Travel insurance can protect you against financial loss if you're forced to cancel, delay or interrupt your vacation, business trip, or other travels.

It can also offer you protection if you experience a medical emergency, damage to personal property and even if a death occurs while you're traveling.

Types of travel insurance

Trip cancellation	Baggage loss
Travel delay	Rental-car damage
Trip interruptions	Medical evacuation
Accidental death	Foreign travel medical/health

Before buying travel insurance

Check your other insurance policies for similar coverage.
Review the policy for what's covered and what's excluded.
Look at the refund policy.
Ask about pre-existing health conditions and age limits on coverage.
Medicare does not cover medical bills for service outside the U.S.
If you plan to use a credit card to book a trip, ask the credit card company if it automatically offers any type of extra protection coverage.
Find out about cancellation waivers (this is not insurance). Cruise and tour operators may offer cancellation waivers for a fee. They'll reimburse you a portion of your cost if you cancel for any reason up to 24 hours before departure.

Where to buy travel insurance

Many travel agencies and online travel companies (i.e., Hotwire, Priceline, etc.) offer insurance packages you can buy with your vacation or travel package.

You can also search using our agent, agency and company lookup to find someone that sells travel insurance.

Updated 04/16/2012

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Need more help? Call our FREE Insurance Consumer Hotline at 1-800-562-6900
or Email us at cap@oic.wa.gov.