Buying travel insurance for international travel is critical. However, some people ask, "Is travel insurance worth it?" They may also ask, "Why is it important to have a travel insurance plan?", or "Is travel insurance necessary for international travel?"

There are many different types of travel insurance plans available in the market, and it is critical to understand them to make sure that you purchase the right kind.

• What kind of trip are you taking?
• Are you traveling alone? With family? With a group?
• Are you traveling for business, for leisure, for missionary work, to study or for something else?
• How old are you? Are you young? Elderly?
• What will be your trip length? A few days or several months?
• What exactly would you like to get covered?

Please consider the following types of travel insurance plans:

Flight Insurance

Flight insurance is the simplest and the cheapest type of travel insurance available. It pays the death benefit to the beneficiary in case of death of an insured in a plane crash.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

It would pay for accidental death or dismemberment (losing a limb or two, such as a hand, leg or eye) while on the trip. Typically, you can get higher coverage for accidental death while riding in a common carrier (public transport).

Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains Insurance

• Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance

  It would provide transportation to the nearest place where adequate medical care can be given.

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• Repatriation of Remains Insurance

  It would cover for transportation of the insured's remains if the insured were to pass away while on the trip.

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While others can voluntarily purchase the travel insurance that would cover just those two benefits, it is mandatory for J visa holders in the United States to satisfy the J visa insurance requirements set by the U.S. Department of State.

Travel Medical Insurance

Travel medical insurance is also referred to as visitors insurance for the United States. It primarily provides emergency medical coverage for unforeseen sicknesses, injuries or accidents that may occur after the effective date of the policy. Various medical policy maximums and deductible choices are typically available.

Additionally, it would also provide coverage for emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), loss of checked luggage, emergency assistance and more.

Travel health insurance plans also provide trip-interruption coverage to return home early in case of severe illness or death of a close family member or substantial destruction of home or flooding or similar severe situations.

If you have any pre-existing conditions, you may want to consider purchasing travel insurance that provides coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. Travel medical insurance is suitable for anyone traveling outside his or her home country anywhere from a few days to six months or one year or even longer.

Beware of policies that have sublimits for medical benefits, which may be severely less than actual medical expenses.

Group Travel Medical Insurance

Group travel insurance plans are similar to individual travel insurance plans but are usually 10 percent cheaper and require at least five travelers in a group.

MultiTrip Travel Insurance

For executives or frequent travelers that travel multiple times throughout the year but each trip length is limited to 30, 45 or 70 days (depending upon the policy), they can purchase multitrip travel insurance. Such plans are essentially travel medical insurance plans that are purchased on an annual basis and provide coverage for any number of trips as long as each trip length is limited to the allowed number of days.

Trip-Cancellation Insurance

If you are going on a cruise or any other vacation that you book in advance, pay a substantial amount of money that you could lose if you could not go on the trip for a covered reason, you can purchase trip-cancellation insurance to cover your nonrefundable, prepaid trip cost.

Such travel insurance also provides other benefits you may read about in the articles below:

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  Trip Interruption Coverage

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  Emergency Medical Coverage

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  Baggage Delay Coverage

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  Baggage Loss Coverage

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  Trip Delay Coverage

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  Cancel for any Reason Travel Insurance

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If you are going to participate in any hazardous sports activities, such as snow skiing or bungee jumping or similar, make sure that the travel-insurance plan you purchase will cover for the same. You don't want to be stuck in a $40,000 parasailing accident. If you are renting a car or motorcycle, consider purchasing additional insurance for the same as most travel insurance will not provide automobile insurance.

Medical expenses in certain countries, such as the United States, are very high. Hospitals in certain countries may hold you hostage until you pay the medical bills, such as in Mexico, Honduras or Thailand. Medical facilities in certain countries, such as in central Africa, may be very primitive, and you may need medical-evacuation coverage.

Running around to get health care in an unknown location when you are sick or injured might already be overwhelming. On top of that, if you are unable to pay for the same, the situation could quickly become worse. When a tragedy occurs, you just can't depend upon the possibility of free medical care or start raising money in the community through crowdfunding. Therefore, purchasing adequate travel insurance is highly essential for any overseas travel.

In fact, most countries in Europe require you to buy Schengen travel insurance before they grant you a Schengen visa. In any case, even if you are traveling to a country where buying travel insurance is not mandatory, you should always do so, as it is a wise thing to do.

Some travel insurance policies also provide coverage for personal liability, natural disaster evacuation or political evacuation. Consider those options in case you think you may need any of them. Each travel-insurance plan has exclusions as well as terms and conditions. Make sure to read them before you purchase the travel insurance.

Of course, if you need any help choosing the right type of travel insurance, you should call a reputable broker, such as Insubuy, which has U.S.-based licensed and experienced insurance agents available seven days a week for professional advice.