A century ago, a traveling hobo could wrap all his belongings into a red bandana, tie that onto a stick, and sneak onto a train for the ride of his life. And decades ago, a traveling hippie could just swing his ratty backpack on a bus and ride off into the distance. Not anymore! Traveling isn't that slow and easy (and safe) anymore. Today, I cannot fathom traveling long distances without the security of travel insurance girding our trip. And people no longer bring a red bandana and some underclothes-- we "modern" travelers often bring our digital cameras, clothing, cell phones, laptops, and all the gadgets that go with them. These things are expensive, and insuring them is an excellent security. So travel insurance is practically a necessity, especially for foreign travel.

For competitive rates and excellent service on insurance for your trip, check out Money.co.uk. They have an excellent comparison chart, to rate travel insurance policies according to your budget and need. You can quickly and easily get comparative rates on insurance quotes from Tesco, American Express, Club Direct, and more. They even have backpacker's insurance quotes! Money.co.uk also has great travel articles, news relating to travel, and a compelling article on why you need travel insurance.

I am not much of a risk-taker. Someday I really, really want to see Europe, but I would never exclude travel insurance from my plans. There are just too many unpredictables in this day and age. Travel safely!