# Travel Insurance Advice



## admin

Travel insurance policies are all over the map in terms of cost and coverage. If you travel regularly, are in good health and have no relatives that are in failing health (where you might have to cancel a trip on short notice for a funeral, for example), you should consider passing on travel insurance. Why? Because in the long run, consumers pay more in such insurance premiums than they will recover. The net goes to cover insurance company costs and profits.

But there are a number of situations where you should consider such insurance:

You can't afford to lose the cost of your trip if you have to cancel on short notice or return suddenly while on your trip.
You have a health condition that might warrant treatment on short notice, requiring you to cancel or cut your trip short.
You have a close relative in failing health.
You have Medicare medical insurance which does not cover you outside the USA.
When getting a policy, there are all kinds of policies and they insure different risks. Start by determining what coverage you currently have under your homeowners or renters insurance, your medical insurance and your credit card insurance (for the card you used to pay for the trip). Examples: Your medical insurance might cover you overseas or it might not. Medical evacuation coverage might be provided by your medical insurance or by your credit card, especially if you used one of the high-end (e.g., platinum) cards.

Determine the type of trip you are taking. If most of the expenses will be hotel bills, you can probably escape with minimal damage (such as one night’s deposit) if you have to cancel. In such a case it would not be cost effective to get insurance. Even if you have plane tickets, they can usually be rescheduled for another time within a year by paying a change fee of $100-$150. However, if you have to cancel a cruise or a charter flight within 10-15 days of your travel date, you will likely lose your entire cost.

If you still believe you need insurance, check out the insurance that your travel carrier makes available. It should be from a third party, since it likely won't pay off if it is issued by your (for example) cruise line and the cruise is canceled because the cruise line goes into bankruptcy!

Most companies have several types of policies. Check out the fine print. Some companies no longer insure against the bankruptcy of your travel provider. Others won't pay for selected type of activities on your trip which the insurer deems to be dangerous. This can sometimes include such seemingly simple activities as bike riding!

And check out the medical exclusions. Some companies will not cover preexisting medical conditions. That sometimes means a medical condition is excluded because you visited the doctor because you didn't feel well within X weeks of your trip, even though the heart condition or cancer that arises wasn't detected in that visit.

Most insurers have numerous exclusions that kick in if you don't buy the insurance at about the same time you book your trip. (Check the fine print!)

Three reputable companies are:

CSA
Allianz
Travel Guard
To do a comparison of various policies or to find out, in plain English, what coverage is offered by various types of travel policies, you can use the following websites:

https://insuremytrip.com/
https://www.squaremouth.com/


Good travel insurance doesn’t come cheap. A worthwhile policy for a couple in their early 50s for a $5,000 trip is likely to cost $200 to $400.

And check the fine print for exclusions! (Did I already say that?) Ombudsman columns in various travel publications often discuss this topic because people buy insurance, expect it will cover everything and then are very much disappointed when seemingly unrelated events exclude reimbursement.

*Timeshare Insurance*
VacationGuard offers protection against loss of timeshare use for eligible reasons. The cost for _annual_ - not individual trip - coverage starts at $129 and includes reimbursement of maintenance fees and (if applicable) exchange fees up to the limits of the policy. Policies also include some trip delay, baggage, medical and other coverage.

Compare the coverage for this policy with coverage from the major policy sources discussed above, as the coverage for major expense items varies significantly.


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## Ddee555

I want to recommend Veterans Advantage for cheap 365 day travel insurance coverage.  It covers $50,000 MedEvac coverage for any travel 100+ miles away from home.  Eligible members are veterans and their family members.

Please read here for all the benefits:
https://www.veteransadvantage.com/benefits/vetrewards-travel-protection

So, for example, let's say you are a veteran and your young adult child is studying in a different state or abroad.  Your child would be covered to receive free emergency healthcare until they return home to your HMO!

