Holidays are supposed to be occasions to look forward to, but they can easily turn into your worst nightmare. Many students seem to think that their AMS/GSS travel insurance has them covered for every eventuality that might arise during their trips abroad. It suggests that students can travel with peace of mind, safe in the knowledge that they have emergency medical coverage amounting to $5 million.
But if you believe that you’re all set for your trip, think again.
While I don’t deny the importance of that coverage, it’s hardly a comprehensive travel insurance plan, especially if your travels involve international air travel. A lot can go wrong at your destination, but you’re just as likely to run into issues on the way there and back. That’s when this travel insurance plan proves to be inadequate, as it doesn’t cover the journey itself.
The AMS/GSS plan doesn’t cover disruptions to your travel plans, such as flight delays and missing bags which happen all too often. If your checked bag doesn’t arrive at your destination together with you, there’s a decent chance that you’d have to purchase essentials like toiletries and clothes while you wait for it to be delivered. Most travel insurance plans have provisions for delayed bags, allowing you to recuperate those expenses.
Delays to flights can be just as problematic, more so if connecting flights are part of your itinerary. Airlines often drag their feet when it comes to providing accommodation as well as meal vouchers, and they’re not obligated to provide compensation — unless mandated by the local government, but good luck pursuing that claim. When things go south at the airport you might be faced with the prospect of sleeping in the terminal or spending money on a hotel and overpriced food. Most travel insurance plans have you covered if the delay exceeds a certain duration.
Most plans also cover interruptions to your trip, such as illnesses, natural disasters or terrorist attacks, that force the cancellation of your travel plans. Some might even cover the loss of personal possessions and travel documents, which is handy if you ever get pick-pocketed or robbed. These can have an equally significant impact on your trip, but you’re on your own if you rely solely on your AMS/GSS plan.
I hate to sound like an insurance agent, but let’s be realistic.
Travel insurance isn’t expensive, especially after you’ve spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on that vacation. This world is unpredictable, but you can at least protect yourself from the events that would otherwise ruin that summer trip you’ve been planning for months.