Traveling the world without insurance is a little bit like traveling the world without your passport! It’s CRAZY to contemplate heading out on a trip overseas without having any type of international travel insurance in place. Let’s be honest, no one knows what may happen tomorrow or any time in the future. It’s all about preparation and taking appropriate measures to ensure you are covered in the eventuality that something happens.
Just like any insurance policy, it’s fair to say that you hope you will never have to use it! Many folks will think that insurance policies are a waste of money, particularly if you never use it but on that one occasion that you need it…well, it’s something that you will thank your lucky stars that you have such a policy in place. Here’s the difficult part…choosing the right travel insurance policy.
Do I Need Insurance?
Ok, let’s start with a few questions that you likely need to ask yourselves before choosing the appropriate policy (and company):
- How frequently do you travel?
- Are you traveling solo or with a spouse/family?
- What type of travel are you planning on? E.g. adventure, relaxation etc.
- Which destinations do you intend on visiting and how “safe” are they renowned to be?
I want to add a caveat right now that the answers to the above questions are just a starting point and will just give you a basic idea as to which plan you should consider.
If you have any lingering thoughts in your mind that you don’t need travel insurance, you may be questioning right now that the answers to the above questions justify NOT having a policy. Please, please, please…allow those thoughts to rest because regardless of the aforementioned questions, you NEVER know what may happen that will lead to you having an extortionate medical bill.
However, the beauty of travel insurance is that not only will this cover such eventualities (in the unfortunate event that something should occur of course), they also offer much more coverage. More on that later! As I mentioned, there are a lot of different options out there for travel insurance but ultimately, we think there is only one option worth using.
Welcome to Allianz Global Assistance
That’s right, Allianz Global Assistance is our choice for international travel insurance and we think after reading this post, you will be convinced to have this company as your preferred option for your upcoming travels.
Whether you are planning a round the world adventure or simply venturing overseas for the first time on a single trip, Allianz Global Assistance is undoubtedly the best provider for a variety of reasons.
Why Allianz Global Assistance?
From Seven Corners to Travelex and many more in between, consumers are spoiled for choice when it comes to travel insurance companies.
So, what exactly makes Allianz Global Assistance stand out from their competitors? It’s all about developing a competitive advantage and in our opinion, Allianz has achieved this on multiple levels.
- Customer Service – A 24-hour emergency hotline is available for all those that choose Allianz as their provider but based on our experience, it’s the personalized service you receive that makes this such an awesome company. We can 100% attest to the amazing customer service offered throughout the organization, starting from the representatives offering assistance on the best coverage plans for each family to those working “behind the scenes”.
- Cost-Effective – Given that Allianz is the world’s largest travel insurance company, it can offer extremely competitive rates, while still maintaining awesome coverage. Better insurance, lower costs…it’s the perfect combination for consumers!
- Expanded Coverage – Allianz offers a diverse portfolio of options available to customers that purchase their plans. Coverage includes lost baggage, delayed/canceled flights, rental car coverage and more, in addition to the standard medical coverage that enables travelers to experience the world with the knowledge that any unforeseen sickness/injuries will be covered.
Single Trip vs Annual Plan Insurance
Take a look at the following awesome video courtesy of Allianz that assesses whether single trip or annual plans are the best options for your coverage. Ultimately, it’s dependent on how much you intend on traveling over the next 12 months. For us, we are always on the road and frequently travel overseas (back to the UK, mainland Europe and further if possible!), so it was a pretty easy decision to go with the annual plan.
Whether you are a frequent flyer or only have a single international trip to look forward to, you can be sure that Allianz will have something that perfectly fits your needs. Be sure to check out an overview of the various plans and simply click “Get A Quote” to find a great deal that will leave you with a peace of mind ahead of your travels.
Our Coverage – All Trips Premier Plan
Just to give you a brief idea of what you can expect to receive with a particular plan, we are going to take a look over our preference offered by Allianz – the All Trips Premier Plan! For $450, we are covered in the following ways:
- Baggage Coverage – $2,000
- Baggage Delay Coverage – $2,000
- Collision/Loss Damage Insurance – $45,000
- Emergency Medical and Dental – $50,000
- Trip Cancellation Protection – $2,000
- Travel/Trip Delay Coverage – $1,500
- Trip Interruption Protection – $2,000
- Travel Accident Coverage – $50,000
As you may have noticed, this travel insurance covers so much more than medical coverage. All too frequently, we associate insurance with medical situations and although that is a critical component when you are traveling overseas, there are other components listed above that are equally important.
Airlines have the unfortunate reputation of “losing” baggage and we have been in the situation where we traveled to Australia and our bag was “lost in transit” before being returned to us after three days in Brisbane.
Summary
If you are contemplating purchasing travel insurance, we strongly recommend that you follow through with it! All too frequently this is something that you forget about but honestly, it would be remiss of you to avoid this given the various events that could occur causing you extra expenses that are 100% avoidable.
Traveling the world is a challenging prospect without having to worry about the potential for getting sick and then having no way of paying for the medical bills. Purchase travel insurance and all of your worries are alleviated!
When it comes to travel insurance providers, there are none better than Allianz Global Assistance. We have had nothing but an awesome experience with them so far and highly encourage you to check out their various plans to see if there is an option that fits your travel style.
Yes, insurance is vital. Husband ended up in Spain with an emergency hernia and our insurance took care of everything from a distance. All the extra costs I made and the days we lost were reembursed without question!
#weekendwanderlust
I couldn’t imagine travelling without travel insurance. I’ve even thought about it for a short jump to the USA from Canada. You never know what could happen or the local costs of healthcare there. Great post.
I’ve to admit that there have been a few international trips when I traveled without any sort of insurance. I think a good travel insurance can save you from a lot of unnecessary trouble. Yes, the question of choosing the right kind of insurance is also important. I’d love to try Allianz on my next international trip. Thank you for giving so much of detail about it.
Hi Renuka, thanks so much for the kind comments! Yes, we LOVE Allianz and highly recommend them as the best international travel insurance provider out there. Insurance is one of those things that we never really want to think about and we hope we never have to use but having that peace of mind when you are heading on your travels is priceless for sure.
best blog about International Travel insurance. its very important for travel. some important tips given about travel insurance. its very helpful blog.
Does Allianz offer an annual plan for frequent travelers?
Travel insurance is your financial cover when you are away from home.
Protect your travel investment against every kind of untoward happening, because, after all, it is always good to be safe than sorry! There are different kinds of insurance plans available for international tourist, tailor-made for their specific needs and you can choose a policy that provides comprehensive coverage in the part of the world you are going.
Very helpful blog to avoid unexpected expenditures. Insurance always very helpful. If you are travelling adventures countires, insurance will be very helpful for you.
Hi, Chris, I don’t have an idea about Insurance before reading your blog. It’s beneficial for traveller Thanks for sharing keep it up the Good Work.
Great post! I agree – travel insurance is so important. I can’t tell you the amount of times i’ve gone without it and eventually needed it. Don’t ever go anywhere without it now!