When Do You Need Travel Insurance?

Travel is never truly inexpensive, unless you camp or stay in hostels. Most of us are more interested in sleeping in hotels or going on cruises. Nobody likes to be screwed out of their hard-earned money by unforeseen circumstances beyond their control and travel insurance can prevent that from happening. 

Now, you may have been traveling for years without taking this precaution, or you may have been in a situation where you wished you had taken out insurance to protect you. Fortunately, travel insurance can be affordable and easy to add on to your trip, but when do you really need it?

Look into the right type of insurance

There are many different types of travel insurance, including illness, injury, lost luggage, theft and more. You can also get basic coverage that includes many of these things, but you will want to get the one that suits the trip you are going on. If you are going to hike Machu Picchu, you will need a different insurance than if you are going on a European cruise.

You bought a package deal

When you purchase a vacation package, it is all tracked under one company name. You can usually get internal travel insurance with them, or you can purchase you own, in case the company goes out of business or their insurance doesn’t cover last-minute tragedies like a death in the family.

The vacation is a once-in-a-lifetime trip

Sometimes you go on trips that cost a lot more than you normally pay for a vacation. There is a big difference in price between going to Napa for the weekend and going on a week-long Kenyan safari. If you have to cancel or rebook your trip to Napa, it probably won’t break you in the long run, but if something unexpected happens and you can’t go on your safari – weather, natural disasters and health issues are almost never something you can predict – you will be very sorry to be out thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars that you can’t recoup without insurance.

You travel often

Travel insurance will generally cost 5-8% of your total trip, but if you do more than just take a yearly vacation, then you might benefit more from buying yearly travel insurance plans instead of paying for each trip separately.

When you do insure your trips, make sure you know exactly what each policy covers. When something happens and you have to make a claim, take notes on everything that happened and who you talked to. If a theft has occurred, report it immediately and make sure you are tenacious if the insurance company seems to drag their feet on paying out. Obviously, they make less money if they have to pay out on a claim, but if you know what your rights are, you shouldn’t have a problem getting what’s owed to you.

Remember, if you make any changes to your travel plans, alert your insurance company as soon as possible, so you can be sure you are still covered for everything you need. While you may not need coverage for all your trips, make sure you don’t automatically rule out insurance before you look into the ways it could benefit you and your travel group. That way you always know your vacation and money are safe from unexpected complications.

Have you ever not gotten travel insurance and wish you did?

Minimizing Your Travel Toiletries

It has been a really long time since I've traveled with a full-size health or beauty product that I brought from home. (I've had to purchase a few things along the way.) I know I don't need a giant bottle of shampoo for two weeks, so why pack it and have to pay to check my bag when I don't have to? When you travel, you need to learn to be a little bit flexible, and that extends to the products you bring.  

Instead of seeing the TSA rules as an obstacle, I think of it as a way to help me pack light and more efficiently. When someone says "You can't fit everything you need into a quart bag!" I respond with "Challenge accepted!" You know why? Because when you're creative, you can get everything you need into that little bag. 

There are lots of places you can find small sizes of your favorite products that will make your travel bag lighter and will allow you to fit everything you need into you 3-1-1 liquids bag.

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The Makeup Counter

If you shop the makeup counter for your beauty products, make sure to plan your visit when there's a free gift (Clinique and other large beauty companies advertise these several times a year). This is when you'll end up with trial sizes of some of the products you already use. Pop them in your travel bag and leave your large sizes at home. I find that most trial sizes, even if they are really small, still have enough for a week or two. 

Sephora always offers minis when you spend a specific amount (whether you shop online or in-store). Become a Beauty Insider (if you aren't already) and accrue points for purchases that you can trade in for deluxe samples. Before you get to the check-out, you can find tiny versions of some of their popular products, which might also be items you use everyday. This might be a dangerous way to shop while you're waiting in line, but it can also be useful.

Drugstores

I go to Target all the time, but maybe you frequent Rite Aid or CVS or Walgreens. They all have a travel size aisle. I find these the best place to find deodorant, bottles, toothpaste, contact solution and other generic minis. If you use regular shampoo brands found in drugstores, you can often find travel sizes of these, too, like Loreal, Pantene and Garnier. 

