Trip-Planning Advice for New Travelers
June 26, 2018
Take these tips from our own Patti Kirkpatrick, USI VIP Travel Insurance Specialist, seasoned travel professional and experienced traveler herself. Check out her Travel Insurance Services Staff Spotlight here.
As an avid traveler myself, my best advice for new travelers would be:
- Set a realistic budget. It’s easy to get carried away when planning, but set a final number and stick to it. There are so many options today to meet any budget.
- Research the destination that you want to visit. Develop a list of a few must-see sites and must-do activities, then keep an additional list of some other options that you can take with you for inspiration.
- If it’s a complex trip, or you feel overwhelmed by all the information on the web, work with a travel advisor/travel agent. (I prefer the title “travel advisor” because we do much more than just sell a trip). We can tell you about the destination that you are visiting (especially unique facts that you may not be able to find on your own). Often, we can find better prices or additional amenities. Most important of all, is that we “have your back” should anything go wrong.
- Of course, I strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. It’s seldom a question of whether you should purchase insurance – it’s more often a question of what type. It’s not always the best option to buy according to the price of the policy.
All the policies we sell include medical insurance for while you are traveling. If you are traveling domestically, we can offer you a policy that has less medical coverage because your own (home-based) health insurance will provide primary coverage. With less medical coverage, the price of your policy will be less. Conversely, if you are traveling some place “exotic” or “off the beaten path,” I recommend one of the more comprehensive policies. Medical treatments and/or medical evacuation from remote destinations can be very expensive.”
To learn more about Travel Insurance Services and the many protection options we offer for domestic and international travel, contact us at 1-800-937-1387 or visit our website.
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