Galapagos Travel Insurance
While many see travel insurance as an added vacation expense, in truth it can be a very smart investment.
Imagine, you’ve paid out thousands of hard-earned dollars on a Galapagos cruise or tour, only for an unexpected event to ruin your dream vacation.
Maybe an airline canceled your international flights, or you get sick right before traveling. These things are out of your hands, but they happen. It’s a lesson learned the hard way when the non-refundable money you’ve paid is lost as a result.
Or you suffer an accident during the trip, leaving you with a heavy foreign hospital bill to be paid. That’s a big downer to end a vacation.
You may not need trip insurance every time you travel, but for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galapagos, you’ve likely laid out a lot for your vacation, so, it’s worth careful consideration. Insurance for peace of mind is priceless, even more so when the worst does happen to you.
Keep reading to learn more about Galapagos Travel Insurance, from possible coverage inclusions to brokers who may be able to help you.
Disclosure: We aim to be completely transparent with the way we do business. This post contains affiliate links. Operadora Happy Gringo SAS may receive a small portion of the sale of products on this page. Thank you for your support.
What is Travel Insurance?
You can think of travel insurance as a way to protect your investment in a vacation before and during travel.
Let’s face it, a dream holiday can be expensive, especially when traveling with family. What happens if, for whatever reason, you find yourselves unable to travel? You risk losing both the trip and all of the hard-earned money that you invested into it.
What can you do to cover your risk?
Travel insurance, sometimes also referred to as trip insurance, covers a pre-planned vacation and may reimburse the policyholder if certain unforeseen circumstances occur.
So, for example, if your flights get canceled, a member of your family falls seriously ill, or a volcano unexpectedly erupts, you may be refunded your out-of-pocket costs for a missed vacation (depending on coverage conditions).
Why purchase Galapagos Travel Insurance?
In short, accidents can happen.
We’ve been sending happy clients to the Galapagos Islands since 2004. While 99% of those trips have gone to plan without mishap, the other 1% have been impacted by unexpected events.
Passengers have had to cancel their trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic, international flight cancellations, local demonstrations, airport and airline strike action, illness or accident prior to travel, and many more reasons.
Then there are the things that can happen during a trip. Perhaps you suffer an accident or require expensive medical assistance. Flight delays can mean that you miss a cruise departure.
Of course, these events are out of your hands but can leave you seriously out of pocket.
So, why not consider travel insurance for peace of mind, and to cover you for the unexpected? We have witnessed firsthand the stress and frustration of traveling unprepared without insurance when the unexpected happens.
Still not convinced? Consider how much you have spent on your vacation. What would it mean to you if you lost that investment for whatever reason?
Is Trip Insurance a Requirement for Galapagos?
Yes, travel insurance with medical and evacuation coverage for Galapagos is a government requirement.
But, no, local authorities have not been enforcing the regulations over the past few years.
I know, it’s confusing, and not very helpful, but this is the current situation.
What is 100% clear is that travel insurance is NOT a requirement to enter mainland Ecuador.
Whether or not the requirement will be correctly enforced in the future, Galapagos travel insurance can be a smart investment, especially in these cases:
- Trip cancellation – there are usually no refunds if you have to cancel your Galapagos trip less than 90 days prior to travel. Trip insurance may cover some of these losses.
- Medical cover – for medical care should it be needed during the trip.
- Evacuation Cover – should you require specialist medical care not provided by the basic Galapagos hospitals.
- Adventure activities – if you plan to dive, snorkel, bike, trek, kayak, or partake in other fun activities, consider the risk of accidental injury to you or your loved ones.
How to Choose a Travel Insurance Company?
The world of insurance can be confusing. With so many insurance companies out there, different types of insurance to choose from, and so much detail in small print, how to make the right choice?
If only there was a way to get quick and easy quotes from multiple top-rated insurance companies.
Well, it just so happens that there is a way. By using an insurance broker, you’ll be able to compare different insurance offers before you buy.
This approach can make it easier to make your final choice by comparing insurance cost vs coverage of different available policies.
Brokers for Galapagos Travel Insurance
Below you’ll find 2 travel insurance broker links to help kick off your search. Both work with multiple insurance companies, so you’ll be able to compare multiple insurers and coverage for your Galapagos, Ecuador, or Peru trip.
Please always do your own investigation and comparison before purchasing. Not all travel or medical insurance products are the same.