So, there are many possibilities with this type of 365-day travel coverage.  But, I highly recommend it.  It is $20/year/person in addition to regular VA membership of $60/year/primary subscriber with discounts for additional family members.


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## isisdave

Since a year ago, Allianz has made some changes in their travel protection policies.

A year ago, I bought on their website "Classic Plan with Trip+" with a duration of almost a year. I bought it for emergency medical and evacuation only, so I specified $0 value for cancellation and interruption, and they charged $55 a person. I thought this fell into the " too good to be true" category, so I asked them, explaining that we might make 4-8 trips throughout the year, and they assured me that this was the policy I needed.  Fortunately, we had no claim.

This year, the Classic Plans are called "One Trip" and they're generally limited to 60 days. After that, they charge $5 per extra day, and the maximum is 6 months. 

The Annual plans are now $475 for medical/evacuation only, but at that price they cover any number of people who live at the same address.

It's confusing. I'm going to have to re-shop.


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## Krteczech

TUGers, do any of you buy ANNUAL travel insurance with a goal is to minimize cost of your travel?
We are two Medicare recipients with plans to travel out of country at least twice a year for extended period of time; cruises  followed by independent travel. We are in good health, no medication. Please share your opinion and experience. Thanks.


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## gatorray

admin said:


> Travel insurance policies are all over the map in terms of cost and coverage. If you travel regularly, are in good health and have no relatives that are in failing health (where you might have to cancel a trip on short notice for a funeral, for example), you should consider passing on travel insurance. Why? Because in the long run, consumers pay more in such insurance premiums than they will recover. The net goes to cover insurance company costs and profits.
> 
> But there are a number of situations where you should consider such insurance:
> 
> You can't afford to lose the cost of your trip if you have to cancel on short notice or return suddenly while on your trip.
> You have a health condition that might warrant treatment on short notice, requiring you to cancel or cut your trip short.
> You have a close relative in failing health.
> You have Medicare medical insurance which does not cover you outside the USA.
> When getting a policy, there are all kinds of policies and they insure different risks. Start by determining what coverage you currently have under your homeowners or renters insurance, your medical insurance and your credit card insurance (for the card you used to pay for the trip). Examples: Your medical insurance might cover you overseas or it might not. Medical evacuation coverage might be provided by your medical insurance or by your credit card, especially if you used one of the high-end (e.g., platinum) cards.
> 
> Determine the type of trip you are taking. If most of the expenses will be hotel bills, you can probably escape with minimal damage (such as one night’s deposit) if you have to cancel. In such a case it would not be cost effective to get insurance. Even if you have plane tickets, they can usually be rescheduled for another time within a year by paying a change fee of $100-$150. However, if you have to cancel a cruise or a charter flight within 10-15 days of your travel date, you will likely lose your entire cost.
> 
> If you still believe you need insurance, check out the insurance that your travel carrier makes available. It should be from a third party, since it likely won't pay off if it is issued by your (for example) cruise line and the cruise is canceled because the cruise line goes into bankruptcy!
> 
> Most companies have several types of policies. Check out the fine print. Some companies no longer insure against the bankruptcy of your travel provider. Others won't pay for selected type of activities on your trip which the insurer deems to be dangerous. This can sometimes include such seemingly simple activities as bike riding!
> 
> And check out the medical exclusions. Some companies will not cover preexisting medical conditions. That sometimes means a medical condition is excluded because you visited the doctor because you didn't feel well within X weeks of your trip, even though the heart condition or cancer that arises wasn't detected in that visit.
> 
> Most insurers have numerous exclusions that kick in if you don't buy the insurance at about the same time you book your trip. (Check the fine print!)
> 
> Three reputable companies are:
> 
> CSA
> Allianz
> Travel Guard
> To do a comparison of various policies or to find out, in plain English, what coverage is offered by various types of travel policies, you can use the following websites:
> 
> https://insuremytrip.com/
> https://www.squaremouth.com/
> 
> 
> Good travel insurance doesn’t come cheap. A worthwhile policy for a couple in their early 50s for a $5,000 trip is likely to cost $200 to $400.
> 
> And check the fine print for exclusions! (Did I already say that?) Ombudsman columns in various travel publications often discuss this topic because people buy insurance, expect it will cover everything and then are very much disappointed when seemingly unrelated events exclude reimbursement.
> 
> *Timeshare Insurance*
> VacationGuard offers protection against loss of timeshare use for eligible reasons. The cost for _annual_ - not individual trip - coverage starts at $129 and includes reimbursement of maintenance fees and (if applicable) exchange fees up to the limits of the policy. Policies also include some trip delay, baggage, medical and other coverage.
> 
> Compare the coverage for this policy with coverage from the major policy sources discussed above, as the coverage for major expense items varies significantly.


