About the size of New Hampshire and with a population around that of Tampa, Belize is home to the world’s second-largest barrier reef, jungles with jaguars and howler monkeys, mountain pine forests, turquoise waters, bonefish flats, mystic caves, coral atolls and Mayan treasures. English is the official language, and U.S. dollars are accepted, making it an accessible, tropical get-away.
If you’re planning a trip to the “Jewel,” you don’t need the wisdom of a Mayan ruler to realize that a solid travel plan is a worthwhile investment if emergencies arise before or during your trip.
When you travel internationally, it’s smart to purchase a travel insurance plan with these benefits:
- Trip cancellation
- Trip delay
- Trip interruption
- Medical
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Baggage and personal effects coverage
That way, you can recoup some of the money you put down for your excursion if unexpected circumstances scuttle your plans. But the best travel insurance plans can help with a wide variety of problems during a trip to Belize.
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Trip Cancellation: Sacrificing Your Dream Vacation
You may be planning a trip to Belize because your partner is a history buff who wants to experience the country’s 12 Mayan archeological wonders. Or you may want to go spelunking in the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. That’s where you can see the calcified skeletons left behind more than a thousand years ago when the Maya held ritual sacrifices to their gods. But, as you’re watching documentaries on the Travel Channel, your trip plans could come to a halt because of a sudden emergency.
If, three days before your trip to Belize, your 12-year old is hospitalized with bacterial meningitis, you will have to cancel your trip. As long as you cancel for a reason listed in your travel insurance policy, your trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you for prepaid and non-refundable expenses. That means you can file a claim to get your money back for that guided bonefishing trip among the 200 coral islands that comprise the Turneffe Islands Atoll.
Acceptable reasons to cancel generally include:
- Death of a travel companion or a close family member
- A serious family emergency
- Severe weather
- Other unforeseen problems as specified by your policy
- And more
Details vary by insurance company, so be sure to review your policy so you know what’s covered under trip cancellation.
For instance, if you want to stay home because five days before your trip to Belize your dog is severely injured after getting hit by a car, you would not be covered under your trip cancellation benefits.
Consider adding “cancel for any reason” coverage to your travel insurance policy if you want the freedom to back out of a trip regardless of the cause. This upgrade adds an average of 50% more to the base cost of your standard travel plan but can reimburse 75% of your trip cost. Note, however, that you can’t change your mind at the last minute—you must cancel at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure date.
With “cancel for any reason” insurance you could make a cancellation claim because it’s going to rain in Belize during your entire trip or because you’ve decided to go to an immersive Van Gogh exhibit instead.
Trip Delay Insurance When the Mayan God Huracan Strikes
Traveling to Belize can be easy and convenient because many major U.S. airports offer nonstop flights, but sometimes the gods have other plans. The word “hurricane” is derived from Huracan, the name of the Mayan god also known as “Lord of the Whirlwind” and “the god of evil.” If you wind up stranded at the airport because the travel gods are angry and whip up a whirlwind, or you experience more earthbound problems like airport emergencies, your travel insurance can help.
For instance, if your flight is canceled because of a storm or mechanical issue, your travel delay insurance can help offset the costs associated with a delay. Let’s say your flight from Miami to Belize City is canceled because of strong winds and you are rebooked at 6 a.m. the next day. Travel delay benefits within a travel insurance policy can cover the cost of a hotel stay, meals and some personal expenses, like toiletries, up to the limits in your plan.
Travel delay benefits generally kick in for a covered reason after a specified waiting period, which varies by insurance company. For example, your plan might start providing benefits after a six-hour or 12-hour delay. Trip delay compensations will have a per day and a total maximum benefit limit per person.
If your delay causes you to miss a prepaid trip expense like the first night of your hotel stay or a guided tour on your first day, you can file a claim to recoup that loss. So if you paid in advance for a tour to view jaguars, ocelots, pumas, anteaters and monkeys at the Cockscomb Wildlife Sanctuary, you can file a claim for reimbursement because you will miss the experience.
