TRAVEL
insurance + services
"Do I really have to buy travel insurance?"
Travel Insurance by Wanderwell
Quite honestly, if you would have asked me three years ago, pre-pandemic and pre-travel business owner Laura would have said no.
But times have changed, and no industry has been hit quite as hard during the pandemic as the travel industry.
And while travel is making a huge recovery and bouncing back with a vengeance, that is actually part of the reason I recommend travel insurance now more than ever.
Travel is booming at a time that staffing shortages are also at play, causing the travel industry to struggle to keep up with demand. Add in unpredictable weather, natural disasters, unscheduled absences of pilots, flight attendants, and tour guides, and you have a recipe for a disaster in the making if anything goes wrong with your trip.
And while booking your travel with a credit card that offers free trip protection might cover some of your costs should something go wrong with your trip, it's still not going to cover the majority of it. Travel insurance covers things like trip cancellation, trip interruption or delay, baggage loss, accident and illness, emergency medical protection, and offers you 24/7 travel assistance if something goes wrong while you're abroad.
And if there's anything we've learned over the past couple of years, it's that a lot of things can go wrong with travel, and we need to expect the unexpected.
When I personally consider whether or not I want to buy travel insurance for a trip, I ask myself if I am willing to lose out on the cost of my trip if something goes wrong and prevents me from going, or worse, if I am prepared to pay out of pocket for an unexpected medical emergency should something go wrong.
If my trip was a substantial investment of my time and money, usually the answer is no, and I suck it up and purchase it just in case. I can say from experience that I have witnessed several of my travelers having to cancel their trips last minute. Fortunately, most of them had purchased travel insurance, and they were able to get most of their trip costs reimbursed because they were canceling for a covered reason and were able to provide the required documentation.
So where do you start looking for travel insurance?
There are hundreds of insurance providers out there, and I know that sifting through them can be incredibly overwhelming. That's why I formed a partnership with a company called Wanderwell--so that my clients and friends can trust they're being insured by a reputable company who I've personally vetted.
Wanderwell, based out of Portland, Oregon, is committed to environmental conservation and sustainable, regenerative business and travel practices. Most importantly, they aim to contribute 5% of annual gross revenue to established non-profits supported by 1% for the Planet and to organizations that promote sustainable travel.
Going
Sign up for a free account with Going, formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights. With Going, you get notified of flight deals in your area, allowing you to save tons of money to put toward the things that matter to you most when you travel, whether that be accommodations, activities, or fancy dinners.
All you have to do is create a free account by clicking the link below, and you’ll be on your way to getting the best flight deals in no time!
If you want to upgrade your account to get even more deals in your inbox, a Going Premium membership costs $49 USD per year. You can try it free for 14 days and cancel anytime.
$49 might seem steep, but if you take advantage of even one flight deal per year, your membership will pay for itself (and then some!).
ExpressVPN
Using a VPN, a virtual private network, makes your internet connection secure by encrypting your data as you use the internet. A VPN will keep you safe from potential hackers, phishing, and other internet threats and privacy concerns.
In addition, it is one of the easiest and effective ways to access content while traveling. It is especially important in countries that have restrictions on internet usage, like Russia or Cuba.
eSIM Store
Airalo is the world's first eSIM store and offers eSIMs for over 200+ countries and regions at the most affordable rates from around the world.
Most Airalo packages are data-based (unless specified by the plan). This means you won't be able to use call and text services but will have full access to data. Not to worry — you'll still be able to browse the internet, use most apps, and send and receive internet-based calls and messages.
Disclaimer: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I might get a small commission at no cost to you if you choose to purchase items using my links.