It’s time to start planning your summer getaways. It seems like every time we book a trip or rent a car (either in-person or online) there is a prompt: “Would you like to purchase insurance to cover that?” And, the answer is: “It depends.”

If you already have certain insurance policies (e.g., auto, health and life), some of the insurance policies offered to you on vacation—car rental; emergency medical; and accidental death insurance—may be superfluous. However, if you rent a car in the name of business, you need to be informed about insurance available to that business. And, if you are on Medicare or Medicaid, those insurance policies won’t cover emergency medical treatment when you are traveling outside of the U.S. If you are on either of these programs and you are traveling out of the country, you can purchase emergency medical insurance for your trip.

It may not be necessary to purchase an insurance policy to cover lost luggage; some homeowners policies or even your credit-card company may cover these losses. Additionally, once you’ve filed a claim with the airline for your lost luggage, the airline is responsible to reimburse you for the loss. But, keep in mind that the airline will factor the item’s depreciation into its reimbursement.

And, now for the big question: Do you purchase the extra insurance for your airplane or hotel reservation? If you get a bargain on the airfare or room rate, it might not be worth the money you would have to put down to get the coverage. However, if you have spent a considerable amount of money on your trip, the insurance would give you peace of mind if your trip is canceled or delayed.

As with all your insurance needs, give our agency a call. We will be happy to review your current insurance coverages with you; review the details of your trip; and offer our advice on any additional insurance coverages you may need. We also can examine the insurance coverages you have to protect your property at home, so if the worst-case scenario happens while you are away, you’ll have the coverage you need to get back on your feet when you return.