What you should know about travel insurance

From the Washington state insurance commissioner

If you are getting ready to travel for the holidays, here are some things to consider about travel insurance before you purchase it. 

Many travel companies — airlines, cruise lines, resorts — offer travel insurance that will refund most or all of the cost of the trip in certain circumstances. Policies typically cover things like trip cancelations due to illness, civil unrest, job loss, or the transportation carrier going out of business. 

They’ll also pay for fees incurred by missed connections and delays; baggage damage or loss; medical expenses incurred by an injury or illness while traveling; emergency evacuation; car rental damage; and accidental death.

Before you decide whether to purchase travel insurance, you should consider: 

• What your medical insurance covers when you travel. 
• What your homeowner or renter insurance covers in the event of lost or stolen belongings. 
• What your life insurance policy covers in the event of accidental death while traveling. 
• The cancelation policy is for the travel insurance. 
• Read the policy's fine print. Some don't cover certain activities such as hang-gliding, bungee jumping or other activities. Some also exclude certain pre-existing conditions from the medical coverage they offer. 
• You should also make sure the travel insurance company is licensed to sell insurance in Washington. Read more about travel insurance on our website. 

Questions? You can contact our consumer advocates online or at 1-800-562-6900.