Recommendations for Year-Round Travel Insurance?

[Smokeyham]

Hello,

 

In the past I have bought trip/travel insurance on a trip-by-trip basis.   Since retiring I am hoping to travel more, including hopefully a round the world cruise.

 

Can I get your recommendations for where to look for travel insurance that will cover me for anywhere/anytime, so I can have that issue covered?  I would like to have coverage for "Cancel for Any Reason."

 

Thanks for any recommendations.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

So you're talking about both cancellation insurance and travel medical insurance?

 

I don't think you're going to find "cancel for any reason" insurance that's open-ended.  It would almost certainly always be tied to the cost of a particular cruise.  I can't comment on the medical, although I know that there's year-round medical evacuation insurance available to you Americans.

[Smokeyham]

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

So you're talking about both cancellation insurance and travel medical insurance?

 

I don't think you're going to find "cancel for any reason" insurance that's open-ended.  It would almost certainly always be tied to the cost of a particular cruise.  I can't comment on the medical, although I know that there's year-round medical evacuation insurance available to you Americans.

Thanks Wendy,

Yes, I was hoping to purchase one policy that would cover all contingencies.

[SargassoPirate]

Try Travel Guard for an annual policy.  It covers you for all travel beyond, I think, 150 miles from home.  It does have limits and will not cover you for full cancellation of a cruise, for example.  

 

As long as you understand that it is not without limits and for losses beyond those limits you are self-insured, it may work for you.  I figure that what I have saved by not buying cruise and air line's insurance over the years has been well worth it.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 2/22/2020 at 8:04 AM, SargassoPirate said:

As long as you understand that it is not without limits and for losses beyond those limits you are self-insured, it may work for you.  I figure that what I have saved by not buying cruise and air line's insurance over the years has been well worth it.

 

Hindsight is twenty twenty, for me.  I've always bought insurance, even when I was in my 50's.  But now in my 70's I am going to have to self-insure about half of my world cruise.  I could have paid for the damned thing with the premiums, but I always felt like it was tempting fate not to buy it.  Of course, I never travel without travel medical insurance.

[CruiserFromMaine]

Geo Blue offers US citizens health coverage outside the US for extended periods, like a subscription. They will also consider relocating you back home if they consider it necessary. Med Jet offers medical repatriation back to the US based on your decision, not theirs, but doesn’t offer any medical coverage abroad. Med Jet is on a subscription basis too. I believe, but am not sure, it’s only available for US citizens.  Depending on how long you’ll be away, they are relatively affordable. 
 

Neither one covers cancellation, missed ports, etc. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

FYI some insurance company's policey's are only good for 80 or 90 days at one time ...

[janmcn]

Yes, some insurance companies have a "per trip" maximum day allowance...we used GeoBlue and MedJet for the years we've traveled a lot. "18 we did a World Cruise and several other trips...GeoBlue was the only one that worked out for those long trips.  We always have MedJet active. WE want to be in control of where we get our medical care. A "hospital" in some third world countries only has to have 1 doctor. Most medical insurance policies, when you read the fine print, says it will send you to the nearest appropriate medical facility...I want to be in charge of where that is.

[Smokeyham]

Thanks everyone for the very helpful responses.   Based on the feedback I am hearing it sounds like I will need to separate any trip cancellation insurance from medical care/medical evacuation insurance.  

 

So far, the sources that I have found for annual medical/evacuation insurance are:

 

Allianz Travel  (Maximum of 90 Day Trips with Executive (most expensive) Plan

Travel Guard 

GeoBlue

 

Any other recommendations or thoughts on this?

Many thanks,

[FlaMariner]

I'm researching this topic now as well....Add Nationwide to your list for annual medical/evacuation insurance.      Nationwide

[Mich3554]

5 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

I'm researching this topic now as well....Add Nationwide to your list for annual medical/evacuation insurance.      Nationwide

 This looks like this is only good for less than 30 consecutive days.

[pghflyer]

I am doing 2-3 trips in the next year, each under 30 days, and the Nationwide Annual Travel Pro Deluxe seems like a great option to get some secondary medical as well cover nonrefundable cancellation costs. Anyone used it?