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3floz.com

Looking for more upscale brands? 3floz specializes in these, but in sizes that specifically fit into your travel bag. Whether you need a small packet of facial wipes, a fancy eye cream or makeup remover, you can find them on this site that ranges from selling natural brands like Yes To... to more expensive products from Dr. Dennis. You can pack a miniature spa in your carry-on to help you feel at home and pampered wherever you go.

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Minimus

So, there are lots of products you can't find at a drugstore even though they exist. You are almost guaranteed to find them at Minimus. Not only can you find a huge range of beauty products here, but you can also find health items (aspirin, antibacterial cream, anti-diarrheal chews, vitamins) and even food products (single-serving snacks, salad dressings, condiments).  I have bought quite a few things from Minimus, including a variety of useful medicine cabinet necessities to put together an emergency kit for when my sister-in-law went off to college.

Decant

I have a collection of travel bottles, spray bottles and jars. If I can't find a travel size of my fave product, I decant. And sometimes you just don't need all that much of something, like moisturizer where a little goes a long way, so you don't need a large jar of it, so you can downsize even further by putting it a contact case or something similar.

With these tips, you can easily fit everything you absolutely need in your 3-1-1 bag and toiletry bag to help you go carry-on only. What's your favorite way to stock your travel bag with minis?

Review: BeWell Travel Blanket from Lewis N Clark

I don't know about you, but I'm either freezing on the plane or sweating. There doesn't seem to be an in-between. I also have the problem with wanting to bundle up when in our room, because we have the air conditioner on and the difference between the heat outside and the temps inside are vast. I almost always travel with a blanket of some sort, or I'm scavenging for the spare blanket in the linen closet to curl up on the couch with.

Lewis N Clark debuted their new BeWell collection at the Travel Goods Show this year and I knew that I wanted to try the new packable blanket. It comes in its own zip-up pocket, so it's easy to carry with you and also wrangle in your bag. It's compact when zipped up and thin. It's not going to take up a lot of space in your carry-on when you need that for other essentials.

The fabric is light and very soft, but it holds in heat at a comfortable level, which can be hard to find in a blanket. Not only that, but it's made from hypoallergenic, responsibly-sourced, sustainably-harvested materials. I'm into that, because it's nice to find travel products that aren't actually ruining the world we want to see. The lightweight construction means you won't be adding much weight to your bag as well. So, if you need to carry a few of them, you won't have to worry about bulk. 

This isn't the largest blanket you'll find for travel. You won't be using it on the bed to use as a full layer, but it works for a lap blanket or a large scarf, and sometimes that all you really need on the plane. If your shoulders are cold, or your neck needs warming up, or your legs are chilly, you have something to cover up with. Maybe you aren't cold at all, but want to catch some Zs. In that case, you can use this blanket zipped up as a soft pillow. 

I was able to cover most of myself when sitting on the couch at home, how I normally curl up anyway. This blanket kept me warm and I didn't feel the draftiness of my house. This would be perfect as a full-size kid's blanket, if you travel with your littles.

I'm also loving the color and texture of this blanket. It's not a boring blue, but a soft grey with a geometric weave. The weave gives the fabric a bit more area and better heat conduction and the color is pretty, but also great for anyone. Very classy and chic looking, so you'll be excited to pack it whether you're traveling for fun or for business. 

Unlike other things that are able to zip into their own carrying "case", this blanket isn't impossible to repack. In fact, it's really easy, even if you're trapped on the plane with minimal elbow room. You won't just give up and scrunch it into your bag to deal with later. I've definitely had those sorts of items and it just makes getting off the plane even harder. Also, because it zips into itself, you can't lose the bag it comes in. Convenient!

I adore the direction Lewis N Clark is taking to make my travels (and yours!) more comfortable and efficient. They know exactly what you need and they deliver. I'm already packing this blanket in my carry-on for my next trip. Get one for yours as well.

Additional details:

Where can I buy it? The Lewis N Clark website

How much is it? $22.99

more specs: 50in x 38in

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Disclaimer: I was provided with the BeWell Packable Blanket for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.