TRAVEL INSURANCE CANNOT PREVENT VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS, BUT IT CAN STOP ONE FROM RUINING YOUR TRIP

(Photos courtesy of Robert Kelly)

It is a safe bet that six months ago you had never heard of Eyjafjallajoekull. You probably would have been unable to identify the name as a typographical error or a type of tropical disease, let alone a volcano. Thanks to the widespread disruption the Icelandic volcano caused when it erupted and spewed an ash cloud across European airspace in April, many people were left wishing they had purchased travel insurance. Tens of thousands of travelers in Europe were left stranded when airports were shut down and flights cancelled due to aviation risks posed by the spreading ash cloud. One Canadian professor was stuck at London's Heathrow Airport when her flight was cancelled. She was forced to take a nine-hour, three-thousand-dollar cab ride to reach a conference in Amsterdam. It has not been stated whether she had trip insurance or paid the expense out of pocket.

Fortunately, volcanoes don't erupt every day. Even with the best laid plans, however, many other things can go wrong. People take ill without warning. Travelers encounter family complications. Jobs are changed or can be lost. Even terrorism periodically rears its ugly head. Travel insurance does not add major expense to the cost of a typical trip in comparison to the price of airline tickets, fuel surcharges, accommodations, meals or taxes. Insurance, however, buys peace of mind against the possibility that the unexpected will happen. It is an excellent choice for anyone planning to take a trip individually, with the family, or as part of a group. Travel insurance provides coverage for emergency medical expense protection, airline ticket protection, international medical insurance coverage, and other travel protection needs.

While no one wants to dwell on travel plans that could go wrong, it is better to consider them briefly, when you are first planning a trip. By adding a strong travel insurance plan, you can relax and look forward to enjoying the trip, knowing that your costs are covered if the worst happens.

When considering travel insurance coverage, there are three main components that will protect most people. Travel insurance can reimburse the prepaid cost of a trip if you need to cancel for a covered reason. Baggage loss protection can cover expenses when the airline loses your bag and you have to buy a new wardrobe for an overseas business presentation. And emergency medical expense coverage picks up your medical expenses if you should be injured or take sick while traveling. When you cover all the disruption possibilities you will be ready for anything when you travel, even a volcano.