But nothing slams the brakes on summer fun faster than finding out youre underinsured when you need it most.
Thats why its 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.
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Do You Need Summer Trip Insurance?
Being on the go means running into different insurance situations than youre used to.
However, youll still want to understand any gaps in coverage.
Each situation is different, so we gathered what it’s crucial that you 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.
Comprehensive car insurance will protect you from damage from uninsured drivers, weather events, accidents and vandalism.
Comprehensivecar insurancealso often comes with other perks like roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement and flat tire assistance.
Most good car insurance policies offer this, but its worth checking before you hit the open road.
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?
Our team has compiled alist of creative waysyou can fatten your bank account this week.
This is a long list, so dont get overwhelmed.
Go ahead and start now, but be sure to bookmark this post so you might easily return later.
Well keep it updated as offers changes or expire.
The answer is probably not, but it does depend.
If youre staying within the United States, your normal car insurance should cover your rental car.
But youll 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 youre driving in a place with specific risk.
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 youre well enough.
Cruises often offer cruise-specific insurance plans to their passengers.
The coverage can vary greatly from plan to plan, so you better check the fine print.
If its just a run-of-the-mill trip, you might skip cancellation insurance this time.
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 youll want to read the fine print of each carefully for any limitations.
If youre considering purchasing travel insurance, check out ourguide to whether or not travel insurance is worth it.
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.
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.
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.
In fact, if youre financing your vehicles, your lender may require that you purchase insurance.
But following these suggestions will help keep you financially safe.
Contributor Whitney Hansen covers banking, credit cards and investing for The Penny Hoarder.
She also writes on other personal finance topics.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