Edited March 25, 2021 by pghflyer

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

On 3/31/2020 at 8:36 AM, CruiserFromMaine said:

Geo Blue offers US citizens health coverage outside the US for extended periods, like a subscription. They will also consider relocating you back home if they consider it necessary. Med Jet offers medical repatriation back to the US based on your decision, not theirs, but doesn’t offer any medical coverage abroad. Med Jet is on a subscription basis too. I believe, but am not sure, it’s only available for US citizens.  Depending on how long you’ll be away, they are relatively affordable. 
 

Neither one covers cancellation, missed ports, etc. 

We do both Med Jet   and Go Blue as well as a world cruise plain 

[KKB]

What about Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card to pay for your travel?

(the Preferred is almost as good...but Reserve has med evac coverage)

[pghflyer]

@KKB I have the Reserve and always use it but have heard that it doesn't have a great track record of paying out. PLUS, in the case of for example, MSC Cruise line which is requiring travel insurance, we don't really have a policy with our name on it - just a generic benefit statement.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

On 10/30/2021 at 10:33 PM, KKB said:

What about Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card to pay for your travel?

(the Preferred is almost as good...but Reserve has med evac coverage)

We use it for everything

[CruiserFromMaine]

We’ve had some claims on the CSR that were paid very promptly. They were minor claims,  it paid with no issues. 

[pghflyer]

I am noticing now that some of the Annual Plans don't cover pre-trip CANCELLATION at all (ex. Nationwide).

 

The thing with Reserve is it doesn't cover carrier discretionary cancellation, which happens A LOT now with low bookings and COVID issues and country restrictions.  

 

So if I book a cruise and an international flight.....the cruise will refund me but the flight won't be covered by Chase and may be dicey what I can get from the air carrier.  Free CHANGES are great, but not if I have no need to go to a particular port city any more.

 

Exact Verbiage Below:

• Travel arrangements canceled or changed by a common carrier, tour operator, or any travel agency unless the cancellation is the result of severe weather or an organized strike affecting public transportation"

Edited December 2, 2021 by pghflyer

[lilybay]

On 10/30/2021 at 10:33 PM, KKB said:

What about Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card to pay for your travel?

(the Preferred is almost as good...but Reserve has med evac coverage)

I have used them and they paid out just fine. refunded 100% which is  more than most but it was a short cruise. they have length and cost limits that they will cover. You should call to get the info. A world cruise is too long and too expensive to use their coverage. 

[Smokeyham]

Thanks everyone who has contributed so far. 

On 3/28/2021 at 5:57 AM, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

We do both Med Jet   and Go Blue as well as a world cruise plain 

Gail and Marty,
Is there overlap in th coverage provided by both Med Jet and Geo Blue or are there specific areas covered by one and not the other?

Thanks.

 

 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

1 minute ago, Smokeyham said:

Thanks everyone who has contributed so far. 

Gail and Marty,
Is there overlap in th coverage provided by both Med Jet and Geo Blue or are there specific areas covered by one and not the other?

Thanks.

 

 

There's might be some overlapping.

But we have both 

Med Jet for taking us both back to our hospital of choice Mayo. Geoblue for medical insurance.

[Smokeyham]

9 minutes ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

There's might be some overlapping.

But we have both 

Med Jet for taking us both back to our hospital of choice Mayo. Geoblue for medical insurance.

Thanks for the information about what each of those covers.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

1 minute ago, Smokeyham said:

Thanks for the information about what each of those covers.

We also buy a policy when we do the World Cruise. because it is 128 days long.

[Smokeyham]

10 minutes ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

We also buy a policy when we do the World Cruise. because it is 128 days long.

Just confirming, that is separate from your year-round Geo Blue and Med Jet policies?  Is that to cover trip interruption, etc?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

15 minutes ago, Smokeyham said:

Just confirming, that is separate from your year-round Geo Blue and Med Jet policies?  Is that to cover trip interruption, etc?

The world Cruise is one booking 128 days so it requires separate policy.