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Travel insurance


beshears
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I have read pros/cons on travel insurance, and wanted to get your opinion.

 

Up to this point, I have always used a TA. Yes, I know the TA gets a percentage from the insurance cost, but having insurance a few times certainly came in handy for us.

 

Just in case your wondering, I have checked with my credit card company, and no, they do not cover anything like this.

 

Have you ever booked insurance (flight and cruise) directly through a company? If so, which one, and were you happy with the results, if you had to use it?

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I like USAA (but you have to be eligible) or Travel Guard. Check AAA as well. Your TA should be able to help you, and yes - might get a percentage, but will likely be able to get you the best price and help you decide what is most important - for example, pre-existing conditions - if you have them you need to purchase within a certain amount of time or else any reasons for cancelling might not be covered. I wouldn't travel without it, just for the peace of mind.

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I'm not much help to you, either. I have purchased directly from a couple different insurance companies, but not had to use it. On my next trip, I am relying on trip cancellation/interruption insurance that is included from my credit card provider, but might purchase a policy for emergency medical/evac coverage only.

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Never had to use it, I use "insure my trip dot com" they have quotes from a bunch of different vendors.

 

I like USAA (but you have to be eligible) or Travel Guard. Check AAA as well. Your TA should be able to help you, and yes - might get a percentage, but will likely be able to get you the best price and help you decide what is most important - for example, pre-existing conditions - if you have them you need to purchase within a certain amount of time or else any reasons for cancelling might not be covered. I wouldn't travel without it, just for the peace of mind.

 

While http://www.insuremytrip.com is a website, they also have a phone number and very knowledgeable people who will answer all of your questions and find you the best policy for your needs.

 

:)

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Travel insurance premiums are the same whether you buy through your TA or the insurance websites. The insurance companies pay TA something for selling...just like the cruise lines ...doesn't cost you anything. BUT the best benefit is you have someone that can do all the legwork for you. I have book for myself and through my TA and it is just easier to do everything through one place.

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Remember the idea behind insurance - you don't need it until you need it. Right?

 

House, fire, car, life, health, trip insurance - you hope you never have to claim but in case you do, good to have it in place.

 

True, but the OP's question was more about getting insurance via your travel agent vs. buy a policy directly from one of the various insurance companies. I was not, nor do I think anyone else was, suggesting that not having had to file a claim was an indication you shouldn't purchase. It just means that we can't comment on how good the companies we used were at handling claims, since we didn't have to do so.

 

I'd actually be interested in hearing answers to the OP's questions, as well, if any of the readers do have personal experience filing claims with some of the travel insurers.

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Hello everyone, thank you ALL for your replies. Well it sounds like either way, TA or direct to go.

 

Yes, I am using Travel Gauard again. Up to this point, that is what my TA offers. It has come in handy, for a few of our trips.

 

The only time that it was BAD, or that is my opinion, was when I wound up in the hospital, just a week or two before we left for our cruise. I must have sent them (hospital, doctors, etc.) 50 papers to SHOW all of this. I thought they would never refund, but they did, but not the tax or port charges.

 

We generally fly Southwest, and I had no problem with them giving us a credit for the next year.

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Hello everyone, thank you ALL for your replies. Well it sounds like either way, TA or direct to go.

 

Yes, I am using Travel Gauard again. Up to this point, that is what my TA offers. It has come in handy, for a few of our trips.

 

The only time that it was BAD, or that is my opinion, was when I wound up in the hospital, just a week or two before we left for our cruise. I must have sent them (hospital, doctors, etc.) 50 papers to SHOW all of this. I thought they would never refund, but they did, but not the tax or port charges.

 

We generally fly Southwest, and I had no problem with them giving us a credit for the next year.

 

If you cancel a cruise prior to sailing, the cruise line will refund tax and port charges. The insurance covers the cruise fare.

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I usually book via an independent travel insurance company mainly as I need to ensure my pre-existing medical condition is factored into it. So far I have been lucky not to have needed to use it, but to know that the coverage is there is imperative. And yes, cruise cover is provided with the company I use.

