Travel insurance is an asset for anyone who plans on travelling. Whether you plan on travelling within Australia or abroad, whether you travel often or will be going on your first holiday, or whether you are young or old. Travel insurance will help you pay medical expenses if you are injured while travelling or will help to relieve your family financially if you are fatally injured.

Several specific benefits of traveller’s insurance are explained below:

1. Pays for medical expenses and transportation to a hospital
If you get into an accident or fall ill while you are travelling, you will likely have to be transported and treated at a hospital which will not be covered by your regular medical insurance. This means that treatment is likely to be costly for you and your family. Travel insurance can help to offset some or all of these expensive fees.

2. Pays to have your body transported back to your state
If you are fatally injured overseas, transporting your body back to your state can be a very expensive process. Your family will already be burdened with paying for your funeral, burial, and learning how to get by financially without you. Travel insurance can help to relieve some or all of these costs and make the situation financially easier on your loved ones.

3. Pays for the loss of personal items
There is often a very good chance that your personal items can be lost or stolen, whether it be while flying from Australia to your destination or while you are staying at a hotel. Many traveller’s insurance policies will give you money to replace these items.

4. Pays for trip cancellation
Sometimes events may occur and you may not be able to go on the vacation you had planned. For this reason, travel insurance helps to protect you by paying cancellation fees that you may incur from airlines, hotels, or travel agencies.

5. Pays for injuries to a 3rd party
If you accidentally cause injuries to another person while on vacation, you may be found to be legal liable. Depending on the situation and circumstances involved, such a liability can be very expensive. For instance, your costs will be higher if:

• The person has extensive injuries
• The person has to be transported to a hospital
• The person has to be treated in an emergency room
• The person does not have their own medical insurance
• The person cannot return to work for some time because of the injury
• There was also damage to the person’s property
• The person is fatally injured

6. Pays for loss of income
If you cannot return to work for some time due to an injury or illness that resulted from your trip, travel insurance can help you and your family reduce financial burdens by compensating you for your lost income.

7. Worry-free travel
The best benefit of travel insurance is that it allows you to take a trip without constant worry. You do not have to worry about how your family will afford your expenses if you get sick or are in an accident. You do not have to worry about will happen if your luggage or money is stolen. You can do what you want to do and truly enjoy the experience. The Australian government recommends that all travelling citizens purchase travel insurance. See why they feel insurance is essential in their Travel Health section.