The recent troubles in Egypt highlight the need for taking out travel insurance. Thankfully it was rare for tourists to actually be injured and require medical attention as the protests were largely non-violent. However, it was still a potentially unsafe area and not a place you would want to go for holidays. Luckily there were several benefits of travel insurance that would help.
Cancellation - If you were yet to go to Egypt your Travel Insurance provider was more than likely happy to pay your cancellation costs so you weren't out of pocket. Alternately they could pay for the costs associated with moving your travel plans to another date. It is cheaper for them to do this than potentially have to spend a lot more if you get hurt over there or the situation gets even worse. If you were already in Egypt and wanted to fly out you could be reimbursed for cancellation charges of accommodation, flights, tours etc that you hadn't used.
Additional Costs - If you were in Egypt and wanted to get out then your travel insurance should pay for any additional costs that arise from this such as flights, accommodation, and transport.
Medical Costs - And of course if you are injured during an event like this you will be covered for your medical and hospital costs.
Always check with your travel insurance company if you are heading into an area that is potentially dangerous like the Egyptian crisis or it may involve volcano's, cyclones, or other natural disasters. You can also review your travel insurance policy to check what you will be covered for.
