Released: October 17, 2018

Help Desk FAQ

Should I purchase travel insurance?

According to an August 2018 investigation by the office of Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), travel insurance coverage is mostly “bare-bones,” with an extensive list of exclusions; the airlines and online travel sellers commonly overstate the flexibility of the coverage and bury significant limitations in the fine print; and nearly all of the companies evaluated (15 of 16) actively require consumers to indicate whether they will purchase or decline coverage before purchasing a plane ticket.

The report recommends carefully combing through the coverage’s fine print before paying for an inadequate policy, and saving all receipts and cancellation notices to provide proof when filing a claim.