by Shauna Zamarripa

Created on: October 29, 2008   Last Updated: November 04, 2008

Life happens. Sometimes, life happens at the most inconvenient times. If you have an emergency arise right around vacation time, or during your travels, not being properly prepared can make a bad situation seem much worse.

No one likes to think about the possibility of things going wrong when they are booking their dream vacation, however, plans can be cancelled, medical emergencies can arise, luggage can be lost or stolen, and departures can be significantly delayed. When the unthinkable strikes and throws a monkey wrench into your vacation plans, it's crucial that you have travel insurance to give you the peace of mind and security that you need on your next holiday.

Usually, travel insurance can be purchased in tandem with your trip. Many times an experienced travel agent will recommend the type of travel insurance best suited for your specific plans, and the different companies and levels of coverage available.

The most common types of travel insurance plans will cover most of the following mishaps:
1. Trip cancellation
2. Delayed departure
3. Lost luggage
4. Theft or damaged items
5. Emergency evacuation
6. Medical expenses
7. Accidental death, injury or disablement

Should a vacation disaster strike on your next trip, it's important to know how to open a travel insurance claim that will be taken care of quickly and with the least amount of inconvenience to you as possible. There are steps that you can take to make your claim a hassle free experience.

Lost or stolen items:
When making a claim through your travel insurance company for items or luggage and that has been lost or stolen, many of the steps you take are similar to those taken with a home owner's or renters insurance policy. You will need to be as meticulous and detail oriented as possible in your claim.

If you are traveling with valuables, it's important to have receipts for those items and list those with your insurer prior to your departure. This way, should the worst happen, your insurer is pre-warned and can easily assess the value of the items in question, getting you a check much faster than having to wait for independent appraisals and proof, or even worse, a claim denial.

If you aren't traveling with any items over $100 dollars, you won't necessarily need a receipt, but it's still wise to keep a list of things that you packed for your vacation handy in the event that you need to make a claim for lost luggage or clothing.

When to report a loss:
If catastrophe strikes on your trip, it's important that you

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