Do you need travel insurance for domestic trips?
When adding up your travel budget, insurance can seem like an unnecessary extra that you never really use – especially on a domestic trip. But before you dismiss the idea, here are a few reasons why you should insure every trip.
1. You’ve booked your tickets, packed your bags and bought your sunscreen – then disaster strikes. There can be any number of reasons that you need to cancel a trip: a close family member gets sick, you have an accident, a cyclone hits the resort you’re staying at or your employer cancels your leave. Travel insurance will cover the out of pocket costs associated with cancelling flights, rental cars or accommodation. It can also cover any additional expenses that you incur if an airline cancels your flights.
2. Theft doesn’t just happen overseas and insurance will cover you for any of your property – and, sometimes, cash – stolen while you’re travelling. It can also cover items that are lost or accidentally damaged during your trip.
3. No one thinks they will injure another party or cause damage to property while they’re travelling, but it happens. If you’re at fault you could be sued and damages can run into the millions. Travel insurance generally includes coverage for personal liability, which covers you for legal expenses and compensation you may be required to pay to the other party.
4. If you travel a few times a year, purchasing an annual policy makes domestic insurance really cheap. Because you are covered by Medicare premiums are much lower than international policies. For only around $200 a year you can have full coverage around the country – and that’s less than the cost of one night in a hotel because of a delay.
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