I never bought travel insurance in my life — until I became a parent

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• I'd never seriously considered travel insurance, but COVID and my family changed my perspective.
• I paid an extra $75 through my credit card for a trip to Florence so I can cancel my flight for any reason.
• I used to see travel insurance as an unnecessary expense, but the peace of mind is worth it.
• Get a free travel insurance quote without talking to an agent

When my sister got a coveted invite to a friend's wedding in Florence, I in turn got an invite of my own. It was the perfect excuse, my sister said, for a girls trip to Italy, where we could explore a country that we had dreamed about visiting since we were kids. With visions of art, olive oil, and Mediterranean sun dancing through my head, I immediately said yes.

Almost immediately, I started to stress about the logistics. My sister and I are both moms, and absconding from our families for two weeks seemed tricky. My husband assured me he could hold down the fort, so I turned to my next worry: COVID-related travel interruptions. What if I got sick before leaving? Or what if my husband fell ill and couldn't take care of our girls?

I've traveled a lot in the past, but I've never purchased travel insurance. Quite simply, I couldn't imagine a scenario that would make me not get on the plane. Now, as a mom traveling without her family during the pandemic, there seemed to be lots of reasons that could pop up. So, I bought travel insurance for the first time ever.

I got flight insurance through my credit card

My sister and I both booked our flights with our credit cards. This was part of a larger plan to make the trip affordable. She received a points bonus for referring me to the card, and she used that to pay for some of our accommodation. But the card offered another perk: affordable trip insurance.

When we booked flights, we both opted to pay an extra $75 so we could cancel for any reason. As a budget-conscious traveler, I balked at that amount because it was about 10% of what we paid for flights.

But then I considered how I would feel if I had sick children or if COVID made travel unsafe. I would be devastated to have to cancel the trip, but I'd at least know I was getting the small consolation of getting a portion of my money back. With that in mind, $75 felt like money well spent. Plus, I liked that it was through my credit card provider, rather than a third party insurer that might take longer to return my funds.

Next Steps: Get a free travel insurance quote without talking to an agent

I didn't insure my accommodation

As we planned our trip, it grew. Our cousin and friend both opted to join in. We are splitting the cost of our accommodations four ways, which itself feels like a sort of insurance policy.

When I debated travel insurance for accommodations, my mind flashed back to last year, when I traveled with two friends. One of them got COVID before the trip and was unsure of whether she'd test negative in time to travel. I had to give her a harsh truth: While I'd be sad to travel without her, I was going to continue on the vacation, whether or not she could. I'd be happy to pick up her portion of the accommodation, but I wasn't canceling.

Planning Italy, I considered how I'd feel if the shoe was on the other foot. I would want my sister and friends to continue without me, of course. And while I could see plenty of reasons why one of us might not be able to go at the last minute, it seemed virtually impossible that all of us would bail.

Because of that, we decided not to purchase trip protection to cover our hotel and Airbnb reservations. We figured that — worst case scenario — we'd be splitting the accommodation by three instead of four.

I think I'm a travel insurance convert

When I was traveling solo, I couldn't imagine canceling a trip and having to use insurance. But as I've gotten older, travel has become more complex. I have to consider not only myself, but my kids and husband. Then there's the unpredictability of the pandemic and seemingly endless stories of flight interruptions.

In that new context, travel insurance seems like a great buy. In the best case scenario I will never use the insurance. But I've shifted my mindset so that I don't see it as a waste. Instead, it's the cost of valuable peace of mind. Amid all the stressors of traveling internationally, I'll take every bit of peace I can get.

Next Steps: Get a free travel insurance quote without talking to an agent