Road Trip Travel Insurance: Why You Need It and How It Can Save Your Adventure

Road trips are a popular way to travel around the U.S. But before you jump in the car, you should consider the risks that can occur on a road trip, like accidents and medical emergencies. Fortunately, road trip travel insurance can cover these risks and many others.

In this article, we’ll explain what travel insurance for road trips covers and share some tips for getting the best road trip insurance for your needs.

What is Road Trip Travel Insurance?

Road trip travel insurance can cover your financial losses for unexpected travel-related issues that might happen during your trip. For example, if you miss a concert because of a major traffic jam, road trip travel insurance could cover your prepaid tickets. Or, if your car gets a flat tire and you can’t make it to your hotel for the night, your policy might refund your stay.

If things don’t go as planned before or during your road trip, you can file a claim with your insurance company to get reimbursed. Road trip travel insurance policies have a coverage limit, which is the maximum amount your insurer will pay. Coverage limits vary based on the type of insurance and the specific plan.

Why Might I Need Road Trip Travel Insurance?

You might need road trip travel insurance to protect yourself financially in case something goes wrong before or during a road trip. Here are some of the most common risks of a road trip that car trip insurance can cover:

• Rental car accidents. You get into an accident while driving a rented camper van along the California coast. Road trip accident coverage may pay for the repairs.
• Medical emergencies. You get sick in a region where your health insurance plan is out-of-network. In this case, travel insurance could pay for your medical bills.
• Medical evacuations. You sprain your ankle while hiking in a remote part of Montana. Your policy could pay to medevac you to the nearest medical facility.
• Trip cancellations. You have a family emergency and have to cancel your road trip. Travel insurance could reimburse your prepaid hotel stays and excursions.
• Trip interruptions. You’re driving in the Florida Keys when a hurricane forces an evacuation of the area. Road trip insurance could pay for a last-minute flight home.
• Stolen personal items. Your camera gets stolen from your vehicle while camping in Colorado. You could file an insurance claim to get reimbursed for the item’s value.
• Travel delays. Your car breaks down and can’t be fixed until the next day. In this situation, travel insurance might pay for an overnight hotel or alternative transportation.

What Does Road Trip Travel Insurance Cover?

Road trip travel insurance can cover unexpected issues that road trippers might face, like travel interruptions, rental car accidents, and stolen personal belongings. Here’s what’s included with a standard road trip travel insurance policy.

Trip Cancellations and Interruptions

If you have to cancel your road trip due to a covered reason, your policy can reimburse up to 100% of your prepaid expenses. It also covers trip interruptions if you’re forced to end your road trip early and go home.

Emergency Medical Expenses

Domestic travel insurance can pay for emergency medical expenses if you get sick or injured during your trip, and need medical attention. It’s especially beneficial if you’re traveling in an area where your health insurance policy may not cover your care.

Medical Evacuations

If you get sick or injured while traveling, road trip travel insurance can cover a medical evacuation to a hospital that can treat your condition. Your policy could also pay to transport you back home to receive care if you couldn’t drive yourself.

Personal Items Loss

Travel insurance can reimburse you for personal belongings that get damaged, stolen, or go missing during your road trip. Most policies cover items like clothing, electronics, and toiletries, with a maximum coverage limit for each item and each traveler.

Rental Car Damage

Driving a rental car during your road trip? If you get into an accident, a rental car travel insurance policy can pay for your portion of the damages. This part of the policy can also cover theft of a rental car.

What’s Not Covered by Road Trip Travel Insurance?

Road trip travel insurance won’t cover all the risks you might run into while road tripping around the country. It’s important to understand the exclusions before you buy a policy. These are a few examples of scenarios that aren’t covered under a regular travel insurance plan.

Liability

Rental car travel insurance for road trips won’t cover your liability if you cause an accident that results in another person’s injuries or property damage. That would be covered under your personal auto insurance policy. Road trip insurance only covers rental car damage.

Driving under the influence

If you’re involved in an accident or get pulled over while driving under the influence, your road trip travel insurance policy probably won’t cover any of your financial losses. In that case, you would be financially responsible for any rental car damage and your legal fees.

Negligent driving

Negligent driving is typically excluded under road trip insurance policies. If something happens because you were driving recklessly or disobeying traffic laws, your insurance company likely won’t cover any of your expenses, including medical bills if you were injured in an at-fault crash.

Tips for Buying Road Trip Travel Insurance

If you’re planning a road trip, travel insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection if something unexpected happens. Here are a few tips to help you choose the best road trip travel insurance policy:

• Buy early. It’s best to purchase travel insurance early on in your trip planning. This maximizes the coverage window, and allows you to add time-sensitive endorsements, like Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage or a pre-existing medical conditions waiver.
• Compare plans from multiple providers. Before you buy travel insurance, it’s a good idea to look at plans from several insurers. Compare coverage amounts and quotes to see which plan can provide the best coverage for the lowest premium.
• Check customer reviews of providers. Spend some time reading reviews of different insurance companies to see what other customers think. This can give you a better sense of the provider’s customer service, claim process, and pricing.

Conclusion: Is Road Trip Travel Insurance Worth It?

Road tripping can be a great way to see the country, especially if you want to visit remote sites and travel at your own pace. But before you get on the road, you should consider the benefits of a road trip travel insurance policy, even if you’re only going a few hours away from home.

Travel insurance for road trips can cover unexpected expenses, like a trip to the emergency room at a hospital that doesn’t accept your health insurance. It can also reimburse your prepaid travel expenses if you have to cancel your trip or go home early because of a covered reason.

Every road tripper has different insurance needs, so make sure to compare multiple insurance companies and travel insurance plans. Pick a plan that balances coverage with cost, and read the fine print to check for exclusions.

Written by Elizabeth Rivelli