Should you get travel insurance? If so, when?

The eternal question that always comes to mind whilst making your payment for that trip. If you are traveling on budget airlines, sometimes the price of the insurance is close to the price you paid to fly. That’s when I always think: “Nah! nothing is going to happen to me, I’m not going to bother with travel-insurance.”

I think I have only ever bought travel insurance once in my life, years ago, that too because my parents gave me the ”it’s a question of your life — just pay the extra and get it.”

And honestly, I think they are right.

I’ve always taken it lightly, because by some stroke of luck nothing has happened to me on travels: no accidents, no robbery, no nothing. (I hope I haven’t just jinxed myself).

So the question is, should you get insurance every time you take off, even if it’s a short trip?

A recent article on CNN answers that quite succinctly:

You should consider purchasing travel insurance if you can’t afford to lose the money you invested in the vacation or if you can’t cover unexpected medical and emergency costs at your destination

I am personally not fussed about losing stuff, but when it comes to health there really shouldn’t be a compromise. Travel-insurance is useless if it doesn’t include medical care.

As it says in the article: “People think they’ll be fine…and they decide against travel insurance. But you can’t buy it when you need it.” For instance, in the emergency room.

Having said that, I went to Rome for a long weekend last week, I didn’t get travel-insurance. But had I gone to Thailand I would definitely get it.

So I’d say if it’s a question of money, short trips in your own continent may not warrant travel-insurance (including medical care); still check the danger scale of the country before you take a call.

If you are crossing continents don’t think twice, just get it. If you can generally afford it anyway, get it either way because really, you never know.