Traveling with kids is stressful enough but to face the unbearable such as flight cancellations, delays, lost luggage, and sickness takes the stress of traveling with kids to a completely different level. However, these are the realties of traveling. Like any large purchase we make (home, car, boat, fine jewelry), we protect them with insurance. The prudent traveling family might consider the same when it comes to family travel. Deciding to become an affiliate of one of the big 5, Access America Travel Insurance, I’ve learned why travel insurance is a smart idea.

But what is travel insurance really? What does it cover and more importantly how much does it cost? Those are my biggest questions and I think probably other families’ questions as well. After paying for tickets, accommodations, entertainment, and food, who wants to drop another dime on a trip? Ironically,  all of those reasons, are why you (and I) may want to look into protecting ourselves and our family’s vacation. So, I looked into it to see what I could find. Here’s a brief synopsis:

1. The main items that travel insurance covers are:

• trip cancellation/interruption
• medical
• evacuation
• baggage insurance
• flight insurance

Comprehensive insurance offers the most complete coverage, protecting you for several if not all of these five major issues.

2. Many of the packages you will find cost anywhere between 5 and 12 percent of the total cost of the trip. Children under 17 are usually free to cover or at least, much less expensive than their parents.

Everyone doesn’t necessarily need insurance. If you or anyone in your family that’s traveling has health issues or you’re traveling to a higher-risk destination, then I think travel insurance would be wise to purchase. A trip that cost you several thousands of dollars where plane fare and accommodations were pre-paid and non-refundable would be a good candidate for travel insurance.

Access America Travel Insurance makes it easy on traveling families by offering: coverage globally, a 10-day free look, and online claims filing and tracking. Remember that your credit card may offer limited protection. If you purchase your tickets or book a tour with your credit card, see what the company’s coverage entails and consider filling in the gaps in order to gain complete peace of mind. It’s something that many of us don’t think of but in this economy where money is so precious yet more limited, it’d be prudent of us not to protect it.

Images courtesy of Chelzerman, Flikr.com.