Travel Insurance Can Protect You From "What Happens in Vegas”

by Janeen Christoff
Last updated: 1:30 PM ET, Fri March 11, 2016

Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Have you ever wondered if what happens in Vegas really does stay in Vegas? Well, as spring break approaches, Allianz Global Assistance asked the question in a recent survey. The results are in and they showed that the famous slogan holds true. The majority (55 percent) of people reported that what happened in Vegas did actually stay in the popular spring travel destination.

What precious memories were people trying to leave behind in Sin City? Well, Allianz delved into that question, too. The survey revealed that 45 percent of people lost money gambling, 36 percent had no memory of something that happened in Vegas and others said that they were hoping to keep news of a fling on the down-low (7 percent), that they got sick (7 percent), that they sustained an injury (3 percent) or that they were booted out of their hotel/casino (2 percent).

Was there anything that didn't stay in Vegas? Well, of course. Sixty-nine percent of the people who said that what happened in Vegas didn't stay there said it was word of mouth that spread the news of their untoward behavior - which is good news for social media enthusiasts. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like were only to blame in 25 percent of cases.

The survey also revealed that 25 percent of people reported that their misdeeds led to missed flights, hospital stays, lost or stolen passports/ID or wallets but only 16 percent had travel insurance. And that's where Allianz comes in.

"While travel insurance can't guarantee that what happens in Vegas will stay in Vegas," said Daniel Durazo, director of communications at Allianz Global Assistance USA, "it can provide coverage and assistance for many unforeseen or unexpected events like covered trip cancellations and delays, lost, stolen or delayed luggage, medical emergencies and more."

Durazo noted that travel insurance is important for every type of trip and can get you out of some sticky situations when traveling - even to destinations that are close to home.

"It's important to buy travel insurance for domestic trips if you don't want to risk losing your prepaid, non-refundable travel costs if you have to cancel your trip," said Durazo. "For a trip to Las Vegas, your biggest costs are for the flights and the hotel rooms. If you have to cancel your trip, your airline may charge you up to $150 per ticket in change fees and your hotel may charge you for one night or even the entire stay if you've prepaid. This could easily add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars in lost pre-paid expenses, so it makes sense to protect this investment with travel insurance."

Insurance for these trips doesn't have to break the bank, either, said Durazo.

"For a quick trip to Vegas, look for an affordable travel insurance policy that provides coverage for canceled or interrupted trips as well as travel delay coverage in case you get stuck on the way," he said. "The Allianz Travel Insurance Essential Plan will provide coverage for canceled or interrupted trips up to 100 percent of the cost of the trip, as well as $150 per person to cover additional meals, lodging or transportation costs you may face while delayed. Plans start at just $17 and are priced based on the cost of the trip and the age of the insured."

While spring break might seem like a wild time in Vegas, the survey found that many people are heading to the desert oasis with the whole family in tow and for that, Durazo recommends a broader plan.

"For a longer family vacation to Vegas, look for an affordable travel insurance policy that provides coverage for canceled or interrupted trips, coverage for delays, emergency medical/dental coverage and baggage protection," he said.

He recommended the Allianz Travel Insurance Basic Plan, which will provide coverage for canceled or interrupted trips up to 100 percent of the cost of the trip, $150 per person/per day (up to $300 per person) to cover additional meals lodging and transportation costs you may face while delayed, emergency medical and dental coverage up to $10,000 and coverage for lost/stolen/damaged bags up to $500 and coverage for bags delayed for 24 hours or more so that you can purchase up to $200 in clothing, toiletries, etc. to tide you over until your bags reappear. Plans start at just $21 and are priced based on the cost of the trip and the age of the insured.

So if you are headed to Las Vegas in the near future, it's a good idea to make sure you have all the bases covered because you really never know what could happen.

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