Written by: Philip Sherlock of All Aboard International Co., a Independent Travel Advisor in the Avoya Travel Network
We book a vacation and hope that everything will go smoothly, and most of the time it does… but not always.
I recommend all my clients get travel insurance for their vacations as no one assumes the unforeseen and unexpected. In my years as a travel advisor, I have had a number of clients, including close family members, take advantage of the benefits that travel insurance provides, and they have been grateful they purchased it.
I always purchase Allianz Travel Insurance for my family when we travel and here are 5 reasons why you should too.
With most cruise lines and some other travel vendors, penalties for canceling can begin 3-4 months prior to the start of the trip and sometimes even from the time of deposit. The closer you get to the trip date the higher the penalties for cancellation.
If you become ill two days into a one-week vacation, the full cost of your trip could be at risk.
Allianz will cover up to 100% of the covered amount if you cancel for a covered reason before the trip and up to 150% if the trip is interrupted. They also have plans that will potentially offer coverage if you need to cancel for work reasons and other “non-covered” reasons. I have on multiple occasions had family members and clients take advantage of trip cancellation and interruption coverage.
Does your health insurance cover you outside of the country? Medicare and many others do not. On your passport, you will see that the state department recommends reviewing your health insurance before traveling abroad as most policies won’t cover you!
A simple doctor’s visit on a cruise ship can get quite costly and admission to a hospital in a foreign country can add up very quickly.
Some people might be able to risk losing the cost of their trip, but many are not counting on the cost of a hospital admission or emergency transportation. Some may even need emergency medical transportation or repatriation back home.
Allianz Travel Insurance can give the peace of mind of knowing that for a small cost you won’t have to worry about a much larger unexpected medical cost during your trip
The cost of Allianz Travel Insurance is only a fraction of the total trip cost. Allianz has a plan that is free for children under 18 as long as they are on a policy with a paying parent or grandparent. This is the plan I use myself and recommend most commonly for families.
Allianz’s travel insurance policies are tiered by age with lower costs for younger ages. As one’s age increases the cost for protection does increase but remains a small fraction of the cost of the trip, particularly considering that the odds of needing to claim increases with age.
Allianz offers a variety of plans with different levels of coverage, so there is something for all needs and budgets.
In most insurance policies, epidemics are an exclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic is now an ongoing part of everyone’s life and on everyone’s mind.
Even though epidemics are an exclusion on most insurance policies, Allianz made the decision to cover medical costs due to COVID-19. All of their plans cover medical costs due to COVID, and in early 2021 they revised many of their popular policies to include enhanced language and benefits for epidemic-related illnesses and cancellations. The epidemic coverage endorsement is not yet available in all 50 states, but all policies cover cancellations and medical illness related to COVID-19.
NOTE: Epidemic Enhancement currently available in 48 states + DC; pending in NY & WA.
Allianz’s travel insurance policies may include a wide variety of additional benefits for covered reasons:
- Out of pocket food, transportation, and lodging expenses if a trip is delayed for five or more hours
- Coverage for change fees
- Coverage for loss, damage, or theft of baggage or personal items
- Reimbursement of purchase of essential items if bags are delayed for more than 12 hours
- Concierge assistance for restaurants and events
- 24/7 helpline with a multilanguage team available to assist in the event of a medical or travel-related emergency
- The “Travel Smart” app from Allianz – an excellent resource with quick access to not only your policy but also a flight tracker and useful health resources anywhere in the world
Any travel advisor, including myself, will have stories they can share of travelers who were glad they had travel insurance and others who wished they did!
Allianz covered the Wright brothers’ first flight, and they continue to assist travelers today. They have come through for me and my clients on multiple occasions all while providing excellent service.
You should always speak to your travel advisor and refer to your policy to ensure you have the correct coverage for your needs.
Whether through Allianz or another provider, I believe travel protection is an essential part of travel, and Allianz is my preferred choice for most vacations.
Call the number at the top of this page to be connected with an Independent Travel Advisor in the Avoya Travel Network™ who can help you get the best price, navigate COVID-19 restrictions, and answer any questions you have about Allianz Travel Insurance.
