Travelling and taking holidays can be a lot of fun, but it can also be scary. If something goes wrong, you may find yourself in a foreign land amongst foreign people with no idea where to turn for help. Travel insurance prevents this from happening by helping you through all of the unforeseen circumstances that may befall you on a trip. Travel insurance can help cover expenses if you become ill or injured, lose your luggage, have a car accident or have to change your plans due to weather or illness.

There are two basic types of travel insurance: annual travel insurance and single trip travel insurance. Annual travel insurance is purchased annually and covers all of your travels for the entire year. Single trip travel insurance is purchased at the beginning of each trip and is only good for that trip.

There are benefits and drawbacks associated with each type of travel insurance. The following two sections will address the pros and cons of each.

Pros and Cons of Annual Travel Insurance

When you purchase annual travel insurance, you pay a one-time fee. This fee covers the cost of the insurance for the whole year. If you travel a lot, this price is almost always less than you would pay for multiple single-trip policies. But the price for annual travel insurance is also more than you would pay for one or two single-trip policies. So you need to have a clear idea of how often you will use the insurance before you spend the money for it.

Annual travel insurance is ideal for people who travel a lot. Business professionals, people with family living abroad, and families with holiday homes usually benefit the most from such a policy. Students who have to travel back and forth from school may also benefit from this type of policy.

Pros and Cons of Single Trip Travel Insurance

Single trip travel insurance is the most cost effective way to purchase travel insurance if you only have need of it a couple of times a year. It is spontaneous. You can purchase travel insurance prior to any trip even if it is spur of the moment. It is also inexpensive. Single trip travel insurance normally costs about four to seven percent of the entire cost of any prepaid trip.

If you make a lot of spontaneous trips, however, you could end up spending more than you bargained for if you purchase a separate policy each time you leave town.

Both annual and single trip travel insurances offer the same coverage. The only real discrepancy between them is cost. Therefore, you need to choose the most cost effective way to purchase the insurance that best meets your needs. If you have any doubts, talk to a travel agent. They will be able to help you compare prices and coverage options. The most important thing is that you always travel while insured. You need to be prepared for everything that may happen.