The fact is, you never know. You could be hurled out of a Thai Tuk Tuk and break your arm. You could accidently fall into an Indian porter potty and contract some bizarre disease. But you could also avoid injury altogether and have a healthy and happy backpacking adventure.
Although you hope and plan for the best, often the twists and turns of the road can leave you up shit’s creek without a paddle. And it’s because of these unknowns that you should definitely consider travel insurance before going backpacking.
I’ve Been Lucky
In the past 8 years of non-stop world travel, I’ve been lucky. I’ve sprinted from gun wielding farmers in Ethiopia, tucked and rolled during a bus crash in Sudan, lived through the 2011 Earthquake in Tokyo and survived much more all without a scratch.
On the other hand, there have been countless times where travel insurance could have come in extremely handy. If I had only invested a few hundred dollars on insurance, I wouldn’t have had to suffer the toothaches that led to 24 cavity fillings. I would have been reimbursed for the value of my things when my bag was stolen in Italy. I wouldn’t have been driven mad after accidently purchasing a non-refundable train ticket on Trenitalia.
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
Because travel insurance covers much more than simply medical expenses. A good company will cover dental, injury from adventure sports, theft, plane ticket cancelation, evacuation and even death to name a few.
The bus crash in Sudan
Comparative Analysis Of Different Plans
When looking for travel insurance, it’s never a bad idea to compare prices vis a vis coverage of a couple different companies. Some companies only cover stolen electronics up to 500$, others up to 2000$. Remember also to compare deductible prices as well. Finally, choose the plan that you think best covers your travel plans. A good website for comparing travel insurance is covomo.com. Here you can view the policies and plans of a variety of major insurance companies. And if you’re a student, you might be eligible for a discount.
Conclusion
You never think it will happen to you until it does. But it’s not just those big injuries costing thousands in medical bill that require travel insurance. Instead it’s all those little aggravations where travel insurance can make all the difference. Bite the bullet, drop the dough, invest in the travel insurance plan that’s right for you and enjoy your backpacking adventure worry free.
Good luck and travel insured travels!
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