USA To Mykonos Trip – Forbes Advisor

Set in crystal-blue waters in the sparkling Aegean Sea, Mykonos is a gorgeous island that draws many tourists each year. This amazing Greek island offers a blend of history, culture and coastal relaxation.

Because there is so much to see and do and the island is so popular—especially during the peak summer and fall seasons—you will probably need to put down hefty deposits months in advance to secure your travel itinerary. To protect your trip costs and prevent out-of-pocket expenses if you need medical care, it’s wise to buy a comprehensive travel insurance plan.

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Trip Cancellation Insurance

The best travel insurance companies offer policies that bundle together multiple types of valuable pre- and post-departure benefits.

One type of benefit is trip cancellation insurance, which refunds 100% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if you cancel your trip for a problem listed in your policy.

Typical, the following are acceptable reasons to cancel:

• Death, illness or injury to you, a travel companion or close family member.
• Military deployment.
• National transportation strike.
• Serious family emergency.
• Severe weather.
• Unplanned jury duty.
• Unexpected job layoff.
• Your travel supplier suddenly goes out of business.

‘Cancel for any Reason’ Travel Insurance

Another option is “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance, which lets you cancel a trip for any reason and get a portion of your prepaid, nonrefundable money back. You will have the latitude to cancel your trip for any reason as long as you do so at least 48 hours before you’re scheduled to leave.

CFAR provides the greatest level of flexibility to cancel your trip and you will recover 50% or 75% of your insured trip cost. One drawback to CFAR insurance is that it will bump up your policy costs by about 50%. You usually must buy CFAR within 14 days or so of making your first trip payment.

Travel Delay Insurance

Flying to Mykonos generally requires a connecting flight from the U.S., and unfortunately two or more flights increase the chances of experiencing hiccups in your itinerary. Travel delay insurance can compensate you for associated expenses you incur due to a delay for a reason listed in your policy, such as mechanical issues with an aircraft or severe weather.

For example, imagine you’re flying from Philadelphia to Madrid to Mykonos. If your flight from Madrid to Greece is delayed due to torrential thunderstorms, you can file a travel delay claim to pay for your hotel, dinner and some toiletries to tide you over for the night.

Keep your receipts, as you likely will be asked to provide this documentation when you file a claim. Also note that travel delay benefits don’t kick in until after a certain amount of time, such as six or 12 hours. Review your policy for details on the required waiting period.

If your delay causes you to miss the first night at your prepaid seaside cottage in Mykonos, that loss is recoverable through travel delay benefits as well. If you’re island-hopping to other destinations in Greece, it’s common for these regional flights to be canceled with little notice.

“If you’re rebooked and the next flight is not until the next day, you might have to suddenly arrange for an extra night of accommodations at your current location, and you may be at risk of losing a deposit on a hotel stay or side excursion at the location you were headed to,” says Scott Adamski, spokesperson with AIG Travel.

Trip delay insurance will also apply to this type of delay. “This is a surprisingly frequent situation throughout Greece and its islands,” Adamski says.

Trip Interruption Travel Insurance

The pristine beaches of Mykonos and the stunning architecture of the island may quickly become a fleeting memory if you need to return home due to a family emergency. Trip interruption insurance benefits can cover the cost of a last-minute ticket home.

This type of coverage will also reimburse you for unused, prepaid and nonrefundable trip expenses that you would otherwise have to forfeit due to your early and unplanned departure. An illness or injury to you, a family member or travel companion all should qualify for eligible trip interruption claims.

Travel insurance doesn’t cover every reason you might cut a trip short. For example, travel insurance won’t reimburse you if you don’t have enough money left for the remainder of your trip and you want to go home.

‘Interruption for Any Reason’ Travel Insurance

If you want trip interruption coverage to compensate you for any type of interruption, you will need “interruption for any reason” (IFAR) travel insurance. You typically buy this type of coverage as an add-on to a traditional travel insurance plan. IFAR coverage reimburses you for up to 75% of prepaid travel expenses. You generally can’t file an IFAR claim unless you’re already a few days into your trip, for example 48 or 72 hours.

This coverage may add 3% to 10% to the total cost of your travel insurance.

Travel Medical Insurance

If you’re traveling outside the U.S., look for a travel insurance plan with travel medical insurance benefits. It’s unlikely that your U.S.-based health insurance plan will cover you while you’re in another country. Check with your U.S. health insurance company first to see if your health insurance covers you outside the U.S and inquire about any global benefits.

If you frolic on Platis Gialos Beach, cut your foot on a sharp seashell and need stitches, your travel medical insurance will cover the cost. If you don’t have travel medical insurance, you might have to pay for these expenses out of your own pocket. Travel medical insurance reimburses you for hospital and doctor bills, X-rays, lab work, medicine and other medical costs, up to your policy limits.

Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance

Riding mopeds is a popular pastime in Mykonos. This is a convenient way to get around the island, but it also increases injury risk.

If you’re in a remote location and suffer a crash, you might need to be airlifted to a hospital for care. Your travel insurance policy’s medical evacuation travel insurance benefits can help pay for the cost to transport you by air ambulance.

Without this coverage, you would be responsible for medical evacuation costs, which can be thousands of dollars—or even hundreds of thousands—depending on your condition and location.

Baggage Insurance

If your bags decide to vacation in Paris instead of Mykonos, baggage insurance can compensate you for the depreciated value, up to your policy limits.

Be sure to read your baggage insurance policy carefully to understand per item caps and maximum coverage limits. Make sure you understand whether some items—such as artwork, designer watches and cash—are excluded from coverage. Also, you usually must first file a claim with your airline, home or renters insurance before making a baggage insurance claim.

If your personal possessions are lost, damaged or stolen during your trip, your baggage insurance can also reimburse you for the depreciated value. Check your policy for documentation you need to file a claim.

Baggage delay insurance allows you to recoup money spent for necessities if your luggage arrives later than you to your destination. For example, you can be compensated for the cost of toiletries and a change of clothes. Baggage delay benefits kick in after a required waiting period outlined in your policy, such as six or 12 hours.

Other Considerations for Trips to Mykonos

Adamski says Mykonos is widely regarded as one of the Mediterranean’s top party islands.

“Be careful with the libations during your stay,” he says. “Ouzo is the drink of choice, and many visitors are unfamiliar with its potency.”

“Travelers need to know what the legal limit is in the country they’re visiting, and also to be self-aware about the possibility of over-imbibing in a setting where party culture may be prevalent,” he says.

To that end, Adamski says you should be aware that travel insurance policies often have exclusions for medical issues that are caused by exceeding the local blood alcohol limits.