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The international travel restrictions will be lifted so you might be ready to book a trip to the UK and soak up the history, culture and scenery – and maybe watch some royals. While travel insurance is not compulsory when visiting the UK, it is a nice idea to have solid travel insurance.

Related: Compare and buy travel insurance for 2021

Covid-related travel concerns are a top priority for many travelers, reports Gail Mangiante, spokeswoman for insurance comparison website InsureMyTrip. Many travel insurance companies offer benefits that cover the medical costs of Covid-19 for treatment if you contract the virus during your trip, as well as the additional cost of quarantine in a hotel if you test positive.

A travel insurance agent can identify the policies that suit your needs and browse the options for you. It’s important to ask questions and make sure your travel insurance has Covid-specific coverage.

Some American tourists opt for a long weekend to experience London, while others take trips to multiple locations, including Wales and Scotland. As the UK is a sprawling place with rural and urban settings – as well as a wide mix of tourist attractions – your travel insurance should be comprehensive and cover a wide variety of events.

Full travel plans usually include coverage for:

  • Travel expenses for medical purposes
  • Emergency medical evacuation
  • Trip cancellation
  • Travel delay and travel interruption insurance
  • Loss of luggage protection

Prepare to cancel before you leave

Vacation is fun to look forward to, so it’s hard to think about a possible setback. Even so, it’s a good idea to plan one out. If you need to cancel your trip to the UK, travel insurance can reimburse you 100 percent for lost prepaid non-refundable deposits. To make a cancellation claim, you must have a reason outlined in the policy and provide documentation.

Acceptable reasons for cancellation include unplanned events such as illness or death, a major family emergency, a national emergency at your destination or in the United States, terrorist attack, or severe weather.

Related: Compare over 22 travel insurance companies

Not all reasons for canceling a trip are covered by travel insurance. So check your policy for the list of reasons. For example, if you have tickets to a musical in London’s West End and the headliner has been changed and is no longer Hugh Jackman, your travel insurance would not cover your trip cancellation.

But there is a way to handle a movie-star-level problem and other problems. You can opt for a “Cancel For Any Reason” travel insurance upgrade which will cost around 40% more. With this upgrade, you can literally cancel your trip for any reason – as long as you cancel within 48 hours of your scheduled departure. The reimbursement is usually 50% or 75% within the scope of this coverage. (Not all travel insurers offer this upgrade.)

Medical problems during a trip to the UK

Check your US health insurance coverage before traveling to the UK. Outside of the United States, your plan may have limited or no coverage. Older travelers should note that Medicare does not cover health insurance when abroad.

As experienced UK visitors know, road safety can be a potential risk as American drivers are unfamiliar with driving on the left side of the road. When renting a car make sure you are familiar with the road log.

If you have an accident on a winding road outside Manchester and need medical attention, your plan’s travel health insurance covers medical treatment, prescription medication, hospital stays, diagnostic tests and visits to the doctor.

The Squaremouth travel insurance comparison site suggests that you purchase a policy with at least $ 50,000 medical coverage for travel to the UK

Pay for a medical evacuation

If you suffer a broken elbow or have a bruise that requires more serious medical care than is available locally, sturdy travel insurance can literally be life-saving.

With the help of your travel insurance’s 24/7 assistance hotline, an experienced team can provide a variety of resources and coordinate the organization of a medical transport that will take you to a qualified medical facility tailored to your needs.

Without travel insurance coverage, you’d be paying the bill for a paramedic and paying out of pocket. The low cost of your policy protects you in many ways.

Squaremouth recommends at least $ 100,000 in medical evacuation for travel to the UK.

The cost of a delay

The travel delay benefits under your policy reimburse you for any costs you incur if you are delayed while traveling. For example, if your one-way flight from Philadelphia to London is canceled because the flight crew has not arrived and the next flight is many hours away, you can get a refund if you have to spend the night in a hotel and have breakfast the next morning.

Travel delay coverage generally has a waiting period – say six hours late – before you can make a claim.

Related: Compare over 22 travel insurance companies

Forgive the interruption

If you need to cancel your trip in the UK, your travel insurance can cover the cost of last minute flights home and reimburse you for any prepaid and non-refundable expenses for the parts of your itinerary that you miss.

Unexpected events such as a family emergency at home or death, illness or injury to you or your travel companion are examples of reasons covered for a right to travel interruption.

Rejected luggage and belongings

The benefits of lost luggage extend far beyond misdirected luggage. Travel insurance can cover luggage and your personal effects in the event of loss or theft.

As with many generally safe travel destinations, crime can still occur.

“Thefts could be covered in the baggage and personal effects section of your policy,” said Lisa Cheng, a spokeswoman for World Nomads, a travel insurance company.

“When you travel to an urban area in the UK, there are more and more cases of pickpocketing and pickpocketing at hubs, shopping areas, popular attractions and pubs in the neighborhood,” warns Cheng.

If you are a victim of theft overseas, Cheng recommends filing damage reports with the police or other authorities such as an airline, hotel manager, or tour guide. When you apply for travel insurance, you will need these types of documents.

“Compensation from your travel insurance could be in the form of a replacement or a refund,” says Cheng, pointing out that depreciation is taken into account as well as per item and total caps. “Search the exclusions section of your policy to see what may not be covered. Cash, credit cards, and event tickets are common exclusions, ”she says.

With the right travel insurance, you can have a hell of a good time and not worry about how to pay for emergencies.

Related: Compare and buy travel insurance for 2021