Do I Need Travel Insurance?
Tuesday, November 29th, 2005A question echoed across the web. You can visit just about any student travel or backpacker discussion forum and chances are, you’ll see this question come up time after time.
The value of Backpacker Travel Insurance has been debated for many years now and there is still no solid conclusion drawn as to what is the best course of action when it comes to choosing whether or not to purchase insurance for an upcoming journey.
I think ultimately it is a wise idea to go ahead and look into a cheap plan just for back up. I’ve spent many years circling the globe and know full well how bad it can watching a backpacker go through the hell of having no pack, no passport, no ID, no plan ticket, nothing.
This is the kind of situation that you cannot undo.
On top of that, imagine the worst case scenario where a bone ends up getting broken from a fall while hiking in Switzerland. You are looking at well over $500, and in some cases much more, to have that taken care of. Some travel insurance providers make direct payments to the doctor and allow you to file the claim afterwards.
Now I have been fortunate in my journeys in that so far I have not had a single issue with theft or health. I will say however, that I will continue to purchase travel insurance when I head out on future journeys.
The odds are by far in your favor that nothing will happen, but it is also true that there is still a chance that it will happen to someone, and that someone could be you.
Bottom line is this…
Travel should be a time of few worries, if any. Chances are, you’ll come home without a scratch and all will be well. However, you will have had peace of mind throughout your trip knowing that everything would be taken care of should something come up.
Why worry? This is your journey, let it flow smoothly.
Article Source - http://www.backpackearth.com
