Have A Safe Trip: These Tips And Strategies Actually Work

March 27, 2021

Find a way to get out if you have to

One way to have a safer trip: Make sure you can get out of town if you have to. Like Howell, you can buy a membership with Medjet, which will provide a medical evacuation. Or you could check out a service like Global Rescue or FocusPoint International’s CAP Plan, which offers evacuations. I used FocusPoint, which I received through my Medjet membership, to leave France during the outbreak.

Other services zero in on COVID-19. For example, Covac Global is an indemnified membership program that pays for private evacuation and repatriation of its members should they test positive for COVID-19 while traveling. "Other memberships or travel insurance do not work, as they will not fly you if you have COVID-19, or they will require that you be admitted to a hospital first," says Ross Caldwell Thompson, Covac Global's CEO. "I can’t tell you how bad an idea that is. We do not require our members go to a hospital – we bring them home."

Buy travel insurance

Another surefire strategy for protecting your trip is insurance. You can buy a policy directly through your travel advisor or online through a site like Travelinsurance.com. But read the policy carefully, making sure it covers COVID-19 and other potential issues, such as the bankruptcy of a provider.

"To get the most out of your travel insurance plan, start by considering your major concerns. Thoroughly review your plan and pay attention to time triggers, time-sensitive benefit windows, and trip cancellation reasons," explains Sherry Sutton, the vice president of marketing at Travel Insured International.

Sutton says if you're getting back into travel, purchasing travel insurance is a great safety precaution to take for your trip. But she warns not to purchase your plan assuming it covers every situation and will always reimburse 100% of your insured trip cost. You can upgrade your insurance to include "cancel for any reason" coverage, but you'll only be able to recover up to 75% of your trip costs if you file a claim.

Read full article at Forbes.com