buy travel insurance immediately after booking. The earlier you buy insurance, the sooner you’re protected. Plus, if you want existing medical conditions to be covered, you need to buy your plan within 14 days (or the time period specified in your plan) of making your first trip payment or first trip deposit.
Whatever you do, don’t wait until the very last minute. Once something happens that disrupts your trip or forces you to cancel, it’s too late to buy travel protection for that particular issue.
Read more: When's the Best Time to Buy Travel Insurance?
It’s easier than you think, and you can do everything online. To file a claim:
Read more: How to File a Travel Insurance Claim Online
Travel insurance can’t protect you from things that have already happened or are easily foreseeable. For instance, if you buy your plan after a named hurricane is forecasted to hit your destination, you can’t file a claim for any losses resulting from that storm.
Travel insurance also doesn’t cover every possible scenario. Instead, it’s designed to protect you from the most common problems that happen while traveling.
Your plan describes “covered reasons”: situations or events that, when they occur, mean you may be eligible to make a claim. Here are just a few covered reasons for cancelling or interrupting your trip:
Many more covered reasons may apply. These vary by plan and include specific requirements, so read your plan documents to see what’s covered.
Read more: Trip Cancellation Insurance: Covered Reasons Explained »
If you’re traveling internationally, you definitely need travel insurance with emergency medical and emergency transportation benefits. In many, many countries, you’re expected to pay out of pocket for medical care before you receive it. Medicare and Medicaid typically don’t cover healthcare you get while traveling outside the U.S. Private U.S. health insurance companies may not cover your expenses, either. And an emergency medical evacuation can be incredibly expensive, even $200,000 or more if you’re traveling to a remote, undeveloped place.
Read more: Do I Need Travel Insurance If I Have Health Insurance?
Many travelers think that if they have a pre-existing condition, travel insurance won’t cover losses related to that condition. That’s not the case! Certain travel insurance products from Allianz Global Assistance can cover existing medical conditions if you meet certain criteria, such as insuring the full cost of your trip within 14 days of paying your first trip deposit (or the time period specified in your plan) and making sure you're medically able to travel when you do so. Be sure to read your plan documents carefully, so that you understand what’s covered, and contact us with any questions.
Read more: When Does Travel Insurance Cover Existing Medical Conditions? »
View all of our travel insurance products
Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please see your plan for full details. Benefits/Coverage may vary by state, and sublimits may apply.
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