Travel Insurance?

[2B]

As long as we're giving recommendations....

I use Travel Insurance Plans, Quotes, Research, Reviews, and Advice ? InsureMyTrip. The site gives many choices with different levels of coverage.

 

[audreyh1]

BCBSTX has a number to call if we need medical attention while in Europe. For minor things, including an emergency room visit for something that doesn't require hospitalization, I think we can pay out of pocket.

 

[Chuckanut]

My personal insurance is with one of the Blue insurance company. They have agreements with hospitals all over the world to provide care and pay for it.

Other than that I have emergency evacuation insurance.

I never buy lost luggage, delay , or cancellation insurance.

 

[easysurfer]

I may be going on a cruise trip. As I was looking at the website, there's a suggestion of getting travel insurance and if so, call a number. Is that the usual way to go about getting travel insurance? or do I get my coverage totally separate.

I did a quick search and found an article on travel insurance in USA Today,

Five myths about travel insurance


but thought I'd post to the wise and experienced here

 

[Buckeye]

I may be going on a cruise trip. As I was looking at the website, there's a suggestion of getting travel insurance and if so, call a number. Is that the usual way to go about getting travel insurance? or do I get my coverage totally separate.

I did a quick search and found an article on travel insurance in USA Today,

Five myths about travel insurance


but thought I'd post to the wise and experienced here

I buy through Costco Travel or USAA. I trust they have vetted the insurance carriers and I'm happy with their prices.

 

[nwsteve]

Just a FYI for those Forum members with a Chase Sapphire card. It comes with 20K trip cancellation insurance for each traveler. You have to look at fine print in your benefits summary. Was pleasantly surprised to find. Confirmed with CSR. You, of course, have to fully paid for the item with your Chase card. We are using to cover our international air on May trip to Eastern Europe. I think some AMEX cards offer this benefit as well but can not guarantee.
Nwsteve

 

[nanannjen]

I buy through Costco Travel or USAA. I trust they have vetted the insurance carriers and I'm happy with their prices.

I bought trip insurance thru Costco for my parents for a cruise. It was incredibly cheap compared to other quotes I was getting. What I was told was that they charge the same amount to everyone, regardless of their age. Other insurance companies charge based on the age of the traveler. We saved a ton by using Costco's vendor. As it turned out, we needed to use it, as my Dad passed away prior to the cruise. They were very easy to work with, and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

 

[explanade]

Hmm, so medical evacuation is only to an "appropriate" medical facility, not necessarily back home to your hospital of choice.

I used CSP card to book everything but didn't know about the travel insurance.

 

[easysurfer]

I bought trip insurance thru Costco for my parents for a cruise. It was incredibly cheap compared to other quotes I was getting. What I was told was that they charge the same amount to everyone, regardless of their age. Other insurance companies charge based on the age of the traveler. We saved a ton by using Costco's vendor. As it turned out, we needed to use it, as my Dad passed away prior to the cruise. They were very easy to work with, and I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

Here's something I don't understand. When I book a cruise, do I have to decide on travel insurance as I book? Or can I just get insurance after I book (Either through something like Costco or another place)?

My preference is to do the reservation for the cruise to make sure reservations don't get filled up, then do the analysis of what insurance I need).

I am sorry about your Dad.

 

[urn2bfree]

Here's something I don't understand. When I book a cruise, do I have to decide on travel insurance as I book? Or can I just get insurance after I book (Either through something like Costco or another place)?

My preference is to do the reservation for the cruise to make sure reservations don't get filled up, then do the analysis of what insurance I need).

I am sorry about your Dad.

You should certainly shop for insurance other than the usually highly marked up insurance offered by the cruise lines. You likely will pay double for the "convenience." BUT the lobger you wait to buy, the less likely you will get them to cover for anything related to a pre-existing condition..the concern is that people might wait until they have a problem, then try to buy insurance after the problem develops...to prevent that, the issuer will limit the coverage the longer you wait to buy. If you buy the same day or maybe just a day or so later, the coverage should be the same as what the cruise line offers.


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[kcowan]

Hmm, so medical evacuation is only to an "appropriate" medical facility, not necessarily back home to your hospital of choice.

All the ones I have used say the same thing. We are in Mexico for the season and we could be evacuated to Houston. We live in Vancouver but I would rather be alive in Houston...

 

[explanade]

How do you know they wouldn't just get you to some hospital in Mexico, instead of to the US?

I think if it happened in Western Europe, it would be okay not to be transported back across the Atlantic.

Some developing countries though?

