Travel insurance questions

[Scuba]

We typically don’t buy trip insurance but with relatives getting older, we are considering doing so this year. I went online and researched policies but then when I did an independent search for reviews, all of the provider companies seem to get HORRIBLE reviews from people who actually had to make claims against the policies.

If you buy trip insurance and have had to make claims, have you found a reputable company that honors claims on a timely basis?

 

[Bklyn55]

We have used insuremytrip.com many times. We made a claim once and payout was quick and generous. The site let’s you compare different providers. Customer service is excellent.

 

[CH47]

We will never travel on a long trip such as a cruise without it. We swear by travelguard. On one of our trips, I had a pretty serious injury and required medical attention. I was able to remain on the ship but could not walk as I had broken both of my heels. We started a case with travelguard while onboard. Travelguard remained in close contact with us and when we arrived back in San Juan, there was an ambulance and a male nurse that stayed with me until arriving at the local hospital in Atlanta. Additionally, they reimbursed us for all expenses that my major medical did not pay for the 6 weeks of care after our return home. Ten stars! Could not recommend them enough.

 

[Moemg]

I use insuremy trip.com..I have had six claims and they have all been handled promptly .

 

[Scuba]

Insuremytrip.com offers plans from a variety of companies. For those who recommended them, which specific carriers have you made claims with and had a good experience? I was going to buy a CSA plan and looked at online reviews which were terrible.

 

[Scuba]

We will never travel on a long trip such as a cruise without it. We swear by travelguard. On one of our trips, I had a pretty serious injury and required medical attention. I was able to remain on the ship but could not walk as I had broken both of my heels. We started a case with travelguard while onboard. Travelguard remained in close contact with us and when we arrived back in San Juan, there was an ambulance and a male nurse that stayed with me until arriving at the local hospital in Atlanta. Additionally, they reimbursed us for all expenses that my major medical did not pay for the 6 weeks of care after our return home. Ten stars! Could not recommend them enough.

Good to know, thank you. Travelguard gets better reviews than CSA but still not that great when I googled them. Glad to hear you had a great experience with them.

 

[COcheesehead]

We have used insuremytrip.com many times. We made a claim once and payout was quick and generous. The site let’s you compare different providers. Customer service is excellent.

We use this same site.

 

[Sunset]

It is hard to figure out which to go with.

We checked with our own health insurance company, and they do provide some coverage for outside USA trips.

We did go with multi-trip insurance (good for a year) from https://geobluetravelinsurance.com/ , but (thankfully) have not used it.
Initially we got it via: insuremytrip.com

 

[Chuckanut]

My SS supplement insurance covers 50K overseas expenses which should be plenty.

My CC provides some insurance against cancellations in the event of illness. It's not as mucht as the insurance but the price is right

I also have an emergency evacuation policy to get back home if I am really ill.

 

[nvestysly]

Another Twist on Travel Insurance

I am not well informed on the variety of travel policies/providers but many people are concerned with lost luggage and trip cancellation with some travelers also interested in medical transportation services.

It may make sense to separate the relatively low cost issues such as lost luggage and trip cancellation from the potentially BIG expenses such as medical transportation. Yes, lost luggage and trip cancellation can be a significant annoyance and the cost may not be insignificant. But medical transport has the potential to bankrupt some people.

Consequently, we buy low-cost lost luggage and trip cancellation policies when needed and fortunately we haven't needed to use the policy. You may find some useful information on consumer advocate Clark Howard's web site www.clark.com

For the medical transport (evacuation / repatriation, etc.) component we purchased a policy that focuses on that aspect of travel exclusively. There are a few providers that focus on this subject. Fortunately, we've not needed to use the service but we highly recommend SkyMed. I was not able to find any negative feedback regarding SkyMed. We know people who have used their services and found the company to be very forthright in their dealings with customers.

If you have a need medical transport that provides services when you travel (as well as when you are not traveling) SkyMed is a good company to consider. Their Member Service Agreement is very easy to read and spells out the benefits in understandable language rather than the mumbo-jumbo legal-ease used in so many other medical transport providers.

 

[Sunset]

I use CC that have lost luggage, trip delay, and even allow trip cancellation (for serious issues like death, etc).

Never made a claim.

I buy trip insurance simply for med evacuation and medical costs above our health plan coverage.

 

[OldShooter]

The best place I know of to research trip insurance is International Travel News (https://www.intltravelnews.com/columns/travel-insurance). There is a regular column on the subject plus they have surveyed subscribers and published their experiences with various carriers. Some of this might be behind a paywall, but the magazine is well worth the pittance ($26) they charge.

Our approach is similar to @Sunset's. We buy evacuation insurance not so much for the financial aspect as for the logistics. #CH47's experience illustrates. We could take a $100K hit if that happened but if one of us were injured or otherwise in need if evacuation we would not know where to start on getting out.

We never buy any of the trip cancellation or interruption products. We buy insurance against risks that would have significant financial impact to us, like house fires, auto liability judgments, etc. The high side of our travel risk is well under $20K and we are willing to absorb that in the unlikely event.

 

[sengsational]

We never buy any of the trip cancellation or interruption products. We buy insurance against risks that would have significant financial impact to us...

