topic Re: Travel Insurance in Community Chat

Travel Insurance

granddi — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:20:59 GMT

Do you have any recommendations?

Planning a land only trip in Alaska and insurance is recommended by the travel company. I know that policies can cover trip cancellations, trip interuptions and medical.

I have heard that it is nearly impossible to collect if a problem that ins company will require dr letters and other documents.

Re: Travel Insurance

Plaid Pants2 — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:23:35 GMT

Travel insurance is a waste of money in my opinion.

Too many hoops and hurdles to clear to get any compensation.

Re: Travel Insurance

queendiva — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:25:11 GMT

AAA travel insurance. Purchased it for my DS when he went on a school music trip to Europe.

A really good deal. Thankfully there was no cause to use it.

Re: Travel Insurance

NicksmomESQ — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:30:54 GMT

I always get it for piece of mind.Luckily,I never had to use it.However,my friend has had to collect on it several times due to illness & sudden death in her family.She never had a problem making a claim!! I would highly recommend it!!

Re: Travel Insurance

World Traveler — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:53:50 GMT

@granddi I would disagree with those who say travel insurance is a waste of money or not needed. Here are instances where travel insurance really paid/pays off.

1. While in Viet Nam a few years ago, one of the travelers in my group became quite sick. We were way up in the mountains, far away from any major city. The local doctor said it was something more major than he could handle. The travel insurance paid for her to be evacuated from Dalat to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) by way of a taxi, which took a couple of hours. She was then hospitalized and received surgery from a French doctor. After the surgery, and when she was able to travel, she was put on a plane with a nurse who accompanied her all the way back to the United States. The nurse stayed with her until her own doctor could see her (a couple of days), and the nurse then returned to Viet Nam. ALL expense (transportation, nurse, surgery, etc.) were paid by the travel insurance. Our group leader kept in contact with her at all stages of the trip and her recovery while we continued with the trip. The gal had NO out-of-pocket expenses, other than the initial couple of hundred dollars she paid for the insurance before the trip.

2. My sister went to Nepal and her luggage didn't. The travel insurance asked her to itemize what she had in her suitcase. Tip: take a picture of your items before you put them in the suitcase. My sister received a check equivalent to what she had paid for the items, including the suitcase. It took a couple of months before the claim was closed, but she was reimbursed as though the items were new.

3. My sister and I never know when our 98-year-old mother may pass away. Thus, we always get travel insurance, which will reimburse us for any part of the trip we miss.

4. I was once stopped by the State Department from going to Israel at a time when it was deemed unsafe due to war with Egypt. My travel insurance fully reimbursed me for any money I had already spent for the trip. I have since gone to Israel, but was glad for the insurance coverage.

I always purchase the insurance thru the travel agency/company I am using. But the kind of coverage I like to have usually comes to roughly around 10% of the total cost of my trip. There are cheaper kinds of insurance; just depends upon what you are looking for. Mine also covers any pre-existing conditions I may have.

If you want any other suggestions, you might post your same question/concern on our Travel Chat thread in the Among Friends forum. You may get some other suggestions or names of insurance companies that specialize in travel.

Hope this help you!

Re: Travel Insurance

Mz iMac — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:56:05 GMT

Don't quite know what you mean by "travel company."

If you are dealing w/a travel agent, they should be providing you w/recommendations. Also, the Alaskan tour company should have travel insurance.

Your job is to compare your options between each ins company that is recommended. Most travel insurance "benefits" can be tailored to "you." Depends on how much you want to pay for such benefits.

If you decide to purchase, make sure you go over the policy w/a fine tooth comb & a magnifying glass to read the fine print. Anything you do not understand discuss w/the travel agency and/or tour company.

Good luck!

SIDEBAR: My travel agency is w/AAA. They do all the work for you.

I've only gotten travel insurance for abroad travel & cruises. Never for travel w/in the USofA. Personally, I do not think it is needed since my health insurance is excellent. I've been travelling for eons & never had to use travel insurance. My gut tells me "there's always a first time." So I purchase it when travelling abroad for that "piece of mind."

Re: Travel Insurance

tobes — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 21:58:31 GMT

I recommend it with the following caveat. If the insured or any family member covered under the insurance has a pre-existing conditon most insurance companies will waive this if you purchse the insurance around the same time you pay your first payment for your trip. Some companies sell a "cancel for any reason" benefit where pre-existing conditons do not matter. Still you must purchase your insurance within a time limit (check your policy) and this benefit pays out at 75% of your trip cost. Don't expect any insurance company to pay if you purchase your insurance after you or your family member becomes ill unless you meet the waivers.

Re: Travel Insurance

patbz — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 22:28:21 GMT

We travel widely and frequently and we usually buy both trip insurance and medical (for overseas trips). Haven't needed to use medical yet but have used trip cancellation three times. The one where we would have been out serious money was less than a week from departing for a back to back to back cruise to Australia. DH had a stroke (among other major issues resulting in a $450,000 bill. We had bought the trip insurance through Celebrity cruises and they paid everything. I had to fill out some paperwork and send medical confirmation but we got back over $12,000.

Re: Travel Insurance

Mary Bailey — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 22:36:19 GMT

It worked for us.

When our son graduted in Portland OR, (we live in Chicagoland). I bought Travel Insurance. DH's Mom passed away. I went to the graduation. DH went to his Mom's wake and funeral. All we did to collect was fill out a form and include a copy of the obituary.

Re: Travel Insurance

lulu2 — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 23:11:58 GMT

We travel a lot and book vacations in advance. We always take travel insurance. Our agent has been using ALLIANZ the last few years. We also use it for concert tickets. Over the years we've used it twice for medical issues and once for a death in the immediate family. (MIL) We had no trouble recouping our money in full.

