How to Know if Your Insurance Will Cover Your Big Summer Plans

Whether you’re taking a road trip or relaxing by the pool this summer, we’re all excited for this season’s adventures. But nothing slams the brakes on summer fun faster than finding out you’re underinsured when you need it most. That’s why it’s better to be prepared and find any gaps in your coverage now. Our list of common summer adventures and activities will help you decide if you need summer trip insurance. 

Do You Need Summer Trip Insurance? 

Being on the go means running into different insurance situations than you’re used to. If you’re staying in the United States, then most of your standard insurance policies — home, auto and medical — will provide you some protection. However, you’ll still want to understand any gaps in coverage. Each situation is different, so we gathered what you need to check before you leave. 

Road Trips 

Road trips should only require a destination, good playlist and your favorite snacks. However, they can also come with higher risk of accidents or damage to your car.  When traveling in the U.S., your traditional car insurance should still protect you and your car. If you’re heading out for a long trip, you might want to consider upgrading to comprehensive car insurance if you only have liability insurance. Comprehensive car insurance will protect you from damage from uninsured drivers, weather events, accidents and vandalism.

Comprehensive car insurance also often comes with other perks like roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement and flat tire assistance. Not all policies will include these, so look through your policy’s perks and limitations before you find yourself really needing them. 

If you plan on sharing driving responsibility with someone not on your insurance, make sure something called “permissive use” is included in your policy. It means a non-policy holding driver can be covered under your policy as long as they drive the car infrequently. Most good car insurance policies offer this, but it’s worth checking before you hit the open road. 

Renting a Car 

Even if you don’t drive to your destination, you’ll likely need transportation when you get there. Anyone who has rented a car knows the feeling of getting bombarded with offers to buy insurance for it. The question is, do you actually need it? 

The answer is probably not, but it does depend. If you’re staying within the United States, your normal car insurance should cover your rental car. But you’ll want to double check your coverage and any rules that might apply (i.e. Does your car insurance cover all car types? What about collision coverage? Does it provide coverage outside of the United States? Does it cover any weather related damage that you might incur in this area?)

You also might consider a separate rental car insurance if you’re driving in a place with specific risk. For example, when renting a car in Iceland, rental car companies suggest you purchase volcano and ash protection. This is probably not something your traditional car insurance covers, so you’ll want to add it on the side. 

Traveling to a Foreign Country 

One of the most important parts of summer trip insurance for foreign adventures is medical insurance. You can buy travel medical insurance by itself or as part of a bigger travel insurance package. It will help cover if you get sick or in an accident in a foreign country. These policies often also help in getting you back home once you’re well enough. 

Cruises

If the open ocean is calling your name, you might be wondering how insurance works on the high seas. Cruises often offer cruise-specific insurance plans to their passengers. The coverage can vary greatly from plan to plan, so you need to check the fine print. If you’re going internationally, you’ll want to check that the plan includes medical expenses coverage, as most medical insurances don’t provide coverage internationally. 

You might also consider adding trip cancellation insurance, baggage coverage or missed connection insurance. All of these additions will cost you a pretty penny, so it really comes down to how much you’re willing to risk. If it’s the cruise of a lifetime, you might consider forking over for trip cancellation insurance so you won’t lose everything if your flight is delayed and you miss the boat’s departure. If it’s just a run-of-the-mill trip, you might skip cancellation insurance this time. 

Extreme Sporting 

Some health insurance policies don’t cover extreme sports like scuba diving, skiing, surfing and mountain biking. Many of us like to try new adventures on trips, so if you plan on indulging, you might want to pay for extreme sport insurance. Many of these policies have special requirements in order to claim coverage, so make sure you read the fine print before you head out to get your adrenaline fix. 

Travel Insurance 

So far we’ve been focused on summer trip insurance that protects yourself and your belongings, but you also might want to protect your trip. Travel insurance covers any financial losses that can come with travel. This can include lost bags, canceled flights, medical evacuations, travel delays and more. Each policy is different, and you’ll want to read the fine print of each carefully for any limitations. For example, even though some companies boast of reimbursement for all trip cancellations, most have very specific requirements in order to get it. If you’re considering purchasing travel insurance, check out our guide to whether or not travel insurance is worth it. 

Close to Home 

If your plans are more like staycations, there are still situations where you might need summer trip insurance. Check through our list to see if any of these insurance scenarios apply to you. 

Pools 

Everyone loves a day poolside, but owning your own pool does come with insurance considerations. In the insurance world, pools are called attractive nuisances, a category that includes trampolines and tree houses. Basically, things that are fun but also carry some amount of risk. They are often covered by traditional home insurance but expect it to drive up your monthly premium.

Some home insurance companies require pools meet certain conditions before they insure them, like a safety fence or underwater lights. If at any point your pool fails to meet these standards, your insurance won’t cover any damages that occur. 

You’ll want to make sure your insurance covers two types of risks: damage to the pool and liability from the pool. In fact, most insurance experts recommend you carry at least $300,000 to $500,000 in liability insurance to cover any medical or legal costs of someone getting hurt at your pool. Some home insurance policies may include this much, but if not, you might want to look into an umbrella policy to cover that gap. 

Barbecues 

Whether you plan on hosting BBQs, cookouts, fish boils or clambakes this summer, cooking outside for a group does come with some inherent risks. Besides keeping your grill clean and never leaving it unattended, home insurance is another essential step to protecting yourself. If you’re a renter, you’ll want to check your lease because if your lease prohibits grills or smokers, your insurance will not cover any damage from one. Again, like pools, you also might consider upping your personal liability coverage in case one of your guests gets injured at your party. 

Boating 

Only two states require boat insurance (Utah and Arkansas), but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider purchasing a policy. Boats are a big investment, and insurance can help protect you. Like car insurance, there are different levels of coverage for boats depending on how much protection you want. Common types of boat insurance include hull insurance to protect the boat itself, collision coverage to cover any damages from accidents and liability coverage to cover passengers injuries. Some marinas and docks require certain insurance levels, so check with your local marina before you sign up. 

ATVing and Motorized Sports 

ATVs and other motorized sport devices are not often covered by standard insurances. If you want to protect your property and yourself from liability, you’ll need to get separate insurance to cover your sports vehicles. In fact, if you’re financing your vehicles, your lender may require that you purchase insurance. You also might consider upgrading to comprehensive insurance to protect your vehicle not only from collisions, but also weather events or vandalism.  

Umbrella Policy 

If you’re still feeling worried about your insurance coverage, you could invest in an umbrella policy. An umbrella policy is personal liability insurance that provides you extra coverage in the case of lawsuits, injuries or property damage from others that your standard insurance doesn’t cover. If your liability insurance included in your standard insurance doesn’t cover the total cost of an accident, the umbrella policy will help protect you. 

Let the Good Times Roll with Summer Trip Insurance

Insurance might be the last thing on your mind this summer. But following these suggestions will help keep you financially safe. Whether you’re sticking close to home or heading out on the open road, you’ll be covered from any unexpected bumps along the way. 

Contributor Whitney Hansen covers banking, credit cards and investing for The Penny Hoarder. She also writes on other personal finance topics.