Some people are against it and I can’t understand why. Travel insurance is cheap and can be so helpful, sometimes even a lifesaver! Most travel insurance packages offer both health and travel protection (baggage delays, stolen items, etc) Hopefully you won’t need to use it, but if you need to go to a doctor for whatever reason, you’re covered.
Example: Rachel and I were getting our PADI SCUBA licenses and after our first day in the water, her ear was hurting. We went to a doctor because we thought her eardrum was seriously damaged. Turns out she had some common injury that some medication could help with. What could have been almost $200 was $10. If we didn’t have the insurance, we would have been out $200 or even worse, could have had to drop out of the SCUBA course. If you’re not a doctor, and you don’t know about illnesses in all parts of the world, it’s worth the $50-100/month.
OK, so you decide that you can take care of yourself and there’s no way you’re going to get sick or injured. What happens when your flight is delayed and baggage is lost? Bonus night in a nice hotel and a meal at the nicest restaurant in the airport! Maybe even some new clothes (much needed when your pits are crusty).
If you haven’t been to the places you are going, you may not know what the crime is like. How often do travelers get pick pocketed? Sorry I don’t have a stat for you but believe me, it’s not uncommon. How about your bags? Somebody’s going to have their eye on them at some point in your trip, trust me on this one. When you’re staying in a dorm room, your stuff isn’t always the safest. Coming back from the grocery store to find your bag raided is not the most comforting feeling when you’re in a foreign country. It’s a lot easier when no matter what’s missing is covered
Example: Rachel and I were at a crowded bar spending some of our “splurge” money with friends that we randomly ran into while in Brussels, Belgium. Our camera, with about 100 pictures on it, came up missing. It was snatched from her purse. The next day we filed a police report and got in touch with the insurance company. We purchased a brand new digital camera, case and memory card and were reimbursed for every penny.
Health precautions
Simply put, there are diseases and illnesses that you and I don’t know about. They may not harm you, but they also may end your trip or even worse. The good news is that doctors know about almost everything you might run into while traveling. Go to your doctor before you leave, let him or her know that you’re going to be spending time abroad and tell them that you want to get any vaccinations or immunizations that you need.
Tell them exactly where you are going.
For example, don’t say I’m going to South America. Say, I’m going to the Amazon in Brazil. You may not get malaria while in Rio De Janeiro, but the Amazon is a different story. Being specific will help your doctor more accurately assess which shots or pills you’ll need.
Get this done at least three months before your trip starts. Some vaccinations require that you get a series of shots that are separated by certain periods of time. Three months should give you enough time to get these all in.
This is pretty straight forward stuff, a lot of it may be covered under the health insurance that you already carry. Don't ignore the possibility.