Hawaii Vacation Packages..Hawaii Blog by Lisa

Travel Insurance is a optional component to a travel package. Although it’s optional, as a travel agent I say it’s highly advisable to purchase.

Trip Insurance: I read and heard a famous female financial advisor say that she would not recommend insurance if it’s only for air fare that was $200, but if your vacation package total is $1000 or more you would have to ask yourself, could you afford to loose a $1000 or more if something unexpected happened and you could not take your trip? And that is a very important question to ask yourself when you are planning your vacation. Travel agents and travel vendors will offer you to purchase travel insurance. It’s important that you understand what the insurance covers. Most travel insurance will only cover if you cancel due to a medical reason. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, you have a limited time to decide (usually within 7days of your travel package purchase) if you want to purchase the insurance. 

The reason for the travel insurance is that the airlines, hotel, cruise and car vendors will impose a penalty fee to cancel their reservation that you have  paid for. Travel Agencies will also charge you a fee to cancel a reservation made with them. These penalty fees will be as much as the total of your package, a one nights hotel stay or a 1 day car rental. Every travel vendor’s penalty fees and rules for cancelling will defer from one another. Please ask your travel agent on what the cost would be if you need to cancel this trip and ask yourself the question…."can I afford to loose this money should I need to cancel?" 

Car Rental Insurance: Call you personal car insurance carrier or credit card company to see if your account with them cover’s you when you rent a car while on vacation.

Should I insure my luggage?: Check with the airlines on their liability on lost luggage. The last time I looked on the back of my airline ticket jacket it said I was covered up to $2,500 for checked luggage that was lost or damaged.

I hope that helps you in deciding if you need to purchase the insurance that I will offer you when you book a travel package with Hawaii Aloha Travel. Remember to ask yourself the big question: "Can I afford to loose this much money should something  happen and I need to cancel my trip?