How Far in Advance Can I Book Travel Insurance?By Angelica Malin
When you plan to go on holiday, you usually book your airfare and hotel accommodations 6 to 12 months in advance. As you prepare for your trip, it is a must to get travel insurance. Getting travel insurance is important because it gives comprehensive coverage for your trip and will definitely give you peace of mind.
When you buy travel insurance, it is important to take note of what they cover and how it would benefit you and your family. You need to be able to sift through their offerings and choose the best travel insurance policy that is best suited for your needs.
The question is how far in advance can you book travel insurance? The recommendation is to purchase travel insurance just as soon as you have booked and paid for your trip. It will be more beneficial for you to get it as early as possible. The sooner you get travel insurance, the sooner you are protected. However, although this is not advisable, you can actually purchase travel insurance up to one day before departure.
Single Trip Insurance
If you plan to travel only once a year, it is advisable to get single trip insurance because it is the most cost-effective solution. Most single trip travel insurance policies have no minimum duration and can cover a single trip for up to 31 continuous days. Single trip insurance can be purchased one year in advance. Coverage begins on the day that you make the initial trip deposit. This means that the coverage will be in effect as soon as the initial trip deposit is completed. The policy expires on your return date.
Annual Trip Insurance
Frequent travelers are advised to get annual travel insurance. Also called multi-trip travel insurance, this could help save you time and money especially if you plan on taking two or more trips every year. Multi-trip travel insurance covers unlimited trips of up to 45 days each within 365 days. Annual trip insurance can be purchased up to 30 days in advance. The coverage starts on the date that is specifically stipulated on the policy. In order to guarantee pre-departure coverage, make sure that the policy begins on the day that you purchase your plane tickets.
Advantages of Purchasing Travel Insurance in Advance
It is always good to buy travel insurance in advance. Here are the advantages of purchasing ahead of time:
Protection against cancellations
When you purchase travel insurance in advance, you will be able to take advantage of the policy’s coverage for cancellations. You can cancel your trip and be able to reimburse the costs incurred.
Protection against illnesses
Travelers purchase insurance to protect them against illnesses while on their trip. However, when you buy insurance in advance, the cost of your holiday will be covered if you get sick even before your trip starts.
Protection against unpredictable situations
There will always be unforeseen situations whenever you travel. Be protected against these circumstances by buying travel insurance earlier. Examples of unforeseen circumstances are sudden personal financial constraints or if the airline goes into unexpected liquidation.