Poll of the Week: Travel Insurance

[SarahS]

Some folks won't leave home without travel insurance, while others throw caution to the winds. Do you purchase travel insurance for your trips? Vote in our poll!

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Travel Insurance

[brneyes]

I definately would purchase travel insurance if I was going on a cruise. The reason being you never know what might transpire while you are gone.

Here are two examples: Because of weather, we were stranded at our airport for 4 hours, not able to get out of line, because we were trying to find another airline to take us to our destination. We did find another airline, and because of the time, and having insurance coverage, they put us up overnight at at nice hotel with breakfast, and we flew out the next morning. We did lose one day of the cruise, but we would have been "stranded" at the airport for no one knows how long if we had not had insurance.

Another time for 4 1/2 days, our luggage went on another cruise line by mistake. It was very sad for us, but fortunately we had insurance coverage that helped pay for some clothing, toiletries until we got our luggage back.

brneyes

[happy traveler]

I always purchase insurance and always recommend it for others. But I have to comment on the article about choosing a policy... there was a mention of medical insurance for a white water rafting trip. Consumers should be aware that most travel insurance policies will not cover voluntary participation in dangerous sports or activities, such as sky-diving, white water rafting and running with the bulls! So be sure to speak to the insurance company directly to ask about your plans.

[soliteyah]

I've only bought it once, for our trip to Morocco last year. The airfare was pretty expensive and we were going to some remote places, so I figured it would be a good idea to protect ourselves just in case. Didn't end up using it, but I'd buy it again the next time we head to that kind of developing country.

[bakerdvd]

I always purchase insurance and always recommend it for others.

[bakerdvd]

If you're asking yourself whether you need to buy travel insurance for an upcoming trip, first look at the insurance policies you already have to see what they will cover.

[LSKahn]

I have never bought it.

There was this trip to Germany (a home exchange near the Austrian border in Bavaria) where I broke my ankle 2-3 hours after arriving. I had some medical bills from that one that I never bothered to ask my insurance company to reimburse. The hospital did charge me: About $160. That included two sets of x-rays and a brace for my ankle (in lieu of the boots often used in the US at that time) and THREE appointments. I came in for my third appointment with a fist full of cash because I had no idea of how large the bill was going to be. They said they thought I would mumble something about paying later and walk out (apparently a common practice when Europeans get injured outside their countries because their health insurance is no good in Germany). I told them that to do that would give Americans a bad name and I was not about to do that. They told me I should submit the bill to my insurance and get reimbursed. I just laughed because it would cost more to get the bill translated than I would get in reimbursement.

The ankle healed just fine. The German doctors actually wanted to operate and put in a plate--apparently standard practice there. I said I would evaluate that when I got home. Actually, I never saw the doctor at home as the ankle healed just fine. The same ankle broke 3 times in the same place. It has been a few years and no further incidents but it does have a tendency to turn over. I try to remember to pack a hiking pole to be safe rather than sorry.

With this history, I should probably buy travel insurance, but it is relatively expensive for what you get. Of course, if you have to be air lifted out for a serious injury, that would be another story. I ought to reevaluate buying insurance before my next trip. Due to doing home exchanges, changing flights is impossible once the swap is agreed to because someone else's holiday depends on you vacating your house. Once airline tickets are purchased, the only reason to cancel is death or serious injury. I had exchangers cancel once but they actually vacated their house so I could use it (and the car). They told me what they were doing a day or two before I left the US. Very honest Scottish people! I offered to put them up as my guests at any time in the future, but they never took me up on it. They were very elderly and probably never traveled again. The medical problem that caused the cancelation, by the way, turned out to be very minor.

Insofar as my broken ankle in Germany was concerned, I did have sort of holiday but not the one I intended. Obviously, I added a lot of German words for body parts to my vocabulary!

[soliteyah]

I once went to the doctor in Scotland (I was studying abroad at the time) because I wasn't feeling well, and the check-up was absolutely free. I remember being so shocked by that at the time!

We are thinking of going to Dominica for hiking, beaches, etc. this fall, and I haven't decided whether to buy travel insurance or not. We didn't last year in Belize, but because we're going to do so many active things with potential for injury, it's probably a good idea.

[brneyes]

That sounds like a good idea, but I would have to check out the area first, just in case for injuries, etc. I'm sure I would probably still take out insurance to cover myself, especially for my flight, and if I took a cruise, that probably too. There's a lot to take into consideration. I wouldn't want to ever have a health/injury, but knowing that I wouldn't have to pay for it in another country would be something else.

brneyes

[alinajoseph]

hi to all...
I thank all of you...
that was an wonderfull information....

