Travel Insurance

[Jesterscourt]

I have researched AccessAmerica and Travel Guard, etc., but don't have a good handle on which plan (if any) to enlist. The main issue for me would be Trip Cancellation insurance since at any given moment a close family member or parent can get critically ill at the last minute. Or there may be an issue at work precluding going on a trip, etc. To me, that is the main issue above lost luggage, medical evacuation or trip delay. Could we hear from past travelers who have had experience with this or do folks feel that trip insurance is not necessary? I have heard that it is not user-friendly if you do happen to have a claim. I also know that the issue has been discussed before so if you can bare with us and approach the subject again, we can see if there is any new information now that people are starting to return from their trips this summer....

[cnewport]

In 1/2011, we sailed on Disney Magic and had trip insurance with http://www.travelinsured.com. We were "stuck" in Florida for an extra week, due to the blizzards in the NE USA. Our policy reimbursed us for our meals, hotel, car for a couple of days, and a visit to the urgent care center. We were meticulous about documentation, but there were no issues with the claim. We have bought another policy for our upcoming cruises. It was about $100 for all four of us (kids were free), and there were several different policies and options we could have chosen from.

 

Good luck!

[texancruzer]

We are doing an Egypt land trip soon..... bought our trip insurance thru Travel Guard as it came recommended over the others by our TA...... can't vouch for it - hope I don't have to :rolleyes:

[caviargal]

TravelGuard has an option for "Cancel for any Reason" insurance which is very forgiving and the surcharge to add is reasonable.

[sands28]

We have been using http://tripinsurancestore.com/ for travel insurance.

They have a great website. You can compare several different plans and options. They are always available on the phone for advice and suggestions. For example I was informed that travel insurance costs are in $500 increaments so that $4001 of insurnace cost the same as $4500!! Also, if you change your plans and need to increase or reduce the amount of insurance all you need to do is call them before your departure to make changes. They also give you the cost per trip NOT per person!!! I suggest that you check their website and speak with them. You can purchase insurance by phone or online.

[meldreth]

We get our Travel Insurance free with our Bank Account. A very good policy which even covered us for Volcanic Ash when the Iceland Volcano erupted!!

 

Maybe Banks's in USA don't do this 'perk'?

[nbist]

Have used Travel Guard for several trips. They paid a relatively complicated claim quickly (girls cruise, 3 of us from different cities, broken hip by the 1 with pre-existing conditions - all 3 of us canceled). In fact, we had our payment from TravelGuard before we received our partial refund from HAL!

[YoungDubFan]

I have always purchased Travel Insurance whenever I travel out of the country. I have very bad travel luck and I figure there is always a chance that I will need it. Luckily, I have never needed it. Of course, if I don't get it, I will probably need it. I have had policies through TravelGuard, RBC Travel Protection, & Travel Insured International. If you happen to be a member of USAA, you get a discount on policies through Travel Insured International. If I remember, all of the policies were fairly competitive in price and coverage.

[Paulinda]

I've used Travel Guard for several of our trips, but fortunately we never had to make a claim. With the Iceland Volcano erupting recently and the resulting plume of ash we almost had to use it but the norse gods were good to us and relented several weeks before our departure.

 

I remember some of the CC members that post on this MB having flights cancelled and being stranded in various airports etc. Maybe some of those members could add their 2 cents. If they had insurance they should have been reimbursed for hotel stays, food, etc.

[KCcruisin07]

I have researched AccessAmerica and Travel Guard, etc., but don't have a good handle on which plan (if any) to enlist. The main issue for me would be Trip Cancellation insurance since at any given moment a close family member or parent can get critically ill at the last minute. Or there may be an issue at work precluding going on a trip, etc. To me, that is the main issue above lost luggage, medical evacuation or trip delay. Could we hear from past travelers who have had experience with this or do folks feel that trip insurance is not necessary? I have heard that it is not user-friendly if you do happen to have a claim. I also know that the issue has been discussed before so if you can bare with us and approach the subject again, we can see if there is any new information now that people are starting to return from their trips this summer....

 

My understanding is that for cancellation because of work you would need Cancel for Any Reason. When I tried to add that after the deposit had been made, I was told it had to be ordered with the initial payment.

