How to Best Use Travel Insurance

Would it surprise you to know that most people forget the most important piece of travel planning?

Travel insurance is the glue that holds any trip together, allowing people to relax when things go awry and making sure that memories are the only piece of a trip that will last a lifetime.

It further protects against cancellations, delays, stress, debt and any other lasting consequences. 

Too few Americans realize that their personal medical coverage—even so-called Cadillac plans—rarely extend very far outside of their "network," and those networks almost never extend outside of the country's borders. So, even a minor injury in a destination with top-notch infrastructure and amenities can start adding up the bills in a hurry.

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Companies like Allianz Global Assistance do travel insurance for a living. Allianz is the gold standard in the business, winning a Travvy in 2017 (for a second year in a row) as the company travel agents feel is the best Travel Insurance Provider. 

In many ways, Allianz is also the most simple way to get travel insurance with products like AgentMax and integration as the official travel insurance provider for Priceline.

However, savvy travel rewards experts may already have access to great travel insurance.

Chase offers some of the best travel credit cards in the business, and many of their cards come with more than just rewards. In fact, some offer valuable perks and assurances that can help you save money, hassle and stress. One such benefit is their trip cancellation/interruption insurance, which is offered through the Chase Freedom, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve and Ink Business Preferred credit cards.

Whether through Allianz or with a company like Chase, you may be reimbursed for specific travel expenses if your trip is canceled or delayed for reasons outside your control. The key to getting the most out of this coverage, however, is knowing exactly how it works and what it covers.

How Does Travel Coverage Work?

TravelPulse's Scott Laird talked about the importance of travel insurance in November of last year:

"A spokesperson for Allianz, one of the larger travel insurance providers, explains why travel insurance may be less popular with American travelers, 'Travelers from countries that provide publicly funded health care programs understand that their coverage does not extend beyond their country’s borders and would not consider traveling abroad without travel insurance as emergency medical treatment and repatriation can lead to financial disaster.'

"Americans, he goes on to explain, typically have private employer-sponsored health care plans that may provide more coverage outside the United States, although he notes that government-funded plans such as Medicare and Medicaid do not."

Laird continued, "It’s also worth noting that travel insurance covers expenses during delays that airlines typically do not cover, such as circumstances beyond their control like weather, although travelers beginning their journeys in the European Union are protected by wide-reaching consumer protection laws."

To qualify for this coverage, you have to actually purchase the policy on each and every trip or use a qualifying credit card like Chase—or your Chase Ultimate Rewards points—to pay for a prepaid tour, trip or vacation.

If using a card or points, only the cardholder and their immediate family members are eligible for this coverage. So even though you can use your credit card or rewards points to book travel for anyone, the only ones who can benefit from your Chase trip cancellation/interruption insurance are the cardholder and his/her family.

READ MORE: Say Yes to Travel Insurance

What Does Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance Usually Cover?

Here are the main situations where this coverage can be accessed by cardholders, per the Chase website:

—Accidental bodily injury, loss of life or sickness experienced by the cardholder, a traveling companion or an immediate family member of the Cardholder or a traveling companion

—Severe weather that prevents the start or continuation of a covered trip

—Terrorist action or hijacking

—Jury duty or a court subpoena that cannot be postponed or waived

—Financial insolvency of the cardholder’s travel agency, tour operator or travel supplier

READ MORE: Awesome Rewards Card Perks You Should Know About 

If you plan a Caribbean getaway and your trip is canceled due to an incoming hurricane, for example, you may have your travel expenses reimbursed. The same is true if someone on your itinerary becomes gravely ill or dies, or if you’re called to involuntary jury duty.

Over at Allianz' website, they have a handy list of examples of when trips might not be covered, including canceling when a major event has already started to happen or failing to document the reasons a trip is canceled. 

The good news? Even though travel insurance isn't being taken advantage of like it used to, numbers are back on the rise. Travelpulse recently spoke with Allianz' director of assistance, a former ER nurse, who pointed out that numbers rose 15 percent between 2015 to 2016 and continue to trend upward.

As for how much coverage you should purchase, she said: "This question varies depending on where folks are traveling in the world and ultimately ‘how much they can afford to lose’ should they need to cancel a trip or experience a serious medical emergency. 

"I recommend a policy that covers 100 percent of their non-refundable travel deposits and provides a sufficient amount of medical coverage to make them confident to travel. An annual policy is a great option for people who travel frequently."

The best way to receive coverage before your next trip is to book with a travel agent and let them know you're looking for Allianz protection. Also, make sure to check with your favorite travel rewards card because you may have plenty of coverage you didn't even know about.