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We always get travel insurance. We usualyl get Travel Guard, or sometimes Travelex. Remember, your health insurance doesn't work on a cruise ship or out of the country for that matter. If you get sick or need an airlift off the boat, you would be covered with travel insurance. We have been on quite a few cruises, and seen people airlifted a couple of times.

 

Also, the travel guard or travel ex will also insure your flight. I live in a northern state and usually cruise in the winter. The insurance will cover you if your flight gets delayed/cancelled, your luggage gets lost etc.

 

We had to make one claim once and it was pretty easy. The airline destroyed my daughter's stroller, and we had to buy a new one in Puerto Rico before we boarded. The airline would not reimburse us, and claimed no responsibility. The travel insurance paid us with very minimal hassle.

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I used to purchase through the cruise line till I learned (on this board) that I can get better coverage for less money by purchasing a policy directly from one of the many insurance companies. Since my husband had health issues, having the insurance was always a must for us. Used "insuremytrip" and purchased a plan for the first time from CSA - sure enough, we had to cancel our cruise at the last minute because my husband had a heart attack. I had a check for the complete amount within 7 days, claim form was very easy to fill out and submit - I always use this company now for our travel insurance, highly recommend.

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We always get travel insurance. We usualyl get Travel Guard, or sometimes Travelex. Remember, your health insurance doesn't work on a cruise ship or out of the country for that matter. If you get sick or need an airlift off the boat, you would be covered with travel insurance. We have been on quite a few cruises, and seen people airlifted a couple of times.

 

Also, the travel guard or travel ex will also insure your flight. I live in a northern state and usually cruise in the winter. The insurance will cover you if your flight gets delayed/cancelled, your luggage gets lost etc.

 

We had to make one claim once and it was pretty easy. The airline destroyed my daughter's stroller, and we had to buy a new one in Puerto Rico before we boarded. The airline would not reimburse us, and claimed no responsibility. The travel insurance paid us with very minimal hassle.

 

 

Actually there are many health insurance policys that do cover out of country and cruise ship claims. We have a blue cross blue shield policy. My husband was covered for a claim when he fell in Venice and for treatment on a TA cruise. It is true that Medicare and many insurance companies don't offer coverage.

Very important to research what your coverage is.

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We usually use Allianz. If you purchase as soon as you book, they cover pre-existing medical conditions. If you have to cancel booking before final payment, you have two years to reuse premium

 

My iPhone disappeared in Malta (lost or stolen) and they paid for a new one!!

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We usually use Allianz. If you purchase as soon as you book, they cover pre-existing medical conditions. If you have to cancel booking before final payment, you have two years to reuse premium

 

My iPhone disappeared in Malta (lost or stolen) and they paid for a new one!!

 

We have always used Allianz through our TA but now that we upgraded to Citi Worldwide Elite - we are covered for $100,000 medical evacuation each and also cancellation etc - even for pre-existing conditions -

 

For medical we are covered under Tri-Care for Life (Military retired) even outside the USA -

 

So now we will no longer need any other policy - IF you travel quite a lot check with your credit card company and see what they do offer -or maybe upgrade or change cards

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Well as I saod earlier, there are plenty of "suggestions" of which insurance to use, or which direction to go.

 

Reallyitsmema, you said they should pay the port charges, taxes if the cancellation was before the cruise, but they didn't. After waiting over two months with all the paper work back and forth, I was thankful I even got the cruise part back. That is why I was asking about Travel Guard, as it was a PAIN that time.

 

I have used TG before, and didn't have much of a problem, but because of me winding up in the hospital (YES before the cruise started), I had to go through so much RED tape with them.:mad:

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Utopiahereicome, yes I have heard of "insuremytrip," but have never used it. You mentioned CAS, what are you referring to when you use those initials?

 

insuremytrip is an insurance broker that handles many different insurers.

 

We use

 

TripInsuranceStore.com

 

which is similar, but in our opinion, better.

 

TripInsuranceStore vets several insurers, in terms of their payment history, ease of dealing with them, etc.

 

(The insurers are regulated, and the premiums are the same. As mentioned a few posts above, it's the insurer who pays the broker; it doesn't cost you extra.)

