by Charlotte Louise Nystrom

Created on: September 17, 2008   Last Updated: November 04, 2008

Take a moment to image this. For years, you have been saving money for the vacation of your dreams. Finally, all that hard work has paid off. You are gazing out across the clear blue water as you sip a fruity drink on the white sands of a remote tropical island. Your dream has been realized. To say you are looking forward to two sun filled weeks of relaxation is truly an understatement.

The only problem is that life has decided to interject itself into your well-laid plans. You lost your luggage, and then your wife managed to "misplace" the passports. The day cruise was cancelled, but that is ok stuff happens right? Then your son tripped over a surfboard resulting in a broken arm. (This is not the best time to find out that your medical insurance does not cover care in foreign countries.)

As if that were not bad enough someone managed to steal your wallet at the tiki bar last night. Paradise loses some of its desire when you find yourself stranded. Then, just when you thought it could not get any worse, you totaled the rental car on the way to snorkeling lessons. You could not understand a word of what the police officer was saying in that foreign language. How do you explain about your lack of identification? Sure, you are in the location of your dreams, but good luck enjoying it.

Now why on earth would you want to shell out a little extra money for travel insurance? I mean life never throws us any curves. Everything always goes exactly as planned. I do not know about you, but my personal motto lingers on the edge of "whatever can go wrong, will go wrong".

Like other forms of insurance, the benefits of travel insurance vary by carrier and plan. Some of the most common benefits include:

~ Trip Cancellation or interruption

~Travel Delay

~Baggage Delay

~ Lost tickets

~Travel document replacement

~Theft or damage to personal belongings

~ Obtaining funds if needed

~ Legal expenses

~personal liability

~ Sending emergency messages home

~emergency dental care

~sickness/hospital care

~ Emergency medical care

~ Emergency medical evacuation

~ Accidental death and dismemberment

~ Repatriation of remains

~ Burial/ cremation costs

Suppose your family comes down with pneumonia or a relative dies the week before your departure? You will have to cancel the trip, and will probably lose all that hard-earned money. Do not take that risk. If you have travel insurance, you can probably get your money refunded.

Travel insurance allows you to wait until your postnasal drip clears up, or attend the funeral and spend a respectable amount of time mourning. When you are ready, the money will be there. That way you can reschedule for a time when you can really enjoy that dream vacation.

Spare yourself some trouble. Get the travel insurance. Your travel agent can help you obtain travel insurance at a very reasonable rate. Sure, you may not need it. If that is the case then when you get home you can complain about how you could have bought an extra souvenir or two.

Think of purchasing travel insurance as a small investment in ensuring that vacation you worked so hard for will be every bit as relaxing and stress free as it was in your dreams. After all, who wants to spend their lifesavings on a nightmare?

Learn more about this author, Charlotte Louise Nystrom.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.