Trip Interruption Insurance for When Reality Bites
The name of one of Belize’s must-see archeological sites, Lamanai, translates in Mayan to “Submerged Crocodile.” That’s not only a memorable title, but one that can suggest that tragedy is always lurking, waiting to snap you out of your daily reverie. Regretfully, if this happens while you’re on your trip, you may have to return home sooner than you want, but travel interruption insurance can take the bite of your lost investments.
For example, let’s say you’re snorkeling in Placencia and you suddenly receive word from your brother that your mother passed away. You will need to cut your trip short and return home to be with family. Your trip interruption insurance can cover your one-way economy ticket home.
Trip interruption insurance can also reimburse you for non-refundable, prepaid activities that you forfeit when your trip is cut short due to a reason covered in your travel insurance policy. That means if you paid in advance to visit the Great Blue Hole natural monument, where you planned to swim with reef sharks among stalactites, you could file a claim under your trip interruption benefits.
Travel Medical Insurance if Illness or Injury Infect Your Itinerary
When traveling outside the U.S., your health plan may have limited or no coverage. Be sure to check before you book your trip. Additionally, Medicare won’t be accepted in foreign countries. That’s why it’s vital to have travel medical insurance.
Travel medical insurance can pay up to the policy limits for hospital and doctor bills, lab work and medicine. The most generous travel plans provide $500,000 per person for medical expenses, but you can find lower amounts.
For example, if you’re exploring Ambergris Caye’s Hol Chan Marine Reserve and you get bit by a swarm of Thimble Jellyfish and need medical attention, your medical expense insurance can pay for the costs.
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Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance for Big Injuries
If you have a severe medical issue, your emergency medical evacuation travel insurance can cover the cost of air ambulance transportation to the nearest adequate medical center that can treat your condition.
For instance, suppose you’re visiting Half Moon Caye Natural Monument to see the colony of 4,000 red-footed boobies and stumble off the viewing platform and suffer a severe head injury. Your travel insurance company’s 24/7 assistance hotline can arrange airlift services and cover the cost.
Depending on your condition and location, medevac bills can be tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ample plans provide $1 million in emergency evacuation benefits, but many plans have lower amounts if you think you don’t need that much.
Without medical and emergency medical evacuation coverage, you are responsible for any medical costs you wind up having if you get sick or injured during your trip.
Baggage Protection When Your Luggage Is on ‘Belize Time’
The laid-back pace of Belize means no hurries and no worries unless your luggage is on “Belize Time” and arrives later than expected. If your baggage is delayed or lost while en route to Belize, you can file a claim for reimbursement for missing, damaged or stolen items under baggage delay and baggage loss insurance.
Baggage loss insurance can compensate you for the actual cash value of your lost items up to the limits specified in your policy. However, be aware that some belongings, for instance, electronics or jewelry, may not be covered under baggage loss coverage. You can find travel plans that provide up to $2,500 in baggage loss benefits, but if you don’t need that much you can buy lower amounts.
Baggage delay insurance can compensate you (up to the policy limits) for expenses you pay because your luggage arrives late. For instance, if you need to buy some flip-flops, shorts and a bathing suit for your first day, you can file a claim for reimbursement. However, be sure to check your policy for waiting periods. Some plans won’t pay out unless your luggage is missing for 12 hours or more.
Your policy also extends beyond luggage and will cover your personal belongings during your trip.
That means if you lose your wallet while hiking through the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve or your camera gets stolen while you’re watching a flock of Keel-Billed Toucans, you can file a claim.
Be sure to file a report with your tour operator and the local authorities—you will be asked for this documentation if you file a claim.
Adventure Travel Plans
If you plan to scuba dive, parasail or bungee jump during your Belize trip, be aware that these types of activities are commonly excluded from medical coverage under many travel insurance plans. In these cases, you may want to consider upgrading your travel insurance plan for adventure travel.
Work with your travel insurance agent to identify the plans that will cover your specific activities.
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