Re: Travel Insurance

151949 — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 23:19:00 GMT

in 1994 we took a vacation thru AAA travel and bought their travel insurance. While we were away my Granpa died and we had to go home. They covered all the expenses, no problem. Since then we always buy the travel insurance.

Re: Travel Insurance

henderson — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 23:24:53 GMT

We've used Allianz also. Booked through our local AAA travel agent. In 2009 we had planned a cruise leaving Puerto Rico and I had a stroke. Thank goodness for travel insurance as we got all our money back except for the travel insurance premium. Worth it!!

Re: Travel Insurance

Silver Lining — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 00:26:18 GMT

A couple of months ago a friend of mine had a heart attack while on a cruise. Thank goodness he had taken out travel insurance. Healthwise the situation is still not good but at least the financial repercussions are not quite as bad as they would have been.

Re: Travel Insurance

granddi — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 00:38:23 GMT

Allianz was on the list recommended by the tour company.

I did not post on the Travel thread. We need a separate section just for travel. You have to go through so many posts to get a specific topic.

We are planning to go to Anchorage early June and will travel on land for 9 days with a group limited to 13 people. It should be a neat trip: Denali National Park (lots of optional here), glaciers, river floats. Just cannot do a cruise.

A friend of ours fell while on a trip to Jordan. He was in the hospital for months with fractured vertebre. He was a federal employee and his US insurance covered his medical but apparently your standard insurance including traditional Medicare will not automatically cover care in foreign countries. Anyway, his attorney son, had to fight with his travel ins to get him back to US. Drs said hospital flight only bc commercial carriers would not allow him on flight with his "halo" Long story but finally worked it out. Can't imagine if he had not had coverage.

Re: Travel Insurance

Stray — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 01:02:12 GMT

I do a lot of traveling and I would not be without it. If you don't use it, you may consider it a waste...some feel that way about health insurance. My travel agent uses the same company for all of my trips. I had a friend have a massive heart attack in Italy while visiting me....he was transferred to a better hospital in Rome and subsequently, died. The agency covered everything and were instrumental in getting his body home to the US; they were kind and understanding to his wife who could not even think. There was no hassle or extreme paperwork.

I had a friend air lift his wife from Mexico when she went into kidney failure from an allergic reaction. She was taken to a private clinic with an American doctor in attendance until transfer. They also arranged for his children to be transported home as they could not go in the small plane. They alerted the hospital in NJ and her doctor and she was taken directly to their door. He had travel insurance.

I had to cancel a trip myself due to a severe drug reaction the day before my trip. No hassle just a note from my doctor.

The insurance is expensive but if you get a good policy it's invaluable if you use it. When I was younger I didn't insure my trips but when you get to an older age and or your family and friends are older with health conditions, I'd be afraid to travel without a policy.

Re: Travel Insurance

World Traveler — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 01:05:00 GMT

@granddi wrote:

I did not post on the Travel thread. We need a separate section just for travel. You have to go through so many posts to get a specific topic.

@granddi Totally agree with you! That's why we have been trying so hard and long to get a Travel Forum, specifically so people don't have to weed thru all those posts.

QVC said they are going to set it up for us, but it takes time. The last we heard was that it would be done by Spring, and we are waiting patiently and eagerly. When that happens, people will be able to post their individual topics/threads without having to check on the longer thread we have now whether the subject has ever been posted before.

Hope everyone on this particular thread gave you some options that will be beneficial for you.

Happy travels!

Re: Travel Insurance

Alsee — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 03:46:22 GMT

We recommend Allianz or Travel Guard. And don't let anyone tell you insurance is a waste of money.

Re: Travel Insurance

Drythe — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 04:52:45 GMT

I purchase Trip Insurance in case any of my transportation is cancelled, or I can't make it, because some of it is for my business. I have international Health Insurance ~ air ambulance lift, hospitalization out of country, cost of trip home for me and person to accompany me, medication through private insurance plan.

Are you talking trip, health, or both?

Re: Travel Insurance

BabyYoda — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 04:57:08 GMT

@Alsee wrote:
We recommend Allianz or Travel Guard. And don't let anyone tell you insurance is a waste of money.

Yes I have used both these companies when I book a vacation @Alsee

I got hurt in Mexico and had no problem with them paying in full for my medical care. Better safe than sorry.

Re: Travel Insurance

Alter Ego — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 05:50:15 GMT

Because I'm using AAA as my travel agent for a future trip, they too recommended Alliance.

When I planned my own trips, I've seached on travel insurance store.com and looked at various plans that would meet my needs. There's a few sites that do this - and I unfortunately can't remember the other names!! In fact, I checked the Alliance price versus a website and it was in line with the other companies for similar benefits. So, easier to just go through the travel agent for this particular trip.

If I'm doing a weekend trip to Vegas, for example, I'm probably not going to get it. But, an expensive trip to Alaska? Even though it's the US, I wouldn't hesitate. It is very possible that, at some point, your entire trip becomes unrefundable - add that to the probably more expensive airfare just to get there...

Insurance typically needs to be purchased a certain number of days after deposit is made in order to cover pre-existing conditions (honestly, I so far don't have to worry about this. If you do, pay close attention to the terms of the policy as I am NOT an expert).

I've used it once when my mother got sick a week before we were to go to China. Yes, we needed her doctor to sign off on a form, but it was otherwise painless to get our $$ back. In fact, if I remember correctly, I ended up getting more than I thought I would - I wasn't expecting to be reimbursed for the price of the Visa's, for example.

Unrelated to the OP - if you are going on a cruise, it is NOT recommended to get the insurance that the cruise ships offer, but to get from an independent source. The cruise ships just have too many restrictions. Of course, I always end up not following my own advise. Sigh.