If you are planning to take an overseas trip, you should definitely look into purchasing a trip travel insurance policy for yourself, your travel companions and your family. So, you may be asking right about now, what is travel insurance and do I really need it? Travel insurance is a short term policy which usually covers things like medical expenses, financial losses and the like for the duration of a trip, whether domestic or overseas.

The standard coverage of these sort of policies usually includes cancellations and delays in your trip, medical treatment and medical emergencies that may occur on your trip, lost items (think luggage), evacuations when necessary and even accidental deaths. Be sure to read your specific trip travel insurance policy closely, like any kind of insurance policy, trip travel insurance excludes certain situations. Think carefully about what you want covered before purchasing your policy. There are things no policy will cover, consider these circumstances before traveling at all, but especially in terms of buying your policy.

Of course, it also wise to closely investigate your preexisting insurance policies; some things that a trip travel insurance policy covers may already be covered by your own insurance. And of course, no one needs to buy overlapping coverage. If your own insurance already covers say, medical evacuations, you can safely shop for an annual or single trip travel insurance policy that does not include it.

Travel insurance comes in both single trip and annual policies, both have their strong and weak points. You’ll want to think about which best suits your needs. Do you travel frequently? If so, an annual policy may be the best choice for you. If you do not travel so often, and just want some peace of mind for that long-planned vacation, a single trip policy is likely the way to go. Depending on the company offering the policy, different circumstances may or may not be covered. Like any important purchase, shopping around is the way to go.

Both types of trip travel insurance policy will generally cover sickness or injuries that happen while you are on a trip, along with other types of emergencies (such as the aforementioned evacuations, even to the point of transport home if required). Common travel woes like lost baggage, delays and cancellations are standard in trip travel insurance policies also.

When shopping for travel insurance, you should always compare several companies before settling on a policy, in order to make certain that you are getting a good deal. Travel insurance policies do not carry the same premiums as other types of insurance, and often are more expensive. Comparing several different companies before you buy, allows you to make certain that you are not being taken for a ride – before you leave on vacation.

There’s nothing worse than having one’s trip canceled due to unforeseeable circumstances and facing up to non-refundable fees that have already been paid. Trip insurance will cover these losses, which certainly will help put your mind at ease when traveling or planning to. An annual policy will cover you for all trips for entire year, giving you all