While the scenario in the serpent-filled movie thriller "Snakes on a Plane" might be far-fetched, it raises the question of what travel insurance might cover in such circumstances.
"There are several situations in which travel insurance could help passengers if they encountered dangers on a plane or other travel settings," Beth Godlin, executive vice president of Richmond, Va.-based Access America, said in a statement.
In the film, criminals smuggle snakes onboard a jetliner to kill a federal witness. While this particular situation is unlikely, Ms. Godlin noted, "it serves as a good example of when and how travel insurance and assistance can be useful, financially beneficial and even life-saving."
The company said that depending on the type of policy, travel insurance and assistance may provide:
o Emergency medical assistance.
o Emergency medical evacuation, including transportation to the nearest appropriate treatment facility or provider.
o Trip interruption coverage reimbursing travelers' costs for their trip, additional transportation and accommodations if a trip had to be cancelled due to the need to seek medical attention.
o Trip inconvenience benefits, providing additional money for the inconvenience of unexpectedly becoming an inpatient in a hospital.
o Travel accident insurance in the event of loss of life or limb.
According to a company spokesperson, the most common type of travel insurance claim is trip cancellation or interruption for a medical reason.
She noted that:
o About 35 percent of leisure travelers in the United States buy travel insurance.
o Travel insurance is a more than $1 billion industry.
o Many U.S. health care plans do not provide coverage or assistance while traveling overseas--some don't provide coverage for more than 100 miles from home.
o Medical evacuations run in the tens of thousands of dollars and can be very high depending on location to and from evacuation. Medevac companies also require upfront payment if proper insurance coverage is lacking.
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