Mike Causey | Read fine print when buying travel insurance

The temperature is rising and many kids are out of school for the summer. Many families find this to be the ideal time to take a vacation. If you’re booking a trip, you’ll likely be met with an offer to purchase travel insurance sometime along the way.

Travel insurance generally covers unexpected expenses resulting from the disruption of your trip. You may buy travel insurance from your travel agent, tour operator, cruise line operator or property management company.

You may already have coverage for unexpected travel-related expenses if you have health, homeowners’ or renters’ insurance, or if you have a credit card. Check with your insurance agent or company, or with your bank or credit card company to find out what coverage you already have.

When shopping for travel insurance, pay close attention to:

— What is included and what is excluded in your policy. Claims paid due to weather conditions are contingent on mandatory evacuation orders. Travel insurance may not provide coverage for a storm that has already been named at the time you purchased the coverage.

— Special limitations and the list of property not covered in a baggage insurance policy. If you are traveling with valuables that exceed the limits of your policy, you may need to purchase additional coverage. Also, check with your insurance agent to see if you can get an endorsement to your homeowners’ or renters’ policy for coverage while you are traveling.

— How pre-existing health conditions are defined in your travel policy.

Travel insurance policies generally have specific limitations and exclusions. If you’re thinking about buying travel insurance, make sure you pay attention to the fine print. Ask questions if you’re not sure what is and what is not covered.

Typical travel insurance policies include:

— Trip cancellation or interruption insurance. It reimburses you for any nonrefundable deposits you put down on a trip or cruise if you must cancel your insured trip because of sickness, death in the family or any other misfortune listed in the policy. You must first seek reimbursement from the trip provider before the insurance company will consider the claim. Some policies may reimburse you for the unused portion of a vacation if you or an immediate family member becomes seriously ill or injured while on a trip.

— Emergency medical assistance. This provides insurance for medical treatment if you become ill or have an injury while traveling. Some policies may pay for benefits that aren’t covered by a standard health insurance plan. Some of these policies may include a deductible that applies to each claim.

— Baggage insurance coverage. If your belongings are lost, stolen or damaged during a trip, you may want to find out if the airline or trip operator offers any type of insurance for your belongings.

— Accidental death benefits. This provides coverage if you or family member dies from a covered injury or accident while traveling.

If you have questions, the Consumer Services Division of the Department of Insurance is here to help. You may call the division at 855-480-1212 or visit www.ncdoi.gov.