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Whoever you pick, be careful about whether they provide primary coverage, or secondary coverage. Secondary coverage means that your US insurance or medicare has to pay first and this can result in a nightmare. Also, look carefully at the pre-existing conditions limitations. I have not had a claim but use GeoBlue because they completely waive pre-existing conditions exclusions if you have certain types of insurance (usually PPO plans) as your US coverage.

Who does everybody recommend for travel insurance? I have used the trip insurance store in the past. One in our group going in February has some health issues and wants a good policy. Anybody that has actually had to use it? Positive experience with it?

Thanks in advance!

 

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I've done quite a bit of research on this. First and foremost, check the credit card you used to pay for the trip. All of the higher end cards (Amex Platinum, Chase Sapphire, etc.) now cover up to $10k per passenger ($20K per couple) for trip cancellation for the typical medical reasons. There is no pre-existing conditions exclusion that I could see. While these cards are not cheap ($400 to $450) they include large initial bonuses, travel credit, global entry and other benefits as well, so they are a better bargain than traditional travel insurance as long as your trip costs less than $10K per person. I have made a claim under one of these cards. You deal with a traditional insurance company, and they are as good or better with claims than many of the insurers, and way better than TravelGuard (AIG is notoriously bad with claims).

If your trip costs more than that, I would first look to see whether you plan more than one trip per year. if so, consider an annual policy covering all of your trips. These policies call little more than a single trip policy. All of the online brokers mentioned here sell them, but they will not sell them unless you ask, as brokers make more money on multiple policies.

The annual policies will not provide cancellation for any reason coverage, and if you want this coverage, you need to buy a single trip policy and the cost will be double coverage without this feature.