Travel Insurance Is A Must
Travel Insurance when visiting the USA is a must. Travel agents tend to try and book travel insurance for you when you book your holiday, but you don't need to, and you shouldn't feel forced to either. Travel insurance is a product that you really must shop around for as prices can vary a lot.
No NHS In The US
As for insurance itself, a lot of Brits don't realise that the USA doesn't have an NHS. A trip just to see a doctor can cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars. For people who have never been abroad, it is often taken for granted that we don't have to directly pay for our medical care. However, it's not like that everywhere. American hospitals are privately owned and you pay for the treatment you need. Having travel insurance takes the worry away of needing treatment abroad on the rare occasions that you do.
Buy Travel Insurance Shortly After Booking Your Holiday
A common mistake a lot of people fall into is not booking travel insurance shortly after booking your holiday. This can be a serious problem if something unfortunate happens between the time of your booking and departing for your holiday. If you don't book your travel insurance shortly after you book, you won't be covered for:
- Any new medical or pre-existing conditions that might arise between the time of booking and departing which could add to your cost of your travel insurance when buying later
- If unforeseen circumstances force you to cancel your trip, for example an illness, injury, or a family emergency, travel insurance can reimburse you what you've paid.
- On top of ATOL protection, in the highly unlikely event that your airline or travel operator goes bust, travel insurance can provide reimbursement for any losses
Other Reasons For Travel Insurance
Aside from the medical reasons we've already explained, there are other reasons you must have travel insurance, especially for states like Florida. Unpredictable weather can put a damper on trips, especially if flights get disrupted. Hurricanes are common in Florida from June through November, and travel insurance will cover disruption to your travel, as well as any parts of your holiday while you're there. As we carry around more expensive phones and gadgets, having them covered is becoming more important as losing and/or breaking these gadgets becomes much easier when we're trying to capture the perfect photo.
Picking A Travel Insurance Provider
It's always best to shop around when it comes to insurance, and if you rely on your bank or credit card cover, please make sure it has adequate coverage, as those policies tend to not cover everything or have high excesses. The three companies listed below are ones we've personally used and one of these always tends to be the cheapest travel insurance for our needs.
StaySure - Best For Medical Issue Cover >
Holiday Extras - Usually The Cheapest Option >
