Frequent travelers – also known as frequent flyers – take on a variety of forms. Some of them are businessmen and women, jetting from conference to meeting and back home again every month. Others are hard-core adventurers, seeking new places and new cultures as a way to build their own life experiences. Still others are those reaching retirement age, with plenty of money and wanderlust to get them through the best years of their lives.
- Travel Insurance for Frequent Travelers brizzle born and bred / Foter / CC BY-NC
No matter what kind of frequent traveler you may be, you still need the kinds of coverage offered by a comprehensive insurance policy. Even if you have yet to encounter a medical emergency or deal with the hassle of a cancelled flight, your tendency to hit the skies means that you are at greater risk for needing some sort of financial or medical assistance while overseas.
What Constitutes “Frequent” Travel?
A frequent traveler does not necessarily have to be someone who is on a plane every few weeks. In fact, for insurance purposes, two or three annual international trips is typically enough to make an annual travel insurance policy worthwhile. At the same time, taking several shorter trips every few months – even if you’re only travelling domestically – can also make you an ideal candidate for annual travel insurance.
It also generally doesn’t matter whether you’re going on a holiday or on a business trip. The primary factor to consider when determining if you are a “frequent” traveler is the amount of money you spend each year on your trips. For example, if you only go to two business conferences each year, you might not consider yourself much of a jet-setter in the traditional sense of the word. However, if you have to carry expensive electronics, are bringing along valuable equipment, or are making plans to travel in style to impress a client, the total value of your two journeys might exceed most people’s monthly excursions.
The same is true if you vacation on cruise lines twice a year or visit Paris every spring and autumn to do a little shopping; it all boils down to how much money your trips are worth, since you will want to protect these investments just as you would your personal portfolio.
The Benefits of Annual Travel Insurance
The primary benefit of annual travel insurance is in saving money. When you purchase individual travel insurance policies for each of your trips, the cost can quickly exceed what you would have spent on a single annual policy.
Annual travel insurance also gives you the ability to travel quickly and efficiently. One of the earmarks of a true frequent traveler is the tendency to visit new locations on a moment’s notice (whether it is the whim of your business or of your own inclinations). By taking a single annual precaution for all of your travels, you can always rest assured that you are protected. It’s one small step that can save you tons of time, money, and effort – so you can focus on where the wind takes you.