Travel insurance is meant to protect against possible risks that can occur while traveling, ranging from minor inconveniences like delayed luggage to more serious ones like injuries. Before getting a policy, think about the reasons you might cancel; they’re all valid concerns for possibly canceling a trip in the future, but not all insurance policies cover the same concerns.

1. Trip Cancellation

At a minimum, travel insurance should help you cover the costs of canceling a trip. Some hotels, resorts, and cruise lines won’t fully refund you if you cancel, and some might even charge a fee. Unforeseen events happen, and it’s important that you’re covered in case of the worst.

2. Trip Interruption

Sometimes the problem can happen in the middle of your trip, after you’ve already begun using services that have been paid for. Trip interruption can cover these prepaid, non-refundable expenses in the event of unavoidable scenarios, including illness, required evacuation, natural disasters, and similar.

3. Medical Expenses

Travel insurance can protect you from unexpected medical expenses that your health insurance may not cover; it’s not unusual for health insurance policies to skimp on coverage in foreign countries. You can supplement this coverage to help keep your head above ground if you’re sick or injured on vacation.

4. Emergency Evacuation

Also known as a medical evacuation, emergency evacuation provisions on your travel insurance policy provide emergency medical transportation if you become severely injured or critically ill in a foreign place. This might include an air ambulance, a commercial airline, or any other form of transportation with medical equipment.

5. Baggage and Personal Belongings

Travel insurance can also help cover the cost if an airline loses your bags. It can be quite difficult to get the airline to take financial responsibility for this otherwise due to the way that they process the information; luggage will often remain listed as “delayed” for much longer than is reasonable.

6. Baggage Delay

If your bags are indeed only delayed, travel insurance can help cover the cost for buying new essential items. For example, this might include having to get a new toothbrush and other every day items that were tucked away in your bags.

7. Travel Delay

If your trip itself is delayed, travel insurance can protect you from the costs of re-booking a flight with your carrier. That includes airlines, passenger railroads, ferry operators, and long-distance buses.

8. Accidental Death and Dismemberment

Certain travelers may also wish to think about travel policies with life insurance provisions. The beneficiary you name would benefit in the event of your dismemberment or death while traveling.

What to Avoid in Travel Insurance

Regardless of the type of travel insurance you decide is best to get, be sure to get yourself any at all; too many travelers run the risk of going without insurance in the hopes of saving a few bucks, but even the smaller inconveniences can turn into expensive losses.