Ideally, a honeymoon offers newlyweds the chance to kick back, relax and enjoy the start of their lives together. But when something happens to foil honeymoon plans, couples could be facing anything from financial hardships to a spoiled trip. Travel insurance may help couples protect their assets while honeymooning.

Travel insurance can protect couples against lost funds and other incidentals on their honeymoon. Depending on the coverage purchased, a portion or all of the money paid for the trip could be refunded in the event of a cancellation or emergency that calls off the honeymoon.

Purchasing a travel insurance policy could be effective in an number of situations.

• Couples are booking a honeymoon well in advance (such as a year or more) and want to protect themselves in the event the resort, cruise line, etc., folds before the trip can be taken.

• The honeymoon locale is frequently affected by harsh weather conditions, such as hurricanes, earthquakes or typhoons.

• Couples want protection in case the trip has to be cancelled due to a medical condition or a family emergency.

• The honeymoon is very expensive and the couple is not comfortable with losing deposits or money paid in such high amounts.

• The honeymoon involves complex plans of planes meeting with cruise ships, or a similar situation that is tightly scheduled.

• A couple is taking a cruise. Many cruise lines have a no-excuses policy and may not be willing to offer refunds without a travel insurance policy in place.

Couples should realize that not all travel insurance is the same and they may already be protected against some travel incidentals. Many credit card companies offer cancellation insurance on purchases, which makes buying another policy unnecessary.

When shopping around for travel insurance, the trip itself can dicate the necessary coverage. Travel to an international country may require additional medical insurance for domestic policies that do not offer coverage overseas. Medical insurance also may include a portion for emergency evacuation or airlift in the event of a serious accident. Cancellation/interruption insurance covers the nonrefundable and additional costs to couples should they need to return home mid-trip or cancel the trip altogether.

It’s a good idea for couples to purchase travel insurance from a third-party instead of through a resort, airline or vacation company itself. That’s because, should the trip be cancelled because the resort goes bankrupt or experiences other financial hardships, there’s no telling if that resort’s insurance policy will be honored. A safer bet is for honeymooners to contact an insurance company with which they feel comfortable and inquire about the different travel insurance options.