Common Travel Insurance Dilemma
Here's a common question a lot of people ask when it comes to buying travel insurance: when should they buy it? Some believe that your insurance policy begins on the day you buy it (even if it is before your day of travel) or that it only begins on your day of travel. Because of this confusion a lot of people wonder whether they should buy insurance before their departure date or on the day itself. So what's the real deal and when is the best time to buy travel insurance?
To answer this issue you have to look at two different aspects: what your insurance policy covers and when it takes effect. The best insurance is comprehensive travel insurance because it covers every aspect of your travel, as discussed above. It will cover both medical issues and monetary issues (lost luggage, cancelled flights, and missed flights). When you get these types of insurance policies they usually take effect on the day of travel.
This means it is always best to buy insurance before your travel date and on the same day you book your flights. It is always best to book your flight and then immediately buy policy. You will want to do this so that you are covered in case you missed your first flight or if you get hurt during your travel. However, while this solves the immediate question, you still might be asking: how about the circumstances wherein something happens to you the day before your travel?
Coverage Prior to Your Travel Date
So what if you bought your tickets and insurance two weeks before your flight and now you got into an accident? How are you going to cover this incident and who's paying for the expenses? The thing is, it won't be your travel insurance. Instead, it will be your regular medical health insurance, life insurance, and other personal insurance policies that you already have.
Your travel insurance coverage begins and ends during your time of travel which goes from the day of your departure to the day of your arrival back home. Any other incident that occurs outside of that time frame will have to be covered by other insurance policies that you may have.