Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, financial (such as money invested in nonrefundable pre-payments), and other losses incurred while traveling. At first travel insurance is considered negative. Travel agents were afraid to bring up the travel insurance for fear of losing the overall deal. But today, travel insurance has become an essential item for smart travelers.

According to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, about 30 percent of Americans purchase travel insurance, an increase from 10 percent before 9/11. Typically travel insurance for the duration of a journey costs approximately 3-7% of the cost of the trip.

Travel insurance usually covers the following risks:

• Medical expenses.

• Funeral expenses.
• Accidental death, injury or disablement benefit.
• Cancellation of trip including due to your illness.
• Delayed departure.
• Loss, or damage to personal possessions and money (including travel documents).
• Delayed baggage (and emergency replacement of essential items).

Travel insurance can help you when bad things happen. Although travel insurance is important, not every body need it. So who need it and when do you need it?

• If the travel is long way off, then you will need travel insurance, because there is high possibility of things went wrong if time span is big.
• If the trip is expensive, you can consider buying a travel insurance. If something went wrong you won’t lose your big money.

Where to buy?

Travel insurance can be arranged at the time of booking of a trip or purchased from travel insurance companies, travel agents or tour operators.