Travel Insurance

[easyrider]

I'm wondering if we should buy addition travel insurance for an elderly woman in a wheel chair for a trip to Mexico. While I don't feel she will need it, her past medical history suggests that she could have a problem because of brittle bones. She is for the most part in a wheel chair. Her doctor said she is ok to go.
Also, what happens if she passes away ? I'm certain things will be fine but like to be over prepared in worse case scenarios.

Thanks
Bill

 

[Passepartout]

We think travel insurance is critical. Her Medicare won't cover her outside the USA, and if she needs hospitalization or evacuation she's covered. Plus all the other little peace-of-mind issues like delays, lost luggage, etc.

So far we have not filed a claim (knock on wood), but with DW's dad at 94- and he has accompanied us to Mexico, Scotland and many places in the USA. We buy travel insurance because just one claim will make up for all those premiums.

Buy it.

Oh, as to the second part of your question- I don't know if the insurance will pay to repatriate a fatality. Check the details. There is a link here on TUG that allows side-by-side comparisons of various travel insurance policies. That said I'd assume she will have a round trip ticket, and the airline will carry her (for a price adjustment). They carry the deceased all the time. The preparations would be arranged between a funeral home there and one at home.

Here's a worthwhile comparison site of different plans: http://www.insuremytrip.com/

Jim

 

[dougp26364]

Since you purchase insurance for the unknown to protect your assest, any travel outside of your home country where you won't have medical insurance is a necessity IMHO, even for someone in prefect health. They don't call it an accident for nothing.

 

[BevL]

Frankly, most Canadians that live close to the border have year round policies for those quick day trips. What if you're in a car accident and in hospital for a couple of weeks?

I simply wouldn't travel outside Canada without insurance. I expect it's the same for Americans travelling outside the US.

 

[easyrider]

Looks good at about $40 per day.
thanks

 

[BevL]

The age thing really hits hard for our of country, that's for sure.

 

[Quiet Pine]

Her Medicare won't cover her outside the USA.

Medicare doesn't cover outside USA, but some Medigap (i.e. Medicare Supplement) plans do. My DH tried to file a claim with his Plan F, but the deductible was too high to cover his $35 Amsterdam doctor's bill.

 

[Dori]

We were so glad that our DD took out travel insurance for her family when they came to visit us in Florida a few years ago. Our grandbaby got sick with a raging fever, and one trip to emergency cost $1278. Their out-of-country insurance covered it all, thank heavens.

Dori

 

[Judy]

Many travel insurance policies have exceptions for preexisting conditions. If you are trying to cover illnesses and accidents related to her current or past health concerns, be very careful which policy you buy.

Also check any Medigap policy she might have to see what might already be covered.

 

[easyrider]

Her condition is brittle bones and a bad hip. Heart arteries have stents. The list goes on and includes 14 perscriptions.

Other than that she seems ok. She also likes wine and cigerettes. I will check on the pre existing condition concerns. Thanks

 

[magiroux]

We always use MedJet (evacuation insurance) when we travel outside the US. Thankfully we have never needed it, but when zip-lining in Mexico it does offer peace of mind. I do believe it also covers unexpected death evacuation.

My father-in-law paid close to $30,000 to be transported from Alaska to Boston with a nurse, also racking up a pretty hefty hospital bill because he was not stable enough to fly commercial for a few weeks. MedJet would have sent a fully staffed air ambulance.

It's pretty cheap. Preexisting condition do not apply for over 75.

 

[AnnaS]

I think regardless of what age or condition - when cruising or leaving the country - for us insurance is a must - there is no more thinking about it.

(For our 07 Med. cruise my friend's dad fell/tripped in the bathroom and long story short - punctured a lung - evacuated - stayed in Italy and never made it home (they had insurance). Same cruise, get home and less than a month later my 48 yr. old husband has heart attack - another long story - but lesson learned).

 

[easyrider]

If some of you could name drop who you use and why it would be very helpfull.

Thanks
Bill

 

[AnnaS]

We have used Travel Guard and I read many go to insuremytrip.com.

We personally have never made any claims so can't help with any experience about the company.

 

[WinniWoman]

We've been using CSA, but haven't had to put a claim in (thank goodness) so can't help you there. I know I did a lot of research and looked over every detail and the fine print and I decided on them.

 

[Carol C]

If you travel alot, a blanket policy is probably wise. RCI's travel insurance is per trip, but at least you're covered if you cancel for any reason. Interval International's travel insurance company TravelGuard only covers in case of health issues, and it's more likely than not that they will deny your claim, as they are not a consumer-friendly insurer (Interval is no help either if you try to get them to intervene...in fact they are both a nightmare to deal with.)

For international travel I have learned the hard way that insurance is a good idea. But again, I think it depends on age & general health factors.

 

[bobpark56]

I'm going to acquire holiday insurance with regard to my upcoming 12-month RTW trip. To date I have discovered two apparently reasonable options, Globe Nomads as well as CareMed.

You might take a look also at HTH Worldwide. Their policy covers you for one full year.

 

[Ron98GT]

A good place to read about travel insurance is on Cruise Critic. They even have a travel insurance forum:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=635

I think that we used TravelGuard in May when we went on our Western Caribbean cruise, but not sure.