Ask our client who was riding a bike in Bora Bora and got hit by a truck! There were no hospitals just a clinic where no one spoke English, only French. He broke more bones than most people know that they have! He was prepared for travel and medivac'd back to the USA for extensive surgical repairs. His total transportation bill was in excess of $80,000.00, the travel insurance company arranged everything and paid the entire bill! Ask yourself, is this the kind of unforeseen incident you would like to self-insure?

Having excellent medical, auto, and home insurance does not always guarantee protection when you decide to travel to another country. Many unpredictable situations can occur that may not be covered by your insurance back home. Below is a list of situations that may not be covered:

accidents

diseases

dental care

trip cancellations

lost luggage

rental car damage

evacuations

A travel insurance policy can be a saving grace when something unexpected crops up. Travel insurance can cover a range of situations, from trip cancellation or delay to medical evacuation. You can buy supplemental medical insurance, baggage insurance and policies that cover money lost if a travel vendor defaults.

Planning a great trip starts with planning for the unexpected and the best way to cover the unexpected is by purchasing additional insurance when you travel. The first step in doing this is to gather up all the current insurance you have such as home, auto, health, life, personal property, dental, and umbrella policies. Next, check to see what coverages you have on these policies if you travel.

About the author:

Daniel Reed is the author of "Is Travel Insurance a waste of money - or essential?" . Visit his website: http://www.travellodge.info/ for more information on travel insurance.