The very thought of summer makes us think of vacations, trips, and relaxation. It is the same for many Americans who want to enjoy themselves during the summer after a long and dreary bout of winter. As you book flight tickets and hotel rooms, there also comes a time when you have to decide if you want to purchase travel insurance in order to protect your trip. Many people jump at the opportunity of buying travel insurance either out of fear, for a sense of comfort or simply out of impulse. There are about 1.9 billion policies sold annually, according to the US Travel Insurance Association.

There are different types of travel insurance that you can buy before embarking on a trip. The good news is that you can pick and choose them according to your needs. Some of the most common types of travel insurance that you will find are:

Medical: Medical travel insurance is a great thing to carry along during any trip as it provides coverage to limit out-of-pocket costs.

Evacuation: If you find yourself in the middle of some natural calamity or some political disaster, the evacuation insurance comes in handy as it helps to cover the cost of getting out of harm’s way.

Cancellation: It can be painful when you realize that you can’t make the trip that you had spent months planning for due to some unforeseen circumstance, but it is even more painful when you come to learn of the fact that you can’t get your money back. This kind of travel insurance covers such calamities that you may face if you have to cancel your trip.

Baggage: There is nothing like having your luggage stolen, lost or damaged when you go on vacation. Baggage insurance will provide some reimbursement for the new outfits that you will be required to purchase.

Death and Dismemberment: This type of travel insurance is very similar to life insurance and will provide your heirs with a payout in case you die during your trip.