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## gatorray

Agreed, travel coverage is very diverse and you must read the fine print. I have read the fine print and I still can’t find the answer as to whether travel insurance particularly with Marriott vacationclub.com TS ownership covers maintenance fee loss in the case of a hurricane evacuation. We just returned from Myrtle Beach having been “ejected“ by the governor of South Carolina with the pending hurricane Dorian. We were there two nights only. I suspect that maintenance fees are not covered Mainly because there is no mention of it. We drive so there is no expense related to flight, hotels, baggage, etc. It is my understanding that unless an official evacuation is ordered, even those who have flown in won’t get any coverage either  when there is only a threat and not a hurricane warning. Anybody know the details? The only way you can get a contract to check the fine print is to pay for it and then rescind it and wait for your money to show up in your account in a few weeks.  The current insurance carrier is Travelex Insurance but, they don’t actually underwrite it and it’s not the same every year it would seem.


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## Ylinesand

Guys, thanks for the info! It's really very helpful!


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## pedro47

Can you update this topic to include the coronavirus epidemic and travel insurance? Thanks.


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## AnnaS

We buy travel insurance when cruising and/or leaving the country.

Many years ago when we traveled and used a TA (did not always use/need one), we would purchase the travel insurance.  Eventually, we did not give it much thought.  We were young, the kids were young and healthy, parents were okay, etc. etc.

UNTIL - We went on an 11 Night Med cruise - how crazy not to purchase insurance for a family of 5.  Thankfully we did not need it.  BUT - on this cruise, my friend's dad tripped in the bathroom - long story, evacuated and never made it home.  A  month later, my husband had his heart attack.  I always said, had it happened on the cruise/on this trip, he would have been dead or we would have spent a ton of money.  
Times have changed, we are older, hubby has medical issues so we buy for all cruises and leaving the country.

We recently had to cancel our Alaska cruise tour.  We got a full refund on our policy.  Compare and see what is best for you.  Better safe than sorry.  Every little bit helps.


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## bobpark56

Krteczech said:


> TUGers, do any of you buy ANNUAL travel insurance with a goal is to minimize cost of your travel?
> We are two Medicare recipients with plans to travel out of country at least twice a year for extended period of time; cruises  followed by independent travel. We are in good health, no medication. Please share your opinion and experience. Thanks.


We do. Check out the Geo Blue Trekker policies. They seem to have good coverage and are not especially expensive. We have never had to file a claim, though, so can't say how that works. They cover you up through age 84, which is better than most policies.


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## bobpark56

Ddee555 said:


> I want to recommend Veterans Advantage for cheap 365 day travel insurance coverage.  It covers $50,000 MedEvac coverage for any travel 100+ miles away from home.  Eligible members are veterans and their family members.
> 
> Please read here for all the benefits:
> https://www.veteransadvantage.com/benefits/vetrewards-travel-protection
> 
> So, for example, let's say you are a veteran and your young adult child is studying in a different state or abroad.  Your child would be covered to receive free emergency healthcare until they return home to your HMO!
> 
> So, there are many possibilities with this type of 365-day travel coverage.  But, I highly recommend it.  It is $20/year/person in addition to regular VA membership of $60/year/primary subscriber with discounts for additional family members.