1. TravelInsurance.com
For US clients
2. World Nomads
For Global clients
Disclosure: We aim to be completely transparent with the way we do business. This post contains affiliate links. Operadora Happy Gringo SAS may receive a small portion of the sale of products on this page. Thank you for your support.
Brokers for Galapagos Travel Insurance
To choose a travel insurance policy, you’ll need to balance insurance cost vs. risk coverage.
In general, broader coverage will come at a higher premium. So, consider, how much you are willing to pay to protect your vacation, and how much risk you are prepared to take.
In the table below, we list the different types of traditional cover that can be included into a typical travel insurance policy.
Remember, this is a generic list, so please do read the small print of any policy before you buy. It’s especially important to check exactly what is covered, and more importantly, what is not covered under each type.
- Type of Coverage What it May Cover
- Trip Cancellation / Interruption Reimbursement for non-refundable or pre-paid travel expenses if you’re unable to take part in some or all of the trip for covered reasons such as illness or injury documented by a doctor, flight delays or cancellations, jury duty, etc.
- Travel Medical Protects you and covers medical and hospitalization expenses in the event of unexpected injury or illness during your trip.
- Medical Evacuation Assists with moving you to a location to get treatment or transferring you to a safe space to seek care via medical airlift or other transportation.
- Baggage Delay / Loss Reimbursement for loss associated with baggage and other personal items and money to purchase essential items in the event of a baggage delay.
- Accidental Death & Dismemberment Coverage for accidental death during flight, on public transport, or for the entire trip (only a limited number of companies offer this comprehensive coverage).
It’s also possible to further personalize a travel insurance policy with add-ons, for example:
- Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) can allow you to cancel your trip for literally any reason, providing more extensive coverage than standard trip cancellation/interruption.
- Specific adventure activities, for example, diving, mountain climbing, or other activities may not be included in the standard medical cover.
- Very extreme events, from terrorist attacks to kidnapping ransom or foreign burial expenses.
- Stolen cash, cards, or passports in the case of a robbery.
So, policy inclusions come down to personal choice. Consider the risks you most need to cover, and then compare insurers to find a policy that you are most comfortable with.
FAQs About Trip Insurance
Having covered the basics to compare travel insurance policies, let’s finish up with a quick-fire insurance FAQ.
Is Travel Insurance Worth it for International Travel?
In many cases, yes, but it will depend on your personal situation. This is especially true for vacations that are costly, or where unexpected medical expenses could ruin your trip.
Even if not used or needed, travel insurance can pay for itself through the peace of mind you will have from knowing that your trip is protected from a wide variety of unforeseen circumstances.
How Much Does a Travel Insurance Policy Cost?
The cost of a travel insurance policy depends on what is covered, your travel destination, length of trip, overall cost of trip, number of travelers, and specific add-ons.
By doing comparison shopping on different providers and policies, you can increase the likelihood of finding the best plan for you at the right price.
Tips for Choosing Travel Insurance
#1 Only book with a reputable company.
#2 Consider the biggest risks to your trip that you want to include for cover.
#3 Compare different insurance companies online.
#4 Put in the time to do adequate research and ask questions to your broker if there’s anything you don’t understand.
#5 Carefully read the fine print before you buy.
#7 For trip cancellation, make sure you know which situations will not be covered. Remember, you’ll likely lose 100% of your Galapagos trip if unable to travel.
What if I Choose NOT to insure my Galapagos Trip?
No worries, it’s a personal choice. Just be sure to make a conscious decision, and to go into it with eyes open before you pay money for your trip.
You can lose everything for events as simple as international flight cancellation, sickness, family bereavement, or any other reason that forces you to cancel.
Remember, it doesn’t even have to be your fault that you cancel. It usually happens for reasons out of your control.
Contact us for a FREE TOUR QUOTE – Happy Gringo specialize in customized trips right across Ecuador, Galapagos, the Amazon, and South America including Peru.
In conclusion, it’s worth considering the option of Galapagos Travel Insurance before traveling to the archipelago.
While the vast majority of Galapagos trips are trouble-free, the potential costs of unseen events can result in the complete loss of your trip investment, or a nasty, unexpected medical bill.
Over our 20+ years of helping clients to visit the Galapagos, we have witnessed too many sad cases. We all think it will never happen to us, but sometimes it can and does happen, and can be costly.
Travel insurance for Galapagos is not an obligation. However, it is a form of protection worthy of your consideration.
