My husband and I were vacationing in a beach cottage on Cape Cod seven years ago in one of our favorite New England coastal destinations – Wellfleet, Mass. We arrived to our rental cottage on a Saturday afternoon under sunny skies with the promise of a relaxing week in a lounge chair by the shore. I awoke early Monday morning, went out the door, lost my footing, dropped to the ground and suffered a double fracture of my ankle. What followed next was pain beyond belief, a shot or two of morphine, an ambulance trip to the local hospital, immediate emergency repair of my floppy, broken ankle, and a two-night hospital stay.

Fortunately, for me, I was able to return to the cottage, complete with cast, boot and a pair of crutches - and a couple of friendly assistants.

Now imagine this same scenario, or a more severe medical catastrophe, while on a cruise at sea or on a remote island in the middle of nowhere in a far-away land. Medical evacuation alone can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

A cruise or extensive land vacation is a big investment. Ask yourself if you can afford to lose the money you have paid. Most likely, your vacation will be perfect. However, mishaps do happen, and no one can predict the future. Weather delays, family illness, injury, and even death can force a premature end to your vacation.

Consider purchasing travel insurance. It’s a small price to pay for the peace of mind it will provide.

For more advice on the decision of travel insurance, read the article: Should You Buy Travel Insurance

Entry photo credit: www.kootation.com