Travel Insurance: The One Thing You’ll Wish You Had (If You Don’t)
You’ve finally booked your dream trip — flights, resort, excursions — maybe even new luggage. But let me ask you something:
Can you afford to lose it all if life throws you a curveball?
If you’re wondering whether travel insurance is worth it, the answer is simple:
It only depends on whether you already have proper coverage.
Because everyone should be protected. No exceptions.
Who Needs Travel Insurance?
Spoiler alert: You do.
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that anything can happen. Add in increasingly unstable weather, airline delays, and everyday life surprises (sick family, job layoffs, illnesses), and suddenly your trip investment is vulnerable.
Travel insurance exists to protect that investment — and potentially save you thousands when the unexpected hits.
Think of it like this:
If you spent thousands on a trip, would you walk around carrying that same amount of cash in your hand with no protection? Of course not. So why risk your whole vacation?
Types of Coverage You Should Know
Here’s a quick breakdown of what real travel insurance actually includes (and what to double-check in your current policies):
1. Trip Cancellation
Covers you before you leave. If something happens that prevents you from going (injury, illness, family emergency, etc.), this protects the money you’ve already spent.
2. Trip Interruption
Kicks in once your trip begins. If something happens mid-trip — like a hurricane or an emergency at home — this can cover the cost of getting home, extra hotel nights, or rescheduling missed flights.
3. Medical Coverage
Essential for International travel (even out of Province travel!), this covers emergency medical care, hospital stays, ambulance services, and even emergency evacuation.
Your credit card or work benefits may not cover much — or anything — abroad.
Why You Need Protection
Let’s be blunt:
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Parents get sick.
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Kids catch whatever is floating around at school.
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Flights get delayed.
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Hurricanes change course.
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Jobs get lost.
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Bags disappear.
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Accidents happen.
And it doesn’t matter how prepared or positive you are — if you don’t have insurance, you’re the one holding the bill when things go sideways.
As a travel advisor, I’ve seen it all — the clients who breathed a sigh of relief because they were covered… and the ones who paid thousands out-of-pocket and learned the hard way (and buy it everytime going forward without a thought).
Ask Yourself:
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Do I know exactly what my credit card or work policy covers?
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Can I afford to cancel this trip and lose the money I’ve spent?
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Could I easily pay to rebook flights if I miss them?
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What happens if my luggage vanishes for 4 days?
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Could I afford medical care in a foreign country?
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Who’s getting me home if I have a medical emergency abroad?
Where to Get Travel Insurance
✔️ Through a trusted travel agent (that’s me — I’ll walk you through it!)
✔️ Through your credit card or work benefits — call them and find know what’s actually covered
✔️ Through vacation package providers (Air Canada Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Sunwing, etc.)
Where can you buy travel insurance?
Through a travel agent, like myself (ask here)
Through your credit card.
Through your work benefits plan.
Sometimes when you are buying an all inclusive package, the vacation supplier (Air Canada Vacations, Westjet Vacations, Sunwing, etc) will offer their own insurance plans, as well.
Here is a sample of Westjet Vacation’s Travel Protection.
Still not sure or maybe you want a quote for your next trip, reach out to me directly (theurbantraveler@gmail.com) or perform your own quote search HERE.
Jasmin “Jazz” Linton, The Urban Traveler
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