Travel Insurance?

[ExFlyBoy5]

This isn't so much as to should I get it, but what some of the members here would recommend. I have taken many, many, many trips and never considered insurance until now. Basically, I am renting from a homeowner in Mexico and am paying cash, so no coverage available through any of my credit card issuers.

So, and good recommendations?

[Sarah in SC]

I always carry travel insurance. There are a couple of old threads on this topic laying around in the archives.
Never had a claim but it is cheap assurance I will be able to get out of some bad spot if the worst happens.

But then again...I travel to some super sketchy places, ones that it would be hard to find decent care locally for all but the most minor of injuries. I like the medevac coverage that is standard. Hate to think what it would cost to get out of, say, Kyzlorda, Kazakhstan if the situation warranted it!


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[Senator]

My Niece was attending a wedding in the British Isles. She attempted to jump of the top of the boat, and land in the water as a 'fun' thing. She missed the water. Broken jaw and arm. She was airlifted to Florida, a 15 hour flight.. I hope she had travel insurance, or at least Medivac insurance.

Interesting thing is, she is a stunt woman for many major pictures and TV shows... She jumps off buildings and all sort of stuff, on a set.

[candrew]

Here are a couple of recommendations - some may be better than others depending on your length of stay. Nomads might be your better option if you're on an extended holiday.

World Nomads - Explore Your Boundaries

www.insuremytrip.com

DW & I have purchased travel insurance for some trips, and other times have gone "naked".

On two separate trips, travel insurance more than paid for itself. Once was on a trip to Hawaii 3 years ago when my Dad had a stroke and we had to fly home. The policy covered the $1500 additional airfare plus reimbursed us for unused accommodations that we had pre-paid.

8 years ago, emergency medical costs we incurred on a trip to Mexico resulting from a motor scooter accident were also covered.

Claim filing - apart from providing requisite documentation - was relatively hassle free and settled in short order.

[Buckeye]

We always purchase trip insurance (from USAA) to cover medical evacuation.

[Sarah in SC]

I use World Nomads fwiw. Highly regarded from all I've heard and read.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[braumeister]

For a very expensive trip (Alaskan cruise and week in Denali), I got the trip insurance. I thought it was very pricey, but figured it just might be worth it.

Also, I'll usually buy trip insurance through the airline for European trips, which seems very reasonably priced to me.

Otherwise, I don't bother with it. However, I do have medical evacuation insurance, which is always in effect. You always hear horror stories about those things, but I saw it firsthand when one of our traveling companions had to be helicoptered out of Denali to a hospital in Anchorage. He had the medevac insurance and it sure paid off! I wouldn't be without it now.

[travelover]

I usually buy evacuation insurance, but only have bought trip reimbursement insurance a couple of times. The latest was when my FIL was quite ill and there was a risk that we'd have to cancel our trip. Some policies cover relatives getting ill, some only cover the direct participants, so you need to read the policy before you buy.

[ExFlyBoy5]

Thanks for the recommendations, I appreciate it. I didn't think of USAA...I might give them a call. Perhaps PenFed or Amica has something similar.

I looked on insuremytrip.com and couldn't really find the answer I am looking for. The thing I am looking for is if there is a travel restriction imposed due to Ebola. Outside the facts of what may or may not happen, I am more concerned with other countries denying passage from countries that have infected folks (like the US) could do to hinder my trip. It looks there is coverage for "just about everything" but there is always fine print, and they will only reimburse 75% in most cases. I just couldn't find anything that specifically had an inclusion/exclusion for travel restrictions.

[Alan]

Our trips are mostly self managed, we find our own lodgings, book our own flights etc and we don't use trip insurance. We have had 3 instances of where we have had to make flight changes to non-refundable tickets because of the deaths of our parents and in each case the airlines have had a claims process that has refunded all or most of the extra expense incurred (claims include a death certificate to prove it disrupted the travel).

We do have international health insurance, and when we do cruises we buy insurance to include the medivac coverage.

We did a week-long trip to Vanuatu this year that was not a cruise and we did spring for extra insurance (including medivac) as I wasn't sure how good the health services were going to be.

