Solo travel has many advantages. It’s a chance to step outside your comfort zone, meet new people from around the world, and spend time doing some inner reflection. However, solo travel also comes with risks, and in many places, these risks are greater for women travelers.
Accidents, emergencies, and the inevitable bumps in the road get in your way — and these situations can be even more stressful when you’re traveling alone.
This is where travel protection and insurance can help save the day. You can buy comprehensive travel insurance plans from a third-party provider, a good idea when you’re doing anything potentially dangerous like mountain climbing or other adventure sports. But many credit cards also offer basic protections that can be life-saving when you’re abroad.
Everyone should get some form of travel insurance coverage when traveling abroad. However, female solo travelers, in particular, should double down on making sure they are safe throughout their trip, no matter what happens.
Let’s discuss some solo travel situations and the type of travel insurance coverage that will be most important for your trip.
When you are traveling to a new place
Essential Coverage: Travel Assistance Hotline
Unfortunately, there are some places that are dangerous for female solo travelers, whether due to crime rates, local laws, or a combination of the two. When you’re traveling somewhere you’ve never been before (especially if your destination is (off the beaten path), access to a travel assistance hotline can be invaluable.
Credit cards have different names for this type of benefit. Amex has a Global Assist Hotline benefit, while Chase and Bank of America both call the benefit “Travel and Emergency Assistance.”
The Travel Assistance Hotline can help if you lose your passport or luggage, need an emergency legal referral or need to get reputable medical care while abroad. Traveling alone can be stressful, especially when something goes wrong. A travel assistance hotline can help relieve some of that stress and allow you to focus more on your trip. But note that you will be on the hook for any charges that come with assistance.
When your flight home is delayed
Essential coverage: Trip delay compensation
It’s an unfortunate fact of air travel: planes are often delayed. Sometimes, a delay is just a minor inconvenience. However, if you have a connecting flight with a short layover, the delay could be the start of a nightmare. Solo travelers can end up Being stranded alone at an airport overnight or longer while waiting for the next available flight can cost hundreds of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses.
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In some cases, extra planning can help avoid missed flights due to delays. If you know that the route you are flying often experiences delays, you can easily make sure you book a flight with a long layover. But often, delays are unavoidable and unexpected. Trip delay reimbursement will cover most, if not all, reasonable expenses associated with delays beyond your control.
Both Chase and Amex have a number of branded and cobranded cards that offer this protection that are worth looking into.
Related: Best Cards That Offer Trip Delay Insurance
When you are admitted to a hospital abroad
Coverage required: Emergency evacuation insurance and/or emergency medical insurance
No one wants to think about the possibility of getting injured or sick while traveling, but it happens. You can fall while hiking or skiing or catch a nasty case of food poisoning that dehydrates you enough to require a trip to the emergency room.
Unfortunately, your standard health insurance likely doesn’t cover doctor visits, hospitalizations, medical transportation, or medications when traveling internationally. Emergency evacuation insurance will cover out-of-pocket expenses if you need a medevac or other form of transportation to get necessary medical help. Emergency medical insurance will provide coverage for unexpected medical expenses such as ER visits.
When your rental car breaks down
Coverage Needed: Roadside Assistance
Whether you get a flat tire (and don’t have the means or ability to change it) or an engine problem, being stranded on the side of the road by yourself can be nerve-wracking. This is when Roadside assistance can be a lifesaver. If you’re in an area you’re unfamiliar with, calling your card’s roadside assistance hotline will be easier than searching for the nearest mechanic or tow truck.
Depending on the specific provider and coverage plan, services such as towing, winching, jump-starts, fuel delivery and more may be partially or fully covered.
Related: Best Credit Cards That Offer Roadside Assistance
Choose a credit card with travel insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance with a third party can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of your trip, depending on your travel plans. However, many A premium travel card comes with travel insurance when you use your card to pay for at least part of your trip. Note that coverage and specific benefits vary between cards.
Premium travel cards from Chase, Capital One, and Amex offer a nice set of protections that can help you in most cases. When you’re comparing credit cards, take a look at the travel coverage details offered. Additionally, make sure that when you’re booking a solo trip, you’re using a card that offers the benefits you want.
Related: Best credit cards with travel protection
Bottom line
It’s also a smart idea to look into more comprehensive coverage offered by a third party, especially if you’re traveling for an extended period of time. Medical coverage and trip insurance that covers more than just approved emergency expenses can come in handy.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. For details of conditions and exclusions applicable see the relevant guidelines for benefits