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Hey everyone, I’m heading to Japan for a full month soon, and I’m on the fence about getting travel insurance. It’s going to cost me around $100, and I’m wondering if it’s really necessary for a trip where I mostly plan on doing regular touristy stuff. Have you ever traveled to Japan for a similar length of time? Did you get insurance, and did it end up being useful? I’d love to hear your experiences and whether you think spending that $100 is a good idea or if I should just save it for enjoying the trip.
While medical care in Japan can sometimes be cheaper than in the US (someone mentioned a dentist visit costing less than $100), a serious accident could still lead to significant costs. For a 30-day trip, the chances of something unexpected happening are higher than for a short trip, making that $100 seem like a reasonable precaution.
I know someone whose family member had an accident on holiday and needed to be flown back to the UK, costing tens of thousands of pounds. Luckily, they had insurance. Repatriation flights can be incredibly expensive, and that’s a major reason why I always consider travel insurance essential.
I’ve traveled a lot solo, and having insurance once saved me when I got severe food poisoning and needed hospitalization. Not having to worry about the cost of IV fluids and other treatment allowed me to seek medical help immediately. That $100 is nothing compared to the potential cost of a medical emergency.
I think about the peace of mind insurance gives me. Knowing that I’m covered if something goes wrong allows me to relax and enjoy my trip more. For $100 over 30 days, it’s less than $4 a day for that peace of mind, which I find worth it.
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