[BellBarbara]

We have never bought travel insurance. My DH is totally against this. The evacuation thing seems like something we should do.....I will need to work on him for this. We have never missed a trip and most are not that expensive so he doesn't feel it's worth it.

[Sarah in SC]

Let me clarify that I answered the OP in terms of medical travel insurance, not trip insurance. I am only interested in coverage for medical care and/or evacuation. I don't know anything about the other kinds of cover.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

[urn2bfree]

One thing worth pointing out is that you can shop for Travel Insurance. If you are on a cruise or buying a trip online and they offer to add on Travel Insurance, it may be much cheaper to just get your own policy via one of the online brokers or thru your own insurance. (ours is USAA and they are quite competitive). The cruise lines certainly use travel insurance as a big profit center as their policies are generally double the cost of the exact same coverage purchased on your own...but it is important to buy the insurance very soon after you book the trip to maintain full eligibilities.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

[imoldernu]

I didn't want to start a new thread, so will insert these thoughts here:

Haven't traveled by air since 1987, when it was part of my job, so am entering the world of air travel as an aboriginal native...
Looking to fly to Florida, saw an $85 flight from Bloomington Illiinois to Sanford Florida for $85. Wow!

I have just spent a full hour reading the rules, and am nowhere near finished. Needless to say, I was stunned. Can't cancel, even if I die! And the fees! OMG...
$20 just for my carry-on bag... and it goes downhill from there. $5 cost to make a reservation? Up to $80, if I want to choose a seat or sit next to DW? $100 to bring a kitty cat?? Whooo boy... Can't wait!

https://www.allegiantair.com/popup/o...s-fees#baggage

[explanade]

In an earlier thread, someone pointed out that the Divers network has insurance which includes medivac for like $200-300 a year:

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ear-66713.html

[ziggy29]

You have to assess your own situation and risk tolerance. We don't always get trip insurance, but we usually did. In 2005, we had a cruise set for late November and purchased trip insurance. Four days before the scheduled departure, my dad passed away. We canceled the trip, contacted the insurer, and all they asked for was a copy of the death certificate. I sent it with the sensitive information redacted as was discussed, and within a week we had a refund of 85% of the price of the cruise.

Another factor, other than just trip cancellation, is for medical expenses when you may be in a situation where your usual health insurance won't cover an emergency where you are. I have no personal experience with that.

[Buckeye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellBarbara We have never bought travel insurance. My DH is totally against this. The evacuation thing seems like something we should do.....I will need to work on him for this. We have never missed a trip and most are not that expensive so he doesn't feel it's worth it.

We don't care about insuring the cost of the trip but we do want to have emergency medical and evacuation insurance. We always hope the $75-$100 goes to waste and there are no injuries or sickness requiring the use of the insurance.

[BellBarbara]

excellent point.

[braumeister]

My primary concern, like Sarah in SC, is the medical.

When you're far from home, in the event of a medical emergency you have more than enough on your mind. Adding "How can I get to an appropriate hospital when I don't even know how I can get anywhere?" would be just overwhelming.

My preferred company, since I know two people who have used it and were very happy they had it, is called MASA Assist. No connection, no interest, just a customer.

I think their price is reasonable, although I get a very substantial discount as a member of the Air Force Association. Their Platinum Family membership, which I have, is $720 a year for US residents (I pay a bit more than half that), and includes:

• Emergency Air Ambulance / Medical Evacuation
• Non-Injury Transportation
• Commercial Air Transportation
• Repatriation/Recuperation
• Return Transportation
• Escort Transportation
• Vehicle Return
• Mortal Remains Transportation
• Organ Retrieval
• Organ Recipient Transportation
• Ground Ambulance - Unlimited
• Helicopter Transportation
• World Wide Coverage

If I were asked, I would recommend that anyone considering this service go and join the Air Force Association first, to get the discount. Anyone can join the AFA, no prerequisites, and it's just $30 a year.

But look around, there are other good services available also. People who travel a lot (which includes many here) should definitely investigate this sort of medevac coverage.

[Don46]

Have any of you considered AAA travel insurance? I see they have an annual plan which, for two people, costs under $500 Maybe the coverage is not full but it sure would pay for itself if you got in trouble.
Compare Travel Insurance Plans by Benefit | Allianz Travel Insurance