Besides financial impact, one may consider cancellation insurance just so they don't get put in a spot where they've got a $20K decision to be made. Say a relative dies at an in ill-timed moment. Now you're going to go to YOUR grave saying "that funeral cost me $20K".

 

[Dtail]

Besides financial impact, one may consider cancellation insurance just so they don't get put in a spot where they've got a $20K decision to be made. Say a relative dies at an in ill-timed moment. Now you're going to go to YOUR grave saying "that funeral cost me $20K".

Good point. Never thought of that angle.

 

[OldShooter]

Besides financial impact, one may consider cancellation insurance just so they don't get put in a spot where they've got a $20K decision to be made. Say a relative dies at an in ill-timed moment. Now you're going to go to YOUR grave saying "that funeral cost me $20K".

Actually we had something like that happen a number of years ago. DW was scheduled to go on a trip to Morocco with some girlfriends and had already paid. A few days before departure her mother was diagnosed with a nasty and fast-growing brain tumor, so of course she cancelled. The concept of that trip cost being something regrettable has never even come up.

 

[mystang52]

I wish I could remember their name, but the one time I actually made a claim it took too long for the company to pay. All that I remember is that they were located in Colorado. They kept asking for more information+- which I consistently provided. I was in the insurance industry, and finally gave them an ultimatum.
I told them I was scheduled for a business trip with a layover in Denver, and I intended to visit the Insurance Dept there. I offered to send the itinerary as proof, and also pointed out to them that I routinely deal with State Insurance Departments as part of my job. One day later they called me and said the check was being processed.
I get travel insurance all the time as I can get sick somewhat easily, and have to cancel a trip. I now use Insuremytrip.com as well. Make sure you keep ALL documentation relative to an insured trip.

 

[nwsteve]

Another option not previously mentioned is Squaremouth.com. "Compare 112 travel insurance policies from 23 providers with 54,267 reviews "
We have used and really like its filters to provide the mix of coverage items we want.
After filling out scads of paperwork and waiting forever to get a reduced payment from our Medicare Part B provider (a Blue) for DW's broken kneecap in Vienna, I really want a Primary coverage provider when traveling internationally with enough coverage to get treated, stabilized for medivac. Then, all I need id fromcompany and policy number at the hospital.

 

[Sunset]

Besides financial impact, one may consider cancellation insurance just so they don't get put in a spot where they've got a $20K decision to be made. Say a relative dies at an in ill-timed moment. Now you're going to go to YOUR grave saying "that funeral cost me $20K".

Happened to us, we just got to another country, and got a phone call of family death, so we turned around and left the next day. How much it cost us, was nothing compared to the impact of the death.

 

[Vanilla]

I am just about to post the same question. We are planning for a spain-Paris trip and wondering if we need health insurance. Any one has experience buying a multi-country travel insurance for Europe. Appreciate any information.

Thanks

 

[nwsteve]

Should be a great trip. Both are fabulous locations.
If you have not already, check with your insurance company. If you are on Medicare, you have no insurance outside the USA in the base plan. Your Part B Supplement Plan F offers a limited (50K) lifetime coverage.
I will share with you that even with 50k, you will see a 20% deductible off the top, and then only 80% payment based on the insurer's "customary" fee schedule.
To avoid excessive paperwork and the interminable language issues in a foreign hospital, we are sure to have a Primary insurer cover us when we travel outside the US. Also check your credit card as some of them also offer some coverage and medical evac. (Chase Sapphire) but they are usually Secondary payers--read after you have gotten everyone else to pay.
The thread provides a couple good resources for shopping policies--just don't wait to close to your departure

 

[sengsational]

I shopped squaremouth and insuremytrip today and discovered I really don't like how these sites work. They ask you to put in the price of your trip, your age, the duration and the country you're going to. They don't ask (up front) about what you would like to insure against.

Say your tour costs $1500. Say also you are doing something active, so you need that option. A sample price for that was $150. If I add-in the airfare the price jumps to over $200. The benefits and the limits for what I care about insuring don't change a bit, but the price leaps up. The price drops to $50 if I set the price of the tour to $500. Again, same limits for medical: Medical Evacuation $500,000 - Medical $50,000 Primary.

 

[Sunset]

They also have this weird thing, where you put in $0 for the cost of the trip, if you are not interested in cancellation coverage.

 

[omni550]

I was researching travel insurance last fall. I finally decided to buy a one-year policy, as I my Michigan home is 30 miles from Canada, and I have been known to pop over the border for dinner or drive 4 hours to Toronto on a whim. That, plus an annual trip to Europe, and various other travels, made me decide to buy a policy that covers me for trips up to 30 days in duration. (They also offer a 45-day policy.)

I got the frequent traveler annual policy through sevencorners.com

omni

 

[Scuba]

Thanks for all of the responses. Good info.

 

[bingybear]

we've bought travel insurance several times, had claims once. We bailed part way thru a cruise due to a parent passing. They paid completely after a few weeks to maybe a month. We had to provide documentation as I recall before the full amount. IIRC they paid the mid trip return flight when we notified them mid trip. We bought it from insuremytrip. I don't recall the insurance company.