Travel insurance - worth it ?

[seahopper]

My DH has mixed feelings on insurance, I believe in it, I have a quote from MedEx for $92pp which figures out to about $5/day. No brainer! We are Medicare, but no US

Health plan will cover out of the country and if you have a heart attack/stroke, you have to be life-flighted, special arrangements to get back to US. You are responsible to PAY for all expenses incurred and huge expense, if serious enough.

Death -- we don't want to talk about, but it happens. The cost of transporation of remains is astronomical!

[cruiselover53]

There is another thread currently running about Classic cruises.I bet everyone who has booked a cruise is either glad or sad about having or not having travel insurance.

[Bizziecruzer]

Hi - just thought I would give some feedback on TID insurance - in December my daughter and her friend were due to fly to Los Angeles from Brisbane on Air Pacific - as a result of the cyclone in Fiji their flights were changed and meant they would not arrive in LA in time to attend a basketball game they had booked and planned to attend. I called TID to see what we could do and as it was a prepaid sporting event which the timing could not be changed they paid the full $3500 of our claim as we had to purchase a new one way ticket each for them to get to LA in time to attend the game. :) Don't even think about leaving home without insurance!

[pkw]

Ditto - we never travel without it - I don't think I could sleep at night thinking about all the possibilities.

 

Last cruise we were on one gent broke his leg onboard but he had only got insurance from where the cruise started on Barcelona rather than from home in the uk so he was only covered to be flown back to Spain & get medical treatment there rather than going home. So that's another thing to consider.

[Pushka]

My son needed to claim on TID due to a motorbike accident in highlands of Thailand. They were simply brilliant. Organised translators for the hospital, spoke to surgeons as surgery involved, transferred all the party to Bangkok and paid for hospital for injured lad and their hotel costs and then flew them all back home even though not all of them had a TID policy with the lad going home on business class. I have no sympathy for people who don't take out insurance and then expect the Government to pick up the pieces.

 

 

 

 

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[Aussie FF]

We have recently discovered that if you do 2 or more cruises/holidays per year, it is worth buying Annual Travel Insurance.

We are with all those who would never travel without it, our main concern being last minute cancelling.

We used to book up to 18 months ahead, when there was value in earlybird bookings. That doesn't apply any more. We would buy Insurance as soon as we paid the deposit.

[Tigerman00]

If you cannot afford travel insurance, you cannot afford to travel!!

 

... Did she say 4 kids ?- Enough said

[AussieVisi2r]

I use Covermore who include dependent under 21s on the adult insurance - same price for me as for self and child.

I would never travel without it. And I always get it when I pay for air tickets or pay a deposit. (But now we do annual!)

And its not just about medical problems or cancellation. I've had 2 iphone disasters and a hire car broken into. All were covered with no problems.

Try dropping an iPhone in the sliding door track, then letting the door slide shut. Not pretty. Had the $1000 cheque approved in a few days and got a new phone.

 

Have a great trip!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tara Jane]

I had a claim on southern cross, I was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 weeks after booking my european trip. It took many many many months and numerous phone calls, medical reports etc to get it sorted. Finally only through the perseverance of my GP I was paid out. I would never go with them again. They were trying to get an out saying it was pre-existing. We are not talking of a huge amount, I think something like $1200 which was cancellation fees for flights and accommodation, not a huge amount in the scheme of insurance.

[stevelcqld]

One other aspect of travel insurance, it covers you ( usually) for your lost fares if you can't go.. so if you break a leg or worse and your doc advises against travel, the policy will cover any cancellation fees.. if it happens a few weeks out from your trip, that would usually be the total you have paid.. the 200.00 odd we paid in travel insurance for our next cruise is well worth it in my opinion.

 

Cheers

Steve

[GHDPeter]

I learnt a few years back that you can get Annual travel insurance, i have a heart condition and for $550 a year have unlimited medical world wide through covermore. If you get it through a TA you receive better conditions.

 

Im doing a family cruise later this year with my mother, my sisters, and neices and nephews. The kids are covered by the parents policies, they are listed on those policies.

