Are you planning to travel during Omicron? When booking your trip, keep this in mind.
Travel has recently become more difficult due to an increase in COVID-19 cases fueled by the omicron strain. Thousands of flights have been canceled in recent weeks attributed to personnel shortages. When you factor in the weather-related delays that are common during the winter, it's clear that this is a difficult season to organize a trip. That's why, if you're planning a vacation during these trying times, there's one crucial step you must take: purchase travel insurance.
Why You Should Have Travel Insurance
When planning a vacation that will cost you a substantial amount of money, it's a smart idea to obtain travel insurance. But it's even more important these days. Today's travelers encounter a slew of issues. Not only may your flight be canceled, but you could also be forced to cancel your plans due to a COVID-19 illness or exposure. Alternatively, you may find it difficult to receive a test within the time range set by your airline. Travel insurance allows you more flexibility when it comes to changing or canceling your plans, so it's well worth the small expense. Many travel insurance policies, in fact, allow you to cancel your trip for any reason. So, let's assume you plan a trip but are alarmed by the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the area you'll be visiting. As far as airlines are concerned, COVID-19 issues aren't approved reasons to cancel a trip, therefore you might not get your money back. However, if you have travel insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason, you can cancel your plans if you change your mind.
If you have a travel rewards credit card, do you need travel insurance?
A travel rewards credit card will usually provide you with some insurance against trip cancellations. You'll also be insured for things like lost or stolen luggage in most cases. However, if you decide to cancel your trip at the last minute for a reason that your airline or resort does not consider legitimate, your travel rewards card may not be able to help. Furthermore, if you need medical care while traveling, your travel rewards card may only provide limited coverage, if any at all. Travel insurance, on the other hand, may entitle you to a substantial benefit that covers the expense of emergency care while overseas. That's valuable protection in the case of a pandemic.
While travel insurance may appear to be yet another cost, it is one that should be considered. Travel insurance can cost anywhere from 3% to 10% of the cost of your vacation, so a $3,000 trip could cost you anywhere from $90 to $300 to insure. However, if paying that money saves you from a probable $3,000 loss or a tens of thousands of dollars health care expenses from overseas, it's more than justified.