Sounds interesting, but their web pages leave much to be desired. I could not find any mention of age limitations, nor of health limitations. Nor could I find any way to view a sample policy. So...nowhere near as forthcoming as the Geo Blue pages.


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## DanH

I purchased travel insurance for a trip I made to Aruba where 2 of my American Airlines flights were cancelled.  I am about to submit a claim to see if I can recover the cost of my delayed trip, extra airfare and car rental I paid to get to my destination.  Does anyone have any advice for me on the best way to make my claim?


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## Luanne

DanH said:


> I purchased travel insurance for a trip I made to Aruba where 2 of my American Airlines flights were cancelled.  I am about to submit a claim to see if I can recover the cost of my delayed trip, extra airfare and car rental I paid to get to my destination.  Does anyone have any advice for me on the best way to make my claim?


There should be information provided by whoever you took the insurance out with on how to file the claim.


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## Breezy52

I just purchased a medical only for us 2 medicare age folk ~ didn't need trip insurance as the bulk of the trip was one form of points or the other (not covered typically).  For about $60 each for a week trip to mexico, it does have some other basic coverage as well. 
The company is named April and the coverage was called Pandemic Plus.  It took awhile to pull this up in searches as I was looking primarily for a medical and evacuation policy at a low cost. Additionally, purchased through Squaremouth and they will refund in full if we cancel that plan the day before the trip.


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## Passepartout

DanH said:


> I purchased travel insurance for a trip I made to Aruba where 2 of my American Airlines flights were cancelled.  I am about to submit a claim to see if I can recover the cost of my delayed trip, extra airfare and car rental I paid to get to my destination.  Does anyone have any advice for me on the best way to make my claim?


What Luanne said. Read your policy. It will have a section like: Filing a Claim: It will outline what you will need to submit. Like credit card receipts, boarding passes, rental car receipts. Without being able to accurately reconstruct the trip and extra costs you encountered to make it work, your claim will be denied. 

Good Luck!

Jim


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## Talent312

With various travel credits due to expire (as of now), we're planning to travel more in 2022 than we have in the last few years. This will include a Panama Canal transit cruise and 3 weeks in Europe. DW has developed some physical limitations (she uses a cane). Nonetheless, we're gonna go, anyway. So, due to concern for future injury (and Covid), we're buying trip insurance for the 1st time ever.

I researched SquareMouth.com, InsureMyTrip.com, Allianz, Travel Guard and found that...
First, all of the one's I saw covered cancellations and medical services for having Covid.
So scratch that concern.

SM & IMT had similar options, but SM was a more transparent w-better comparisons.

For the Cruise: We'll get medical cover + med-evac only (no cancellation coverage).
Reason: If Princess lets us board, we're gonna go... no matter what else happens.
But if we get Covid, they'll give us a future credit, anyway.
We chose "Tin Leg" (a SM company). They're primary medical cover was LT $100.

For the Euro trip: Cancellation is more important 'cuz various vendors were been prepaid.
For that, Travel Guard's "Essential" Policy should meet our needs and had the best price.
Although, I admit that SM had competitive options  with slightly better coverage.
.


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## Tia

How did this work out? We are getting ready, cross fingers to leave soon and took trip insurance when we first booked. We have American flights





DanH said:


> I purchased travel insurance for a trip I made to Aruba where 2 of my American Airlines flights were cancelled.  I am about to submit a claim to see if I can recover the cost of my delayed trip, extra airfare and car rental I paid to get to my destination.  Does anyone have any advice for me on the best way to make my claim?