 

Australia Post now offers travel insurance too.

 

I learnt the value of travel insurance a while ago now thanks to my grandmother. On her last day in Honolulu, while shopping, someone ran into her. It resulted in hospitalisation fir a week, changes to the rest of the familys travel plans and flights. All covered by insurance.

 

Dont cruise without it, its not worth the risk., or the monet.

[Royalty X]

I would never go on holiday without travel insurance. I think doing so is just asking for something bad to happen (murphy's law). Covermore seem to have the most comprehensive policies, at least that's what I've found. :)

[icat2000]

Another one who uses Covermore. I never travel without insurance. Even when I did the cruise around NZ. I haven't had to claim on insurance yet. But you never know, better to be safe than sorry.

[NSWP]

I would never go on holiday without travel insurance. I think doing so is just asking for something bad to happen (murphy's law). Covermore seem to have the most comprehensive policies, at least that's what I've found. :)

Exactly, 2 years ago, when I got crook Budget Direct Travel Insurance (Mondial) paid me out $17,000 for airfares, Star Princess South American Cruise, hotels etc etc. Took 3 months, but I got it.

 

Anybody given the 'Free Credit Card Insurance a run? i.e. ANZ Platinum?

[Royalty X]

Exactly, 2 years ago, when I got crook Budget Direct Travel Insurance (Mondial) paid me out $17,000 for airfares, Star Princess South American Cruise, hotels etc etc. Took 3 months, but I got it.

 

Anybody given the 'Free Credit Card Insurance a run? i.e. ANZ Platinum?

You really have to read the terms and conditions of the credit card insurance very closely. Quite often they're very limited in terms of what they cover and have a few loopholes. More often than not, a certain amount of the holiday must've been paid for on the card for the insurance to apply to that trip.

[me429sb]

I have an ANZ Platinum Card which offers free travel insurance if you pay a minimum of $250 or more towards your trip on the card. I always read the small print and conditions on everything, so when I was considering the card I got the insurance terms and conditions from the web and compared them to two other travel insurance providers I had previously used. The coverage amounts, exclusions and conditions were basically the same between the policies. We're about to leave for a trip to South America and the travel insurance quote for two people was $950 but I have the same coverage on my credit card for the annual fee. I got the platinum card specifically to get the free travel insurance and I've been really happy with it. I made a small claim last year for a doctors visit on the ship and had no trouble getting the claim processed.

 

Michelle

[NSWP]

I have an ANZ Platinum Card which offers free travel insurance if you pay a minimum of $250 or more towards your trip on the card. I always read the small print and conditions on everything, so when I was considering the card I got the insurance terms and conditions from the web and compared them to two other travel insurance providers I had previously used. The coverage amounts, exclusions and conditions were basically the same between the policies. We're about to leave for a trip to South America and the travel insurance quote for two people was $950 but I have the same coverage on my credit card for the annual fee. I got the platinum card specifically to get the free travel insurance and I've been really happy with it. I made a small claim last year for a doctors visit on the ship and had no trouble getting the claim processed.

 

Michelle

Thanks, yes I have paid my cruise deposits on our ANZ Platinum Card for this year and next year. I have the ANZ Platinum Insurance Book, read right through it - underwriter is Charteris in Melbourne. Looks all ok to me, unlimited for cancellation and medical, all we need.

 

Going to run with it.

[lizzy77]

I had the misfortune to need to claim on our NAB Platinum card travel insurance on a South American cruise and we had the claim processed And in our bank account in 7 days. Very happy with the outcome and would never travel without insurance. If you can't afford it, you can't afford to go.

[3littlepigs]

Just bought an Annual Policy for my uni student daughter yesterday, compared a heap of options online and ended up with the Australia Post cover, they were considerably cheaper than any other option for what she needed. I had no idea they even offered Travel Insurance, worth a look!

[KAYTWO]

You never can tell what will happen, unfortunately. We were to cruise in the Med a couple of years ago and after only one night got word of the unexpected death of a family member. Insurance covered our cruise refund and incidentals to get us back home from Italy. It is the old saying, if you can't afford insurance you can't afford to travel. We were extremely grateful for the help and peace of mind and would not consider going without it.

