Do Sustainable Tourists Need Travel Insurance?

Eco-friendly tourism is becoming more popular, as a growing number of people look for ways to lower their carbon footprint. The market for eco-tourism products and services is projected to grow by over $335 billion in the next four years.

While more people are traveling sustainably these days, they are not always sure about what they need to do to be safe and eco-friendly in the process. One of the most overlooked factors for many eco-tourists is travel insurance.

You will need to seriously consider buying travel insurance as an eco-friendly tourist. But what nuances should you take into consideration.

What Eco-Tourists Need to Think About When Buying Travel Insurance

The most beautiful part of traveling is that you get to go on amazing adventures, cherishing memories, partake in life-changing experiences, and be exposed to fascinating cultures of the world. Leaving the worries behind is one of the most enjoyable parts of traveling. This is a very important and comfortable experience that you should try to enjoy at some point in your life.

However, there are several major risks associated with traveling. You have to worry about losing baggage, accidents, permanent total disability, and even death. These losses can create huge financial stress. Therefore, to secure yourself from these risks, you must get yourself travel insurance which can be bought at very nominal prices. These plans might not get your travel woes vanished, but they can definitely assure you that you will be armed with comfortable flexibility to react to unforeseen circumstances. 

There are a lot of variables to take into consideration when buying travel insurance, especially if you are an eco-friendly tourist. There are also multiple insurance providers that offer different types of travel insurance policies with umpteen features. With a plethora of options available at your peril, it may get extremely difficult for you to choose the one that suits your requirements. There are several factors you should consider when purchasing a travel insurance policy. Read on to know more about them and get a detailed insight into who and who to get yourself a travel insurance plan.

Factors to Consider When Buying Travel Insurance Plan as an Eco-Friendly Tourist

Here are a few factors you must consider when purchasing a travel insurance plan. Some of them are more practical considerations, while others are unique concerns for eco-tourists.

• Distance You Are Traveling (Especially as an Eco-Tourist)

Travel insurance usually only protects you if you are traveling at least 100 miles from your house. Many eco-tourists stay close to home to lower their carbon footprint. This means that sustainable travelers may be less likely to need travel insurance. However, it is still a good idea to get travel insurance if you are going on longer trips.

• Look for Eco-Friendly Travel Insurance Plans

You may also want to look for ethical travel insurance plans. Some travel insurance plans are specially created for eco-friendly tourists. For example, Naturesave is a sustainable travel insurance provider that donates 10% of its premiums to an eco-friendly charity. World Nomads is an insurance plan that has donated £2.8 million to over 200 community development projects around the world.

The downside is that these plans may cost more. However, they do a lot of good for the planet, so eco-tourists should look into them.

• Coverage

You should go through the policy wordings of your insurance policy in detail and check the amount of coverage under that insurance. Not every travel insurance policy covers every loss arising on your trip. Hence, you should look for your requirements and align them with the one that best suits them or fits your goals. However, covering the most common situations such as COVID-19, baggage loss, documentation loss, medical emergencies, is absolutely crucial. Look for these and a few other additional benefits if you require any while buying a travel insurance plan for yourself.

• Coverage Against Loss of Expensive Belongings

Most travel insurance plans do not provide financial coverage against expensive goods like gold or silver ornaments, electronic gadgets, or adventure sports. If your travel plans include any of these things, you must specifically inquire about these inclusions and choose the one that fits your needs. You can even purchase add-on cover plans for yourself.

• Claim Process

Claiming the insured amount or benefits should be smooth and convenient. Choosing a reputable insurance provider offering efficient and seamless claims’ settlement process must be ensured. Several travel insurance providers offer claims settlement processes which are cashless. You can go through their social media handles or websites to understand their process and make a decision accordingly. 

• Declaring Pre-existing diseases

You must ensure that you declare any pre-existing diseases, if any. This step must be taken care of at the time of purchasing the insurance policy. If you don’t do that, your insurance policy will be declared null and void. 

• Place of Travel

This is a very important factor that you must consider when purchasing a travel insurance plan. The insurance providers compute the risks of coverage based on your travel destination. The premium is charged accordingly. It depends on the economic situation and stability of the place you are traveling to. The insurance companies look into various other factors as well for the same. 

• Period of Travel

The premium charged for travel insurance also depends on the period of travel. The premium amount for a long term plan is not equivalent to the one for two weeks. The risk factors associated with long travel plans are higher as compared to the ones which are of shorter duration. Hence, it is mandatory to keep in mind the period of your travel when choosing the travel insurance plan.

Eco-Friendly Travelers Should Look into Getting a Good Travel Insurance Policy

Sustainable travelers have a variety of concerns. One factor that they need to think about is travel insurance. They should look into ethical travel insurance plans and consider whether they need travel insurance at all if they are only traveling a short distance to lower their carbon footprint.

Having a travel insurance policy must be a key action to be checked on your travel list. Several countries have made it mandatory as a part of their visa requirements. Having it will provide you with a safety net against any kind of emergency that may arrive during your travel. It should be a ‘must have’ benefit and not a ‘good to have’ one. Celebrate life and enjoy your travel journey without having to worry about the financial losses during your travel since your insurance provider will have you covered.