press release
The uncertainty and unpredictability of life makes travel insurance more valuable
February 10, 2022
Port of Spain, Trinidad —There are many things that could negatively impact our travel plans, such as last-minute cancellations, flight delays, illness or even discovering at the airport that your passport (or visa) has expired. If recent experiences have taught us anything, it’s that the uncertainty and unpredictability of life, greatly justifies and significantly increases the value of travel insurance.
This was the argument made by Dexter Mc Knight, Sagicor General Insurance’s (SGI) Vice President of Insurance Operations, who pointed to the events of the last two years as proof that the unforeseen can happen at any time, meaning that travel plans made today could easily have to be changed tomorrow based on developments in the country or city you are departing from or heading to.
“We only have to look at what occurred in the region during 2021. There was the massive eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent and the crippling resultant ashfall in Barbados, the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the flash floods and landslides in Trinidad and Tobago, and the damage caused by the third most active hurricane season in the Caribbean,” said Mc Knight.
“All examples that flight cancellations or curtailments can happen when we least expect it, in response to changing natural conditions, resulting in travellers having to forego their plans or cut them short unexpectedly,” said the insurance executive. “Travel insurance allows the policyholder to put a measure of protection in place, so that in the event they either have to cancel or change their plans, that they are able to recover the costs associated with them, especially those costs which are non-refundable.”
Mc Knight made the point that there are several non-refundable, upfront costs that are associated with travel, including in some cases vacation rentals, hotels and flights. “When we add up these costs, we can immediately see the level of spend that is incurred. It is therefore a wise decision to take out travel insurance to ensure that this money is not lost in the event of cancellation or curtailment.”
For more information and to get the best travel insurance coverage on the market, Mc Knight urged individuals to reach out to a Sagicor advisor, or engage with one of the company’s team of knowledgeable representatives using one of many options, such as dialling 623-4744, sending a WhatsApp message to 1-246-467-7243, emailing [email protected], or connecting via SGI’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
This was the argument made by Dexter Mc Knight, Sagicor General Insurance’s (SGI) Vice President of Insurance Operations, who pointed to the events of the last two years as proof that the unforeseen can happen at any time, meaning that travel plans made today could easily have to be changed tomorrow based on developments in the country or city you are departing from or heading to.
“We only have to look at what occurred in the region during 2021. There was the massive eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent and the crippling resultant ashfall in Barbados, the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the flash floods and landslides in Trinidad and Tobago, and the damage caused by the third most active hurricane season in the Caribbean,” said Mc Knight.
“All examples that flight cancellations or curtailments can happen when we least expect it, in response to changing natural conditions, resulting in travellers having to forego their plans or cut them short unexpectedly,” said the insurance executive. “Travel insurance allows the policyholder to put a measure of protection in place, so that in the event they either have to cancel or change their plans, that they are able to recover the costs associated with them, especially those costs which are non-refundable.”
Mc Knight made the point that there are several non-refundable, upfront costs that are associated with travel, including in some cases vacation rentals, hotels and flights. “When we add up these costs, we can immediately see the level of spend that is incurred. It is therefore a wise decision to take out travel insurance to ensure that this money is not lost in the event of cancellation or curtailment.”
For more information and to get the best travel insurance coverage on the market, Mc Knight urged individuals to reach out to a Sagicor advisor, or engage with one of the company’s team of knowledgeable representatives using one of many options, such as dialling 623-4744, sending a WhatsApp message to 1-246-467-7243, emailing [email protected], or connecting via SGI’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
