As covid restrictions lift, more people are taking the opportunity to go see loved ones they haven’t seen in years, experience that much-needed vacation or just scratch that travel itch that they have been holding back on. However, with the influx of travelers and COVID-19 restrictions differing from country to country, the possibility of something going wrong is greater than before. 

Catching covid overseas and having to quarantine before being able to fly home, as well as having to reschedule travel plans and flights, might set you back hundreds or thousands of dollars and leave you stranded far away from home. Being prepared for what could go wrong on your next trip is imperative.

“You want to work with a travel agent who knows the most recent regulations with what’s going on because things are changing every single day. You also want someone to match you with the proper insurance plan, so they cannot only protect their vacation investment but also if they have health concerns or worry about getting COVID-19 overseas those fail-safes are in place and can help them if the need arises,” said Cyndi Williams, Tripsy Travel Agency owner and travel industry expert.

Travel insurance is for medical emergencies outside of your home country or state or outside of your health network. People buy travel insurance to protect themselves from unforeseen medical emergencies. Goose Insurance was one of the first agencies to implement a covid travel medical insurance plan.

“It really covers people when they are traveling internationally for covid-related medical emergencies. For example, in a lot of countries when you are going to a resort, if you test positive for COVID-19 you need to self-isolate and quarantine. This plan will cover meals and accommodation costs related to that, and it also has trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits. This means if your trip is canceled because you tested positive for COVID-19 or if your trip is interrupted by COVID-19 this can get you on another flight once you pass quarantine,” said Omar Kawyan, co-founder and head of growth at Goose Insurance.

As much as we want our travel plans to go as seamlessly as possible, some things are out of our hands. This recent Juneteenth weekend travelers faced thousands of flight cancellations and delays.

“Americans need to think about summer travel because most airlines aren’t as prepared as we want them to be because they are still trying to rebound. We are experiencing a lot of flight delays and cancellations, so it’s really important to think about trip protection as well. If you are traveling this summer and your flight gets canceled or interrupted you might be stuck in the airport for 12 to 16 hours,” said Kawyan. 

The best way to protect yourself during summer travels is to do your research continuously. Covid restrictions can change day by day based on the country you are traveling to, and it’s imperative to make sure you have all the items, tests, vaccinations and more to make your trip go as smoothly as possible.

“Before traveling internationally, the best way to protect yourself is to arm yourself with knowledge. Many Americans don’t realize that they are protected by European laws in the case of disruptions on international flights. Instead, they believe that because U.S. national law does not offer much protection for avoidable travel disruptions, they are unable to seek compensation or support,” said Rosa Garcia, Legal Tactician at AirHelp.

To find COVID-19 regulations and risks, check out the CDC travel recommendations by country.

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Cover photo from Kevin Woblick from Unsplash