Travel Insurance ?

[Wildgrits]

In the past I have found no reason to buy insurance for any vacation we have taken.

 

This time with my dad being ill and flying out of an airport 3 hours away from home, I think it would be prudent to invest in some insurance.

 

So what are the things I should look for in a policy and what do you feel are a waste? I don't need auto insurance as we will not be driving on vacation.

 

Thank you for your help.:D

[sparks1093]

In the past I have found no reason to buy insurance for any vacation we have taken.

 

This time with my dad being ill and flying out of an airport 3 hours away from home, I think it would be prudent to invest in some insurance.

 

So what are the things I should look for in a policy and what do you feel are a waste? I don't need auto insurance as we will not be driving on vacation.

 

Thank you for your help.:D

 

First, www.insuremytrp.com will allow you to shop and compare many insurance policies at once. The guideline I've always heard was that your travel insurance should never cost more than 10% of your non-refundable travel costs. As you are only going to be re-imbursed for the non-refundables you do not want to include those costs when you input the cost of your trip (i.e. pre-stay hotel, rental car fee, etc.).

 

I always get a package deal because it's easiest, but you can buy specific insurance for certain events (such as medical evacuation). I always compare 3 or 4 package deals at insuremytrip that are in the range I want to pay and compare what each offers (which the website makes easy), then I pick the one that offers the best coverage. You also want to pay attention to the pre-existing condition coverage- most won't cover it, some will for an additional fee, and many will include it if you buy the insurance within 14 days or so of the initial trip payment/deposit.

[uppitycats]

In the past I have found no reason to buy insurance for any vacation we have taken.

 

This time with my dad being ill and flying out of an airport 3 hours away from home, I think it would be prudent to invest in some insurance.

 

So what are the things I should look for in a policy and what do you feel are a waste? I don't need auto insurance as we will not be driving on vacation.

 

Thank you for your help.:D

 

Here are some of the things you want to consider:

1) this you already identified -- someone you're leaving at home that, if they became ill, you'd want to cut short your vacation and return.

 

2) Flight cancellations or delays -- very common these days, and since you are so far away from the airport, could happen while you are enroute.

 

3) Accidents/illness to you/travelling companions, while on the cruise. Many health insurance policies do not cover these things outside of the country. You need to check your policies. It can be very costly to have even a minor accident out of the country.

 

4) How are you travelling those 3 hours to get to the airport? Your car insurance would cover an accident..but will it cover you if you miss your plane (and then your cruise?) LIkely not --which is another reason to buy trip insurance!

 

5) Reimbursement for lost luggage, clothing replacement, should that happen.

 

We've used both TravelGuard and TravelEx in the past, and the couple of times that we've had to make claims, have been treated fairly.

[ccruisequeen]

Watch out for cancellation right before the trip (accident, illness, emergency surgery, death in family).