Sven | Dec 9, 2021
Millions of Americans visit Italy each year because there’s so much to see and do there. But all the adventure and excitement can translate into an expensive trip. With history, foodie experiences and cultural treasures, you’ll likely want to stay more than a week and visit a few cities while there.
You can take the train or fly between cities, but when you travel from Point A to Point B, there’s always a chance you could have delays or other travel woes. Since you’re far from home, it’s a wise idea to purchase travel insurance that protects you from losing substantial money due to unforeseen events and unexpected issues.
Here’s what to look for when you’re purchasing travel insurance for a bucket-list trip to Italy.
If you purchase travel insurance when you put your initial deposits down, you’ll get the most value from your coverage. You’ll be able to make a trip cancellation claim if necessary for problems such as a serious illness or injury to you, a travel companion, or a close family member; a job loss; severe weather; a family emergency; or terrorism.
You could be enjoying your time in Florence and get a call that can turn your trip upside-down. Trip interruption and trip delay claims are common for travelers who visit Italy, reports Lisa Cheng, a spokesperson with World Nomads, a travel insurance company.
For example, if your mother is in an assisted living facility and develops life-threatening pneumonia, you may want to return home to the U.S. to be by her bedside.
Your travel insurance policy can pay for a one-way, last-minute flight back home under trip interruption benefits.
You can also use trip interruption benefits if you need to leave Italy due to health reasons.
“Imagine you are visiting the Colosseum in Rome and you fall and get seriously injured and must end the trip early,” says Jeremy Murchland, president of Seven Corners, a travel insurance company. “Your travel insurance plan will allow you to do so.”
When you return home, you can also be reimbursed for experiences that you will miss because you cut the trip short. For example, Murchland says that if your trip to Italy included prepaid tickets to see a sports game or a concert, this is a reimbursable expense covered by a travel insurance policy.