While the need to get comprehensive travel insurance is obvious, here are the three best reasons to back up the argument.

As a product, comprehensive travel insurance protection has been born out of real-world needs. Not every trip abroad requires you to get such extensive protection, but there are situations when it should be considered absolutely vital. Below are three of the most compelling reasons to invest in an extensive policy before travelling abroad.

If You’re Taking Something You Cannot Afford to Lose

Not all travellers require comprehensive travel insurance to cover their belongings. For example, if you’re just going on holiday for a few days with just one suitcase of clothing and no expensive technology, a simple single trip insurance policy will suffice. However, if you’re going to on the holiday of a lifetime – that four-month luxury cruise you’ve been saving up for years, or that six-month trek across Europe and beyond - it’s certainly worth getting some more extensive protection. If you plan on taking big-ticket items like laptops, cameras, jewellery or anything else of great value, you need to ensure your policy has the appropriate amount o cover to recompense you should they be lost, stolen or damaged.

If You’re Going with the Whole Family

What is more important than the safety and peace of mind of your loved ones? Travelling with family, especially with young children, can be a logistical nightmare, considering all the minute details of the trip you must attend to in order to ensure that everything runs smoothly. A comprehensive travel insurance policy can provide protection in areas that may otherwise leave you exposed to certain risks. For instance, again, such a policy can provide coverage for theft of belongings, such as electronic gadgets. But perhaps most importantly, a good policy will help protect you from exorbitant costs of unexpected medical bills should you or your children fall ill or suffer an unfortunate accident.

Offers Much Greater Protection

Many people mistakenly assume that the insurance provided by their credit card will take care of everything. While that may be true to some extent (it is common for credit cards or travel rewards programmes to provide a certain level of trip protection), it's almost always insufficient. Relying solely on a credit card’s built-in travel cover can leave you vulnerable to incur huge expenses. The same goes with your regular health insurance; the protection it provides often ceases once you leave your home country, and health and medical-related concerns are among the top issues that any traveller encounters.

A decent, reputable comprehensive travel insurance policy is a very sensible investment. If you purchase the appropriate cover you can rest assured that whatever happens, you’ll have assistance - financial and otherwise.