Travel Insurance Consultants revealed that over the last 12 months, on average, South African travellers purchased travel insurance 48 days before departure.

According to Lynette Machiri, Flight Centre customer experience leader in South Africa, buying travel insurance at the eleventh hour is one of the biggest pitfalls they also see.

“Delaying coverage can leave you unprotected against unavoidable cancellations or illnesses in the lead-up to your getaway and quite simply, you may forget to buy it! Once you’ve already departed on your trip and left your home country, it’s too late to buy travel insurance,” she said.

It is recommended to purchase travel insurance immediately after booking to lock in cancellation coverage right away.

Once you’re committed and made those non-refundable payments, book your insurance. You can buy a policy up to a year in advance and be covered for any unexpected events that could derail your travel plans far in advance.

The key things you could be missing out on

Purchasing travel insurance the day of travel means you likely won’t have cancellation coverage included and this safeguard reimburses you for non-refundable trip costs such as flights and hotels if you have to cancel for a covered reason prior to departure.

So, when exactly should you buy travel insurance?

While you technically can buy travel insurance up until 24 hours before your departure, Travel Insurance Consultants advises doing so as soon as any non-refundable payments are made.

We also suggest that you purchase your policy the moment you make payment towards your trip, as this is when your money is at risk and when your policy should be in place.

There are plenty of reasons why you should purchase travel insurance.

From developing a last-minute illness and sudden family emergencies to visa delays and travel disruptions, the list of calamities that could force cancellation is long.  And that’s before even reaching your destination, where lost luggage and missed connections might happen.

Lastly, by purchasing travel insurance promptly when initially booking a trip, you’ll have the full gamut of coverage giving you financial protection and precious peace of mind every step of the way, because an epic holiday calls for checking off amazing experiences, not dealing with travel nightmares.