[Kiranus]

I have claimed twice on ANZ platinum - once when my then 5 year old daughter needed an ambulance and medication in Thailand, and once when my appendix burst 2 weeks out from a holiday and I was unable to travel. They covered all my cancellation costs for the second event. With the first one, the excess was double what you would pay under another cover ($200 compared to $100), but I figure the times you don't claim a medical cost (and haven't paid any premium) will outweigh the times you do need to make a claim and pay the extra excess. Hope that makes sense!

[skipal]

The insurance premium is a drop in the ocean compared to the overall cost of the trip.

Fortunately I have never needed to claim, but my daughter developed pneumonia in UK and wasnt able to continue her travel plans to Europe. She was able to recoup some of her cancelled holiday when she returned home.

 

Dont assume that if you are travelling in Australia you will be safe from costs. A newly married friend was on holidays in Darwin , when her husband took ill with a serious gastric complaint and was in hospital for several days . Although the medical treatment was covered by Medicare, her hotel accommodation, taxis and their subsequent flights home were not.

 

And don't leave your travel insurance to the last minute! I suddenly developed pneumonia 3 weeks before an overseas trip and later realised, to my horror, that I hadnt finalised my travel insurance ( I had been in the process months earlier, but I was interrupted before I paid). Fortunately after 2 weeks of bed rest and 2 courses of antibiotics , my doctor gave me the all clear to travel. Otherwise it would have been an extremely costly cancellation.

Now, whenever I book my flights, I take out insurance!

[celle]

Hi, looking for some advice. We are on Carnival Spirit to New Calendonia in October. Travelling with hubby and (4) kids, haven't taken out travel insurance yet. Just wondering if we should bother. I've heard of a family locally who took out insurance online, their son died tragically in an accident whilst away, and they found out their policy didn't cover the costs they incurred bringing him home as he was a child?

 

I figure the policy will cost me about $280.00 ish, around (1) visit to onboard medical centre if required. Iv'e stocked up on Panadol, antihistamine, swimmers ear stuff, sea sick pills etc so hopefully won't need to go.

Does it cover you if your'e stupid enough to miss getting back on board at port and have to fly home ? Not too worried about luggage lost etc and no flights are involved. Can any one recommend a company , expecially if they have had to claim and it was all good.. cheers !:)

 

 

• It's foolish to travel without travel insurance.
  
• It's also foolish not to know what your policy will cover.
  
• Ask questions before you buy. You need cover for emergency evacuation (helicopter transfer from the ship to a hospital on land), repatriation back to your own country, medical treatment abroad, accommodation and transport for the person accompanying the sick person.
  
• Make sure the policy will cover everyone who is travelling with you.
  
• Ask for a dummy copy of the policy before you buy - so that you can read the fine print and all the conditions.
  
• When you travel, carry with you a copy of your policy and emergency contact phone numbers.
  
• If medical problems arise, contact your insurance company straight away. They will advise your options and may be able to suggest medical treatment facilities.
  

 

We never travel abroad without travel insurance. We were very glad to have it when I needed emergency hospital treatment while on holiday in Canada. While we had to pay the cost initially, insurance reimbursed almost all our up-front expenses.

[Pushka]

Yes, you must contact them if a serious medical emergency arises as they will case manage any hospitals required.

 

The son of a friend of ours was in the USA and twisted his knee while doing something not particularly energetic. Casual basketball maybe. Went to hospital and had cat scans etc. was bandaged up with some pain killers and was on his way. Maybe six or so ours in emergency. His parents received the bill at home in Oz as he was about to come home. His mother who is in the medical profession just about died. It was over $10,000! He was insured and it was all covered but I reckon as soon as the hospitals know that (and they won't treat foreigners without insurance) then they ramp up the costs.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I reckon as soon as the hospitals know that (and they won't treat foreigners without insurance) then they ramp up the costs.

 

Its the same in Australia and NZ. If the medical people know that an Insurance Co, or the Govt will pay, they ramp up the charges.