I suggest looking at http://www.squaremouth.com/ or www.insuremytrip.com/index.html?linkId=13267

At those sites you can compare policies from any number of companies and for any ranges/types of coverage that will suit you. Through them I have purchased many policies from companies such as TravelGuard, Travelex, MH Ross, and Travel Insured.

Insurance of all types, a gamble, insure only that which if you lost, would bring catastrophe to your life.

I don't do travel insurance. If I lose my luggage, my plane flight, two days in camp, I'm sad but I'm not financially ruined. But if I have to be flown home for medical emergency, I lose a LOT of money ($50,000?). So I do have extra medical insurance. Also because (unlike USA) some foreign hospitals/doctors will not treat you unless you can prove insurance or pay up-front.


FWIW, a while back we here looked at travel insurance and found its cost averaged about 14% of the trip cost. 14% is 1 in 7. Or, if you insure 7 trips you have paid out the cost of a trip. Take your choice - insure 7 trips, or don't and your next trip is free!!!

Having said all that, for some people having the "peace of mind" of insurance is worth a lot. Fine, your money, your choice.

regards - tom
ps - I just completed my 8th safari, none of my first 7 were insured. Thus this 8th one was free . Time to start planning the next series of 7

I agree about evac insurance, which can be bought separately or as part of the package. Travel Guard is a well known name in travel insurance. I've bought it, never used it.

Like tom, I don't insure my travel but always get med/evac insurance. I use insuremytrip.com, put $0 in the box that asks and see what comes up. For me, minimums are $50,000 med (double is better), $1,000,000 evac. Check your insurance, but I am not covered outside the US - and Medicare does not cover outside the US. Last year it cost us less than $200 for two of us for three weeks in S Africa.

Most flight tickets can be reused for a fee. Your homeowners or renters insurance will cover lost luggage/clothing/most belonging (though electronics might not be, depending on type of policy) even if away from home.

What's left then is medical/dental and medical evacuation and possible trip interruption (other than medical)... so that's what's left to insure.

If you have to cancel trip before it starts or interruption of your trip is an issue - accident or even delay before starting (as Jury Duty... which you can often get out of, or job loss... sorry if this happen) - as unforeseen illness or death at home... you purchase a Comprehensive policy that covers everything. If not, then you can purchase medical/dental and medical evacuation only.

Personally, I never leave home without some sort of insurance for any holiday that is prepaid*... sometimes it's a Comprehensive policy, others only Med/Evac.

* I even spend the extra $25-35 for insurance covering a trip within the States or to Canada. It won't break the bank and is for my peace of mind.

Your decision.

I figure it like Tom does - analyze the risk, the effect on my finances and move on. The only time I've ever purchased any insurance was MedEvac when we went to Southeast Asia, although as we age, I think we will just keep MedEvac in effect like we keep medical insurance in effect - by buying the annual MedJetAssist policy - even if we're traveling in the US (where medical care other than in our home state won't really be an issue like it might be in, say, Hanoi), eventually, we'd still have to get home, and if that would require special treatment (like when my BIL had to be flown in first class from Brazil to LA because he had to lie down the whole way, for which, by the way, Travel Guard paid the entire bill), I'd like to not have to cover that out of pocket.

That all said, Tom, I wonder where you got the 14% figure from. The annual MedJet policy for two people was $335, which would translate to $2392 using 14%. Surely your safaris run more than that?

tom was talking about insuring the travel part not just med/evac.

sf7307 - go to like insuremytrip (link above) enter trip cost of say $10,000 for perhaps 2 weeks -
http://www.insuremytrip.com/quote/?quoteId=l5ZSH5VSKRuJ#,vlist

Quotes from $300 to $1,500. My 14% cost (14 percent of trip cost) may be on the high side. The 4 Travel Guard quotes range from $500 to $1,100.

regards - tom

I always take out travel insurance and have had good experiences with Travelguard. I had to use the insurance twice. Once, my mom had become ill and Travelguard refunded the entire $6,000. I had paid for a trip for myself and my son. The second time, my friend cancelled because her husband had gotten ill. The tour company charged me the single supplement. Travelguard refunded me the single supplement after I supplied a letter from the doctor treating my friend's husband. Some adventure tour companies (such as the one I traveled with to Ghana and the one I am traveling with to Ethiopia will not allow you to begin the trip unless you show them proof of a certain amount of travel insurance.

Lorraine