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Trips aren’t just a chance to unwind and see the world. They are also an investment, but there’s a way to protect that investment called flight insurance.
Is flight insurance worth it? Here are a few things worth considering before you add any flight insurance to a booking.
What is Flight Insurance?
Flight insurance protects only the cost of your flight. It doesn’t cover all of your prepaid and nonrefundable trip expenses. Generally, if a problem covered by your flight insurance policy derails your travel plans, you can get reimbursement for only nonrefundable flight costs. Policies can range from offering simple refunds to covering lost or damaged baggage.
Some common problems that are typically covered by flight insurance include:
- Flight cancellations caused by bad weather conditions, like storms and blizzards.
- Unexpected flight delays that cause you to miss a connection, like equipment failure.
- A mid-flight diversion that forces you to arrive at a different airport.
- An unexpected injury or illness before your departure.
- A terrorist event within proximity to the city you are traveling to.
While airline insurance policies can vary by plan type and insurer, there are a few common benefits that may be included in flight insurance plans:
- Flight delay coverage: You’ll receive a payment up to a certain amount if your flight is delayed by the amount of time specified by the policy. For example, we reviewed a Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection policy that pays a $50 “inconvenience fee” if your flight is delayed for at least 120 consecutive minutes.
- Trip interruption or cancellation coverage: If you need to cancel the flight or return home early because of a problem covered by the policy, this coverage reimburses you for prepaid and nonrefundable flight expenses.
- Lost or delayed baggage coverage: This coverage reimburses you for lost or delayed baggage, up to your policy limit. For example, a Flight Insure Plus plan from Travelex Insurance Services offers up to $1,000 in coverage for baggage and personal belongings.
- Travel assistance: This benefits offers you assistance in rebooking your flight itinerary or making other travel arrangements.
What’s Not Covered by Flight Insurance?
Airlines that offer basic flight insurance plans typically lack certain coverage types that you might get with a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Comprehensive travel insurance policies have more robust coverage options which can include:
- Emergency medical and dental coverage: This coverage reimburses medical or dental costs for injuries and illnesses covered by the policy while traveling.
- Emergency medical transportation coverage: Reimburses and arranges necessary medical transportation following an accident or illness covered by the policy.
- Missed connection coverage: Reimburses you for costs incurred from missing a flight, cruise, or other transportation connection due to an unexpected event covered by the policy.
When your travel plans go awry, some of these benefits may come in handy. For example, let’s say you’re in Bogata, Columbia, and get food poisoning that needs medical attention. If you purchased a comprehensive travel insurance plan, your emergency medical coverage may help pay for some of the costs your health insurance provider won’t cover abroad (up to the limits of the plan).
Flight Insurance Examples
Generally, you can purchase a flight insurance plan through the airline carrier or from a third-party travel insurance company. Each policy can drastically vary, so it’s important to read the fine print before you buy.
For example, Allegiant offers flight insurance called Trip Flex. With Trip Flex, travelers can change flight itineraries and postpone their travels up to 24 hours before departure with no additional fees. You can also modify your air ticket portion of your itinerary up to an hour before departure.
But check out the fine print. If you don’t cancel your full itinerary within 72 hours of your departure, it’s nonrefundable, meaning you won’t get reimbursed for your remaining package items such as hotels, activities and car rental. Trip Flex also has other restrictions, such as special flight promotions and sales, and holiday travel dates.
Delta, on the other hand, offers a more comprehensive flight insurance plan through a partnership with Allianz Travel. This policy includes benefits, such as trip interruption coverage, trip cancellation coverage and trip and baggage delay coverage.
Third-party travel insurers will have different levels of coverage. For example, Travelex Insurance offers a Flight Insure plan as well as a Flight Insurer Plus plan. The standard Flight Insure plan offers trip delay, accidental death and dismemberment coverage and travel assistance services,. The Plus plan offers that and baggage coverage and emergency medical and dental coverage.
With so many variations of plan coverage and benefit options, it’s smart to compare the terms and conditions of each plan before purchasing one. Although the easiest option might be to buy a plan through your airline, it’s often beneficial to explore other flight insurance policies before booking.
Additionally, if you purchased other travel accommodations, such as a hotel, cruise or tour, you may need a more comprehensive travel insurance plan that protects all of your financial interests invested in the trip.
Do I Need Flight Insurance?
With the many things that can go wrong while traveling, it’s worth considering some form of travel insurance. Determining which insurance option is right for you will depend on the type of coverage you need, your budget and the complexity of your travel plans.
For example, let’s say you’re traveling domestically to visit a friend in a familiar destination. In this case, a basic flight insurance plan may provide adequate coverage.
On the other hand, if you’re planning a multi-destination trip of a lifetime, you want to consider a comprehensive travel insurance plan, since more could go wrong. For example, you might want travel insurance for lost baggage and travel medical insurance, which typically isn’t included in a basic flight insurance plan.
“If your trip is a large financial investment, it’s important to purchase a travel insurance policy that protects all of your nonrefundable trip expenses, not just the cost of a flight,” says Beckah Ripley, spokesperson for Yonder Travel Insurance. She adds that it’s worth comparing your travel insurance options through a third-party insurer to find a plan that suits your needs at an affordable rate.
Before buying a flight insurance policy, you should also review your credit card perks to see if you already have some form of flight insurance. Some credit card companies offer protection if you book the flight using your credit card. You don’t want to buy extra flight insurance coverage if you don’t have to. For example, as a The Platinum Card® from American Express cardmember, you’ll have basic trip cancellation and interruption coverage¹, trip delay coverage¹ and baggage coverage². (Terms Apply)