Posted by Brooke on Feb 01 2012
While you are probably not considering what could go wrong while you are away, unfortunately bad things do happen. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and having a good travel insurance policy can be the ultimate life saver you need if things do go wrong.
So what could go wrong on your travels?
Why You Might Need Insurance
There are various reasons for both girls and guys to take out travel insurance; but there are also things that are more important to women than men.
Wherever you go in the world, there will always be the danger of accident, illness, theft and other forms of crime. In general, the most common types of travel insurance cover include:
- medical expenses in case of accident or illness, dental expenses,
- hospital cover required due to accident or illness,
- delayed departure, for instance if a flight is held up or even cancelled,
- delayed luggage, which could leave you without essential items for a period of time,
- a missed connection, perhaps because a previous connection was delayed,
- other delays due to weather conditions,
- curtailment of the trip, which might be for various reasons, from an ocean liner sinking to a travel company going insolvent,
- legal aid or assistance in another country,
- cover that relates to death, which might include funeral costs and the return of your remains to your home country.
You may need special cover if you are travelling to a location where there will be high risks – either because the country in question is at war; if natural disasters are known to happen in the region (earthquakes and floods for instance); or if you are planning to participate in what might be considered to be a high risk sport, like skiing or even scuba diving. While terrorism and war are generally excluded from insurance policies, if you are travelling to a country where this could be a problem, it’s something you should look into.
Travel Insurance for Women
There are insurance companies in different parts of the world that specialize in travel insurance for women. Some of the cover features these companies offer include:
- various crisis response services covering personal security,
- specific travel insurance for things that women in particular value: from jewelry and watches, to handbags, shoes and clothing,
- specific insurance for wedding and engagement rings, wedding photos and even your wedding dress if you are, or are going to be married away from your home,
- if you’re having a hen’s party away from home, some travel insurance policies will cover your party outfit and camera – and may even provide refreshments if your flight is delayed,
- insurance that covers medical complications that might occur if you are pregnant, possibly including pre-term childbirth (although if you go into labor while you are travelling, you probably won’t be covered),
- personal protection or security insurance that you can rely on if you are attacked or robbed, or possibly even if you lose your passport,
- if you travel on business, some companies offer extra cover for business equipment and other items,
You’ll even find companies that offer insurance for women who lose their ski equipment or ski passes while on holiday!
Just remember that different companies offer a different choice of travel insurance, so shop around until you find something that suits your own personal needs.
Written by Brooke
I run the show at Her Packing List and love packing ultralight. In fact, I once traveled for 3 entire weeks with just the contents of a well-packed 12L handbag. When I'm not obsessing over luggage weight, I'm planning adventures or just snuggling with my pet rabbit, Sherlock Bunz.
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Comments
Kelly Ann saysHello Brooke, Thanks for your informative post! I was wondering if you had any recommendations for travel insurance? My husband and I are embarking on our first RTW trip and are looking for more comprehensive insurance that can supplement what we already have. Specifically, we’d like to have more protection for our more expensive electronics.
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