 

[Sarah in SC]

Typically the policies have something in there about a Western standards hospital, but let's face it: I've been plenty of places where it would take a long time to get to even the most rudimentary health services, so just take my chances.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[smurray5991]

Here's something I don't understand. When I book a cruise, do I have to decide on travel insurance as I book? Or can I just get insurance after I book (Either through something like Costco or another place)?

You generally can purchase insurance anytime after your initial booking until the day you travel. HOWEVER, if you want to include any 'pre-existing conditions' in your coverage, most of the major travel insurance companies will require that you purchase and pay for your insurance within some specified number of days following your booking (e.g., 10 days). When my elderly mother is traveling, or when I am traveling, we always make sure to cover pre-existing conditions, since it gets increasingly hard to avoid those as a reason for needing to cancel a trip. (And they wouldn't allow me to travel home to be with my mother if she had a medical crisis based on her pre-existing condition while I was traveling unless I had this coverage). Both my mother and/or my late father have had to use such insurance to cancel trips for medical reasons numerous times over the years.

Note that some of the 'cheaper' travel insurance don't have any option to include pre-existing conditions -- so check that carefully if you want this coverage.

Re: cruise company insurance vs. others, I agree that stand-alone companies are often cheaper, but we actually used this for the first time on a cruise last year. We were glad we did, since we had to cancel the trip at the last minute because of a non-medical issue. The beauty of that insurance was that it was very comparable in price to other major companies like TravelGuard and CSA, it included airfare coverage, and it actually also included 'cancel for any reason' insurance that usually comes at a high premium for other companies (something we really needed in this instance). It was also incredibly easy to use, and just a phone call to cancel the trip was enough to get reimbursed, no paperwork, no forms, nothing. (Unlike the cumbersome insurance documentation I had to pull together over several months for a $235 medical services claim for my mother when she was on a trip abroad last year).

In my case, I always make sure I am very insured for all eventualities even when I travel on my own because of my elderly mother, and the possibility that I'll have to cancel or interrupt a trip at any time. YMMV.

 

[easysurfer]

You generally can purchase insurance anytime after your initial booking until the day you travel. HOWEVER, if you want to include any 'pre-existing conditions' in your coverage, most of the major travel insurance companies will require that you purchase and pay for your insurance within some specified number of days following your booking (e.g., 10 days). When my elderly mother is traveling, or when I am traveling, we always make sure to cover pre-existing conditions, since it gets increasingly hard to avoid those as a reason for needing to cancel a trip. (And they wouldn't allow me to travel home to be with my mother if she had a medical crisis based on her pre-existing condition while I was traveling unless I had this coverage). Both my mother and/or my late father have had to use such insurance to cancel trips for medical reasons numerous times over the years.

Note that some of the 'cheaper' travel insurance don't have any option to include pre-existing conditions -- so check that carefully if you want this coverage.

Re: cruise company insurance vs. others, I agree that stand-alone companies are often cheaper, but we actually used this for the first time on a cruise last year. We were glad we did, since we had to cancel the trip at the last minute because of a non-medical issue. The beauty of that insurance was that it was very comparable in price to other major companies like TravelGuard and CSA, it included airfare coverage, and it actually also included 'cancel for any reason' insurance that usually comes at a high premium for other companies (something we really needed in this instance). It was also incredibly easy to use, and just a phone call to cancel the trip was enough to get reimbursed, no paperwork, no forms, nothing. (Unlike the cumbersome insurance documentation I had to pull together over several months for a $235 medical services claim for my mother when she was on a trip abroad last year).

In my case, I always make sure I am very insured for all eventualities even when I travel on my own because of my elderly mother, and the possibility that I'll have to cancel or interrupt a trip at any time. YMMV.

Thanks for the information. I'm glad that the claim process worked smoothly for you when you needed it. Upon booking, I did get a quote from TravelGuard which has a 15 day period for the pre-existing conditions. I've been emailing with my regular insurance agent who's looking into an alternative, but if not, I'll get the one from TravelGuard.

 

[Chuckanut]

Here's one emergency evacuation company's transportation rule:

Regardless of medical necessity, if a member is hospitalized 150 miles or more from home, Medjet will arrange medical transfer to the hospital of their choice within their home country with no pre-existing condition exclusions (under age 75), health questions, deductibles or claim forms. There are no monetary limits to the program’s benefits and no restrictions on the amount or type of travel taken annually.

 

[easysurfer]

I decided to forgo the travel insurance and go with a temporary Medjet membership during the time of the trip. I have BCBS and will depend on that for the medical part.

