Ever wondered what flight insurance is? Here’s what you need to know and the benefits it provides so you can decide if you need it.
28 August 2010Taking a flight is the most convenient way to travel from one location to another, and it is the only way to reach certain distant places around the world. Nevertheless, air tickets can be costly, and they usually make up a significant part of people’s travel expenses.
In most cases, travelers are required to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for air tickets, and they will suffer considerable financial loss if they fail to make their flights for some reasons. As such, it is a good idea for travelers to get flight insurance before they depart for their travel destinations.
Flight insurance (not to be confused with flight accident insurance) is a form of travel insurance that offers financial protection against losses that are related to air travel. Although it does not happen very often, there is a chance that travelers may miss or cancel their air travel.
Emergencies, such as illnesses, urgent work responsibilities, and accidents, may force people to cancel their travel plans, and they may not get a full refund for their air tickets from the airlines. With this coverage, those who cancel their flights can be assured that they will get adequate compensation for their losses, and they can use the compensation money to purchase another ticket for travel later. Certain flight plans also provides coverage for flight delays.
Other than cancellation and delay, travelers also need protection against flight accidents. Flying is considered one of the safest ways to travel these days, but accidents can happen, and the consequences can be tragic. Travelers who have a flight policy will get financial recovery for medical expenses and other losses if they sustain injuries or lose their lives because of an accident. Additionally, flight coverage offers financial recovery for loss luggage. Most airlines compensate their passengers for loss luggage, but the compensation amount that is offered is usually much less than the actual value of the luggage. A flight policy will ensure that unfortunate travelers who lose their luggage will get adequate financial recovery.
Travelers can either purchase a travel insurance policy that includes flight coverage or obtain a flight-only insurance policy. Most travel insurance providers offer coverage for air travel, and they have a number of coverage options to meet the needs of every air passenger.
The best thing to do is to get your flight plan from an established insurance company, because such a company can provide excellent travel insurance advice, reliable emergency assistance, and efficient claims service.
Damian Tysdal is the founder of CoverTrip, and is a licensed agent for travel insurance (MA 1883287). He believes travel insurance should be easier to understand, and started the first travel insurance blog in 2006.