 

We've had WONDERFUL experiences with Steve and his crew at TripInsuranceStore.

 

CALL THEM, don't just read the online summaries of the companies and different policies. There is SO much fine print.

 

We not only found them extremely helpful in discussing (in great detail; they were extremely patient) and comparing different policies, and also asking questions about our specific needs.

 

And then... they helped us with a large claim the very first time we insured a trip.

 

After a few more uneventful trips, they helped us figure out how to file a claim for a somewhat complicated situation.

(We weren't even sure it would be covered. Steve contacted the insurer, and got back to us about how to word the claim, and it went extremely smoothly.)

 

CSA is one of the insurers. We've used them once, because of the timing.

Otherwise, we've used Travel Insured.

 

We would NOT want to purchase the insurance from the transportation company or agent. We'd just rather have the insurer separate, so there's no conflict of interest.

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insuremytrip is an insurance broker that handles many different insurers.

 

We use

 

TripInsuranceStore.com

 

which is similar, but in our opinion, better.

 

TripInsuranceStore vets several insurers, in terms of their payment history, ease of dealing with them, etc.

 

(The insurers are regulated, and the premiums are the same. As mentioned a few posts above, it's the insurer who pays the broker; it doesn't cost you extra.)

 

We've had WONDERFUL experiences with Steve and his crew at TripInsuranceStore.

 

CALL THEM, don't just read the online summaries of the companies and different policies. There is SO much fine print.

 

We not only found them extremely helpful in discussing (in great detail; they were extremely patient) and comparing different policies, and also asking questions about our specific needs.

 

And then... they helped us with a large claim the very first time we insured a trip.

 

After a few more uneventful trips, they helped us figure out how to file a claim for a somewhat complicated situation.

(We weren't even sure it would be covered. Steve contacted the insurer, and got back to us about how to word the claim, and it went extremely smoothly.)

 

CSA is one of the insurers. We've used them once, because of the timing.

Otherwise, we've used Travel Insured.

 

We would NOT want to purchase the insurance from the transportation company or agent. We'd just rather have the insurer separate, so there's no conflict of interest.

Totally agree with all you said. We also use tripinsurancestore for all our travel insurance and have found Steve and his staff so very helpful in helping us get the best coverage for our needs and are also there if you need them for claims.

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For medical we are covered under Tri-Care for Life (Military retired) even outside the USA -
Make sure you understand the TFL copays; 25% of the covered costs and $810 per day hospitalization. Any excess charges are out of your pocket in addition to these copays.
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Geezercouple, so your saying if I contact "insuremytrip," that I can contact someone. Tell them what I need, and then they will advise me of which insurance company to go through, is that correct?

 

I'm just concerned when I use an insurance that I have never heard of that they would suggest, and especially if there is no one in my area to "contact," I would be worried, should I ever have a problem.

 

With us doing the flight and cruise to San Juan, the Travel Guard insurance was almost $350.00 that just seemed very expensive to me, but maybe not. (It was a general policy, not taking out anything extra.)

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Geezercouple, so your saying if I contact "insuremytrip," that I can contact someone. Tell them what I need, and then they will advise me of which insurance company to go through, is that correct?

 

I'm just concerned when I use an insurance that I have never heard of that they would suggest, and especially if there is no one in my area to "contact," I would be worried, should I ever have a problem.

 

With us doing the flight and cruise to San Juan, the Travel Guard insurance was almost $350.00 that just seemed very expensive to me, but maybe not. (It was a general policy, not taking out anything extra.)

 

beshears,

 

NO - our experience is ONLY with

 

TripInsuranceStore.com

 

We've had *excellent* experiences with them, and lots of help figuring out which coverage needed per trip (especially early on when we were "learning" - and they sometimes suggested that we did *NOT* need certain extra cost coverage, which is a good sign), and also help with two claims.

 

We have contacted them frequently for advice, including while traveling when we had a problem.

 

There have been some complaints about a few insurers here, and in general, they do not seem to be among the companies that Steve and crew deal with/recommend.

 

There are plenty of different policies and add-ons to select from with them.

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