I'm rolling the dice that the trip won't get cancelled or I won't have to cancel

 

[explanade]

Have to say I've never bought travel insurance, though I hear that my Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers some travel insurance protection.

And I've often bought no-cancel hotel reservations, to get a lower rate, which often means prepaying months in advance.

Well at least I don't have to worry about work preventing me from going on a trip I'd booked.

 

[Don46]

I returned to this thread to explore annual travel insurance. My main interest was emergency medical assistance. I went to Steve at https://tripinsurancestore.com/trusted-travel-insurance-providers/ and asked him for recommendations. He steered me to GeoBlue Trekker Choice Geo Blue Trekker Travel Medical Plans - For $460 my wife and I are now covered for multiple trips all year and have ample coverage for emergency medical care including evacuation. I called around and explored online to see if Steve's recommendation would hold up and it did. I hope we never have to use this, but for now I'm feeling good knowing that we have it.

 

[fh2000]

My personal insurance is with one of the Blue insurance company. They have agreements with hospitals all over the world to provide care and pay for it.

Other than that I have emergency evacuation insurance.

I never buy lost luggage, delay , or cancellation insurance.

My group insurance is also with a Blue company. There is a worldwide coverage, including emergency evacuation, deductible and OOP applied first.

After I retire, I will be looking for a plan that also covers worldwise from CoveredCA if I can find one.

 

[Don46]

How do you know they wouldn't just get you to some hospital in Mexico, instead of to the US?

I think if it happened in Western Europe, it would be okay not to be transported back across the Atlantic.

Some developing countries though?

My health insurance is also Blue Cross/Blue Shield, but when I called them they told me that if I am on Medicare Supplemental Insurance that Medicare does not cover foreign medical emergency care. She also recommended travel insurance to cover evacuation and emergency care. I liked it that my policy is connected to BC/BS

 

[explanade]

Have to say I've never bought travel insurance, though I hear that my Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers some travel insurance protection.

And I've often bought no-cancel hotel reservations, to get a lower rate, which often means prepaying months in advance.

Well at least I don't have to worry about work preventing me from going on a trip I'd booked.

Well it finally caught up with me earlier this month in Spain.

Now I have over a $6000 bill to show for it. I didn't have travel insurance but Chase Sapphire Reserve card (which replaced the Chase Sapphire Preferred card I used to have) does offer $2500 for medical as well as medical evacuation (which I obviously didn't look into using).

It also offers trip delay and cancellation insurance. I missed a scheduled flight so I had to buy another ticket and incurred additional expenses for car rental.

So we'll see how well they take care of customers who pay the $450 annual fee.

In the meantime, I wanted to dig up this thread to look at travel insurance options for two other trips I have scheduled this year.

 

[nwsteve]

Well it finally caught up with me earlier this month in Spain.

Now I have over a $6000 bill to show for it. I didn't have travel insurance but Chase Sapphire Reserve card (which replaced the Chase Sapphire Preferred card I used to have) does offer $2500 for medical as well as medical evacuation (which I obviously didn't look into using).

It also offers trip delay and cancellation insurance. I missed a scheduled flight so I had to buy another ticket and incurred additional expenses for car rental.

So we'll see how well they take care of customers who pay the $450 annual fee.

In the meantime, I wanted to dig up this thread to look at travel insurance options for two other trips I have scheduled this year.

Hopefully, you experience will be as good as ours. DW fell and broke her kneecap in Vienna while in the middle of a tour. Chase paid the balance of the tour cost (we had one more city) and the loss of the prebooked air fare home. Unfortunately, nothing for the last minute Business Class home--DW was in a hip to heal cast so full recline was essential. The Preferred did not cover the medical but we used our Plan F coverage from BCBS. I thought Chase was time consuming. It was a snap compared to what it took to get paid under Plan f coverage. Note Plan F international coverage is for 80% of usual and customary plus a deductible. They have their own reimbursement gotchas. Ended up with 50-60% for reimbursement of
ambulance to hospital/meds/ER.
We now have Sapphire Reserve so it is covered if we should need again.
Nwsteve

 

[Souschef]

My wife always insisted we have travel insurance. On a recent cruise, she developed a respiratory infection that required 3 days hospitalization in NY. Our health insurance covered part of it, and the travel insurance covered almost everything else, including new plane tickets home and the medical charges on the cruise.
We now never travel without insurance. We are in our 70's and you never know what can happen.

 

[explanade]

Plan F from BCBS doesn't sound like an ACA plan.

So some Medicare Advantage plan?

I don't expect my ACA plan to cover it. It's an EPO, meaning it won't even cover out of network providers in the US.