Booking a flight? What to know about travel insurance

Flights being delayed, canceled at high rates across US

With huge delays and cancelations at U.S. airports every single day, getting travel insurance is more important now than ever before.

Airlines are short staffed and people want to travel -- and when you combine those factors with severe weather that has been striking across the nation, you get flights that are being canceled and delayed often.

Travel insurance policies can help protect your money if your trip unexpectedly doesn’t happen as planned. But not every travel insurance plan is created equally, so it’s important to read the fine print and know exactly what you’re paying for.

Related: Airline prices soaring: How to find cheaper flights

The first thing to keep in mind: Travel insurance is intended to help with unexpected events -- not things like a forecasted hurricane.

Policies also vary greatly depending on who you get them through and how much you’re paying. It’s important to read the entire policy so that you know what is being covered and what isn’t. Become familiar with every aspect of the policy, from everything regarding COVID-19 to flight cancelations.

It’s also helpful to remain as flexible as possible. The more flexibility you have, the more likely a flight delay, or even a cancellation, won’t ruin your trip entirely.

An insurance policy offered by an airline will be different from a policy offered by a private insurance company. It’s up to the traveler to do their research to make sure they’re covered if the unexpected happens.


Related: Pilots picket as airline unions leverage summer travel woes


About the Author:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.