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## hawaiibabe

gatorray said:


> Agreed, travel coverage is very diverse and you must read the fine print. I have read the fine print and I still can’t find the answer as to whether travel insurance particularly with Marriott vacationclub.com TS ownership covers maintenance fee loss in the case of a hurricane evacuation. We just returned from Myrtle Beach having been “ejected“ by the governor of South Carolina with the pending hurricane Dorian. We were there two nights only. I suspect that maintenance fees are not covered Mainly because there is no mention of it. We drive so there is no expense related to flight, hotels, baggage, etc. It is my understanding that unless an official evacuation is ordered, even those who have flown in won’t get any coverage either  when there is only a threat and not a hurricane warning. Anybody know the details? The only way you can get a contract to check the fine print is to pay for it and then rescind it and wait for your money to show up in your account in a few weeks.  The current insurance carrier is Travelex Insurance but, they don’t actually underwrite it and it’s not the same every year it would seem.


Sites I have looked at do have a link so you can read the policy. That said, understanding the fine points may take a phone call. My experience is recent compared to yours so maybe it's different now.


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## hawaiibabe

Breezy52 said:


> I just purchased a medical only for us 2 medicare age folk ~ didn't need trip insurance as the bulk of the trip was one form of points or the other (not covered typically).  For about $60 each for a week trip to mexico, it does have some other basic coverage as well.
> The company is named April and the coverage was called Pandemic Plus.  It took awhile to pull this up in searches as I was looking primarily for a medical and evacuation policy at a low cost. Additionally, purchased through Squaremouth and they will refund in full if we cancel that plan the day before the trip.


I have looked at that site. I think that you can cancel at any time for a "covered reason" such as covid, death in family, etc. If the reason is something else, no go unless you buy a "cancel for any reason" policy which usually cost more  & return a certain percent of the cost like 60%. I've been trying to find a policy that will reimburse the value if the trip paid for by points. So far, just some runaround even tho 1 site said it reimburses points. I'm open for suggestions & corrections to my understanding of your reimbursement


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## Breezy52

This is what I found describing the plan on travelinsurance.com

*Pandemic Plus Plan Benefits*
This travel insurance plan offers a wide variety of benefits, including:


Trip Cancellation Coverage – 100%
Trip Interruption Coverage – 150%
Emergency Medical Expenses Coverage – $50,000
Emergency Evacuation Coverage – Up to $500,000
Trip Delay Coverage – $200 per day, $1,000 max
Missed Connection Coverage – Up to $250
Airline Ticket Change Fee Coverage – $200
Baggage and Personal Effects Coverage – Up to $2,500
Baggage Delay Coverage – Up to $500 per person
Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage – Up to $10,000


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## PDX Matthew

I am a cautious person. Any time I travel outside the USA (where I live) I buy travel medical and repatriation insurance. While my US medical insurance will cover me world wide, they don’t pay foreign hospitals and doctors directly, they reimburse me. That’s not much help if you’re in an ER in a foreign country and they’re demanding $50,000 up front before they’ll admit you. Travelguard , Allianz, American Express and the other major travel insurers have concierge claims services that you or the treating hospital can call to arrange immediate payment/guaranted payment so that treatment is not delayed. I’ve never had to use it, but it’s peace of mind if I’m traveling a long way from home.

Think about travel to Aruba: it’s a wonderful place, but it has one decent hospital that does not have the advanced capabilities of most major US hospitals. If you have a major medical issue, or you’re in a car crash, I’m not sure how much care you could expect there. I’d rather have the option of being careflighted to a major US hospital.


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## dioxide45

We had a trip planned to Europe that we decided to cancel. More of cancel for our own reasons than for health or other issues. Since we had everything booked using points or cash through hotel website. We even had Disneyland Paris booked for two days. Everything was able to be cancelled with full refunds. Our airfare was booked with United airline miles. Easily able to cancel and get a refund of the taxes and fees. All the hotels had a cancel till day or two before arrival. Travel insurance wouldn't have helped us at all and would have just been an additional expense. We do have an annual travel medical plan that could be helpful as we have booked two cruises instead of the trip to Europe.


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