Do You Need Travel Insurance? This Tool Will Put It Into Perspective

When you spend a good chunk of your savings on a trip, it's hard to decide whether or not to spend even more on travel insurance. ConsumerAffairs has pulled together a handy interactive tool that'll give you a good sense of whether or not your situation calls for the extra investment. The tool addresses common queries such as "Am I covered if I wreck my rental car? If I miss my connection flight? If I don't want to go on my trip anymore?"

What it comes down to is a line at the end of each scenario: how much money you'll lose with and without insurance. For example, if you or another person in your travel group were to have a medical emergency, insurance would cover the cost of transportation to the hospital, new flights home, and long distance calls from the hospital. At the end of it all, you may end up paying $179 with insurance—go without, and you've got yourself a $3,000+ bill. Of course, the money lost is always a little less scary when you've got insurance under your belt; it just depends on how much. For a full look at the tool, head on over to the ConsumerAffairs website.

Erika Owen is the Audience Engagement Editor at Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @erikaraeowen.

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