We see terrorist attacks at airports, record airline delays and bankruptcies among travel providers. No wonder people are buying so much travel insurance.
But is all that spending - $1.3 billion last year, at least twice the annual figures before Sept. 11, 2001 - worth it?
Not necessarily.
You may have coverage for some of your travel concerns. And considering that the typical policy runs 4 percent to 8 percent of the cost of your trip, that can be a sizable sum to buy what you already have.
"We're not huge fans of travel insurance," says Greg Daugherty, executive editor of Consumer Reports.
Travel insurance reimburses nonrefundable travel expenses if you, say, cancel your trip because of an illness or your flight is delayed or canceled. It can cover medical bills, lost luggage or meals when flights are hours late. Many policies also will reimburse the cost of a canceled trip if a terrorist act occurs in the city of your destination.
"People are more concerned when they travel today and 9/11 opened a lot of eyes," says Brad Finkle, president of the U.S. Travel Insurance Association. "We've had increased security and delays that go with that."
While travel insurance might duplicate coverage you have, that's not to say you should never buy it.
The best argument for a policy is the medical care benefit, particularly if you're not in the best of health and traveling abroad. Medicare - insurance for those age 65 and older - won't pick up medical bills outside the United States, except in limited situations.
Even younger travelers might find that their health insurance won't cover them outside the country.
And if you have to be airlifted out of the Australian outback or some other faraway place because of a medical emergency, it could cost you well into the tens of thousands of dollars if you don't have insurance.
Some travel experts also suggest insurance is worthwhile if you've been saving up for an expensive trip for years and you don't want to lose money if you suddenly can't go or your cruise line goes out of business.
Indeed, there's another reason to buy the insurance: peace of mind.
"Anyone who is so nervous ... and can't sleep, should buy it," says Robert Hunter, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America. It's an alternative to sleeping pills.
Everyone else: "Save the money on travel insurance and get a nice meal," Hunter says.
So before shelling out what could be several hundred dollars, consider what you're worried about. Lost luggage? A medical emergency? Having to cancel because of the flu? Then see if you're already covered for these events.
Most travelers buy insurance to protect themselves in case they must cancel the trip because of a family illness or loss of a job, or if a trip is canceled on them because their tour operator went belly up.
If you think you might have to do the canceling, contact the airline or travel provider to find out its cancellation policy, says Sandy Praeger, Kansas insurance commissioner and president-elect of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Praeger says she recently canceled a trip because of a death of a close family friend.
"I was able to get a full refund without travel insurance," Praeger says. "The airline was very understanding." But when she canceled another flight with a different airline because of a back injury, she lost her money. "It's hit or miss," Praeger says.
Luggage claims
Lost, stolen or damaged luggage might be covered under a variety of sources. Federal law requires airlines to compensate you for lost or damaged baggage. You'll get reimbursed for the depreciated value of your lost items, not what it costs to replace them.
In March, the amount was raised by $200 to $3,000 per traveler on domestic flights. Reimbursement on international flights is based on a currency benchmark that changes daily.
Check to see what baggage coverage might be available through your credit card and homeowners or renters policy. Your credit card or auto policy also might cover you when you're driving a rental car on vacation.
Many times, though, people don't want to file claims for travel-related incidents on their homeowners and auto policies because they don't want to see their premiums increase, notes Mark Cipolletti, a spokesman with World Access, an insurance broker.
Travel policies often provide a death benefit if you die on the trip. But if you have life insurance - and you should if you have people depending on your income - then you don't need to spend money buying more insurance for vacation.
If you still want travel insurance, read the details of policies before buying. Some insurers might not cover medical expenses related to a pre-existing condition. Others will if you buy insurance within a couple of weeks of booking your trip.
"One policy might take you to the nearest hospital while another will take you to the hospital of your choice," says Consumer Reports' Daugherty.
"The latter is more expensive. But depending on where you are, you might get better care if you opted for that," he says.
Shopping tips
Consumer Federation's Hunter also suggests you can find better deals by shopping for a policy through insurance agents and brokers or online than by buying a policy from a travel agent.
You can shop online and compare prices and terms at www. insuremytrip.com. For instance, a 67-year-old taking a three-week cruise to Alaska can find insurance packages ranging from about $244 to $554; a 25-year-old on the same trip would pay $135 to $283 for coverage.
To suggest a topic, contact Eileen Ambrose at 410-332-6984 or by e-mail at eileen.ambrose@baltsun.com.