There have recently been a number of airlines that have filed bankruptcy or have been forced to stop flying leaving travelers stranded or unable to leave. Learning that your flights have been canceled and that your airline is no longer in business can not only be a nuisance but it can also be costly as well. So as we swing into the height of the sports vacation season, travelers should question whether or not travel insurance is right for them. There are a couple of things to keep in mind as you plan your summer baseball road trips.

Paying By Credit Card
Consumer protection laws allow you to dispute charges on your credit card for up to 60 days. This is a useful tool if you've been charged expenses within two months of your trip. It won't, however, provide you any relief from expenses incurred 61 days or longer from your trip. In addition, it won't assist you with additional expenses that you will incur as a result of a delay, such as extra nights at a hotel, meals, etc.

Travel Insurance
Most travelers planning a trip with sports travel packages, purchase the trips much farther in advance than 60 days. Consumer protection laws won't be helpful in those instances. Travel insurance, on the other hand, can assist you by covering all aspects of your trip. If your flights are canceled or your airline files bankruptcy, trip insurance can cover the cost to replace the flight and additional expenses that you incur.

Travel insurance can also protect you from unforeseen events in your life that could prevent you from traveling. Consider an illness that affects you or a member of your family tour or small group tour. If travel insurance is in place, each member of the family or group could be reimbursed for their costs if they can't make the tour.

The price for travel insurance varies based on the cost of your package tour and the age of the travelers. For example, a traveler between the ages of 35-59 who purchases a trip for $1,500, would likely pay $70 - 75 for travel insurance. Not an expensive premium for the coverage it provides.

What About Rain Outs?
Since our tours revolve around baseball vacations, we're often asked if travel insurance covers rain outs. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Travel insurance can't guarantee that everything will happen as planned but can only guarantee that you'll get there and back.