Got an email from one of my buddies today, and was sad to hear that his grandmother passed away this morning. I guess she has been ill for a while now and it was just a matter of time before she died. My friend mentioned how his brother was planning to go to the Boston vs. Chicago game this weekend with his girlfriend. Needless to say he won’t be going now with the wake and funeral coming up. He spent around $1000 dollars for the flight tickets, game tickets and hotel room. Since he never purchased travel insurance he has to take the loss on the chin. I’m sure that he isn’t too pleased about that, I know I wouldn’t be. Where I come from money doesn’t exactly grow on trees and if it did, I have yet to find it :(.
I wish that my friend called me and asked for an insurance plan that worked for him. In fact I wish most of my traveling friends did. Sadly, they usually say something along the lines of “why would I want to waste my money on something I won’t need?” Fact of the matter is, I could of pointed him in the right direction. Her being sick and all would have fallen under the “pre-existing conditions” category, but as long as he purchased a plan with the waiver within the 10-21 day time period, or a plan that doesn’t apply pre-existing conditions to non-traveling family members, he would have been covered. I work extensively within the travel insurance field. I even worked for one of the top providers of travel insurance. Things do happen, more often than you think. I happen to like what little money that I manage to get my paws on. Most of the people I know feel likewise. If spending a little money helps me protect my investment, then I am all for it. The way I look at it, there is that pearl of wisdom that someone much wiser than I said, is better to have and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
I am certain that my friend couldn’t agree more.