If you haven't purchased trip insurance before it is good to use one of the websites like InsureMyTrip or the one cnewport mentioned, as they can guide you to the companies offering the coverage you want and considering special factors in your situation.

[Kellie Poodle]

We are doing an Egypt land trip soon..... bought our trip insurance thru Travel Guard as it came recommended over the others by our TA...... can't vouch for it - hope I don't have to :rolleyes:

 

I think TravelGuard may have been good before AGI had all their money problems. I had them in 2008 and frankly, they gave us a very, very hard time regarding medical evacuation. We had over one million dollars in coverage for that purpose and they found a way to weasel out of it.

 

I would most certainly avoid Access America. Their policy is filled with "weasel" clauses requiring reporting things within 24 hours, even if you happen to be on an airplane when that 24 hours expires. The Texas Department of Insurance interceded for me and they paid, but I wouldn't use them ever again.

 

The one thing I do to make sure I never have to be in a situation where I have to sacrifice our health to the whims of the so-called "medical experts" who make the decisions for the insurance company is to get separate evacuation insurance via MedJet.

 

I have been using Travel Ex but, thankfully, we haven't had any claims. I've learned enough to ask my own questions and to read over the materials.

 

Both Travel Guard and Access America were recommended by TA's. I think they get kickbacks. I could be wrong.

[smeyer418]

My understanding is that for cancellation because of work you would need Cancel for Any Reason. When I tried to add that after the deposit had been made, I was told it had to be ordered with the initial payment.

If you haven't purchased trip insurance before it is good to use one of the websites like InsureMyTrip or the one cnewport mentioned, as they can guide you to the companies offering the coverage you want and considering special factors in your situation.

 

some of the insurance companies include it without needing the cancel for any reason. Also state law varies on this as well. As someone pointed out above UK'ers can get this as part of their credit card. Some US credit card companies provide it. Most don't.

[usavvy2]

I... but don't have a good handle on which plan (if any) to enlist. The main issue for me would be Trip Cancellation insurance .... To me, that is the main issue above lost luggage, medical evacuation or trip delay.

 

Could we hear from past travelers who have had experience with this or do folks feel that trip insurance is not necessary? I have heard that it is not user-friendly if you do happen to have a claim..

 

are you familiar with the volcano eruption in Iceland last year? Google the incident and stories on those who did/didn't have trip insurance and were stranded for days, incurring additional costs above their vacation budget.

 

I'd like to say I don't care about medical evacuation but I don't have a crystal ball. I've been on too many cruises where the helicopter airlifted passengers for broken legs, appendicitis (including the CAPTAIN of the ship), etc. So don't dismiss evacuation coverage and how much you might need; I think it must cost $25K just to start the rotors!!! It is VERY EXPENSIVE so get "enough." If you have pre-existing conditions (e.g., heart or any chronic illness), you should seriously consider it. And, if you're on Medicare and traveling out of the country, don't even think about stepping off US soil without it b'c Medicare won't cover outside the USA!

 

Years ago I had trip insurance for a cruise; BFF and I were to travel on Princess to the E. Caribbean. However, BFF's mom took deathly ill (and subsequently died); so we invoked the insurance. I think that time I bought the insurance that Princess offered but don't recall the company name - Berkeley administered the claims. We sent the drs note in and our monies were refunded.

 

Another time we were on a fishing trip to Mexico when there was a big snowstorm that closed JFK. We were stranded in Mexico City and had to overnight at a hotel there. Our hotel and meals were covered; the only out of pocket expense we incurred was for the ground transportation from the airport to the hotel and return. (I only wish we were stranded in Ixtapa instead of Mexico City but we were required by the airline to board even though we knew at the time that our connection in Mexico City was cancelled.) Again, Berkeley adminstered the claims. We initiated a claim, sent a copy of the airline's airport closure report along with our receipts and our monies were promptly refunded without any hassle whatsoever. I just followed the directions to the tee and kept copies of everything.

 

I use insuremytrip dot com and squaremouth dot com to compare prices and features of each policy. For me, I look at pre-existing conditions being waived and how much their medical coverage and evacuation coverage provides.

 

Good luck with your decision.