Alyce W has presumably read all of the advice as to the benefits of purchasing travel insurance – especially when taking an international trip – and has set her mind to buy.

But what should she buy?

Does she need to purchase insurance for each leg of the trip – both domestic and international? Will her travel insurance cover lost luggage? Trip cancellation due to illness? Medical expenses while abroad? Car rentals?

And when should she make the purchase? As soon as she books the trip? A few days prior to the trip? Some time in between?

For that matter, from whom should she purchase the travel insurance policy (policies?)?

And all of this is further complicated by place of residence. It seems travel insurance means something different if you are based in Australia, as opposed to, say, the U.S. In fact, even if you live in the U.S., different states might have different rules as to what travel insurance providers are obligated to cover.

Well, I for one am glad you asked Alyce W. Not because I personally have any answers for you, but because your question has spurred a fantastic discussion on the subject within the TripAdvisor community.

Read the thread in its entirety: Travel Insurance…a bit confused