Travel insurance can help with emergencies

Many unexpected things can occur during a vacation. According to a PEW news interest index survey, about 26 percent of people said they followed news about the recent cruise ship accident more closely than any other news.

The Costa Concordia cruise ship steered off the planned course and crashed into nearby waters off the Italian coast. The unexpected turn was not approved by authorities and the captain of the ship said he did the maneuver by sight because he traveled the route before, reports the BBC. Nearly 42,000 people were aboard the ship when the accident occurred. Passengers struggled to swim ashore and many were missing in the days following the accident.

"We are deeply saddened by this tragic event and our hearts go out to everyone affected by the grounding of the Costa Concordia and especially to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives," said Micky Arison, Carnival Corporation and CEO.

Although events like the cruise ship disaster don't often occur, that doesn't mean that travelers shouldn't be prepared. The best travel insurance can help passengers in the event of an emergency.

If you have a trip planned and an unexpected event prevents a smooth vacation, purchasing trip cancellation insurance could alleviate the stress. Vacations can be expensive and you don't want to lose money as a result of a change in plans. After you've already paid for a vacation, cancelling the trip can cause a major monetary loss. Trip cancellation insurance will give travelers peace of mind before planned getaways.

While the loss of lives is the biggest tragedy for passengers aboard the Costa Concordia, many people lost a significant amount of money as a result of the accident. Passengers can likely expect some form of compensation for the loss of family members. People who were lucky enough to escape with the loss of material items will also expect compensation for their ruined vacation and physical or mental trauma.

"It's about accountability. Something like this must not be allowed to happen again. So many people died; it's simply inexcusable," Herbert Greszuk, a passenger aboard the ship, told the AP.

Proper preparations could ensure that travelers can deal with any situation that comes their way on the next getaway.