[wvlibra]

We do buy travel insurance for trips that we book far in advance that are costly such as Hawaii trip, cruises, etc. We had to fight for several months to get reimbursed by the travel insurance company when my son had a medical emergency on the plane coming home from Hawaii and required hospitalization for a couple nights in Houston, TX and the airlines lost our luggage on the same trip. Three suitcases were never returned but the airlines reimbursed partially for contents after several months. I will always purchase travel insurance but from a different company next time.

[JohnBenjamin]

I think Travel Insurance is necessary for for long and expensive trips....

[brneyes]

My friend and I are planning on flying to do a cruise. Normally when I fly, I do not take out insurance, but since I am flying and cruising, we have decided to take out insurance. I have seen my luggage go on another ship for 4 days, so I wouldn't wish that on anyone. What an experience for about 6 of us.

I always make sure I have "one" outfit/shoes to carry with me for "just in case."

[Kayling05]

Well, on the overseas trips I've had, I have either been required to have travel insurance (my study abroad program, and I just used my student loan money to buy a basic plan through my school) or been provided it along with the program (grant program to do archeology in Fiji).

On domestic trips I've taken recently, they were so short and inexpensive I didn't bother. I don't have regular health insurance at home though, so maybe it would be a good idea in the future.

If I go to teach in France this fall, I'll be covered by "sécu" the french national health coverage, up to about 70-75% of costs. The rest I will either have to purchase private insurance or pay out of pocket, and I will probably just go out of pocket (their costs are cheaper than ours anyway). However, the sécu doesn't start til after I get my immigration papers stamped, so they recommend having travel insurance the first month or so... I know I'm at least going to buy the whole repatriation of remains dealio while I'm there (7months) but not sure if I will get extra travel coverage or just risk it like I do at home, probably the latter.

[jstonewrite]

On the topic, "Do You Need Travel Insurance," the article states:

"Lose your job before your trip? You're probably out of luck."

Not necessarily so! Please note that all of the four types of Worldwide Trip Protector plans offered by Travel Insured DO include full Trip Cancellation coverage in the event of a job termination or lay-off of you or your travel partner prior to your insured trip. This "Job Loss Protection" only requires that you have one year of continuous employment at the place of employment where your job is terminated. Lose your job and you can receive up to a full reimbursement of your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs.

[jocap]

We're often on package tours, where travel insurance is obligatory. Health insurance is a different matter...in the EU, you have a health card, which entitles you to health treatment to the level of a native to that country. Obviously, if we're outside the EU- Turkey or Egypt especially- we have extra health insurance.
We saw a sad thing in Alexandria, once, where a woman from the USA, with some serious health problems, had been cleared by her GP for travel to Europe. The lass didn't realise that Alex wasn't in a European country, and when she was struck down by a bug, she had to be hospitalised. Her relatives were fighting her insurance cover, but it was no go...Alex is Africa, and she'd only been cleared for Europe. Insurance companies seem to win in such cases.....
Jo.

[M&P on Holiday]

My husband and I both developed pre-existing conditions in the middle of travel arrangements, and we cannot say enough about the excellent advice and counsel we received from Steve Dasseos of TripInsuranceStore.com. I never realized how complicated purchasing trip insurance including medical coverage could be. Trip insurance was required to book our trip, and we had already made flight arrangements. Steve really helped us keep our panic at the thought of loosing money and canceling a 25th anniversary present in check. Travel insurance is sometimes required, but definitely necessary in our case.

[flyfish]

What travel insurance company do you use or recommend ?

[Traveling Granny]

If a trip is rather costly, to a far place, or quite some time in the future, I always buy insurance. For trips nearer home or for less money, I don't buy it. I am a bargain shopper for travel so even the most costly trips, I would not like to lose the money invested but it wouldn't bankrupt me. What I am more concerned about is the expense of medical transport home. Anything can happen on a trip including serious illness and accident. Airlines can refuse to let you board if they perceive you have a condition that might require extra attention during flight, even if the condition is not life-threatening. And special medical transport can cost a small fortune. I have heard some horror stories about this issue so though I have had no experience of that sort myself, as I have become older I want to be cautious. So I always check to see that medical transport is included in my travel insurance policy.