dmkujat

How many of you, especially you who travel internationally purchase travel insurance for your trip? Have you ever needed to access it? (Trying to make a decision whether or not to buy it for an upcoming trip to France....decisions, decisions....)

USNR

Some travelers will turn thumbs down on this type of coverage, but those who have had problems covered by this type of insurance will tell you how extremely helpful and valuable it has been for them.

On a South American trip, for example, my wife fell and broke her wrist on Grand Cayman. Fortunately, she was able to continue and returned to the States for further medical care (you wouldn't believe the condition of the medical centers we encountered in South America -- awful!).

She had a full year of therapy once the cast was removed. All this was covered by our travel insurance. Remember, Medicare covers nothing once you leave the States.

If she had had to be air evacuated, that too would have been covered, as well as many other incidental expenses.

Read your policy coverage carefully. All coverage is not the same.

Having traveled all over the world for the past 30 years, we are firm believers in travel coverage, having had all sorts of experiences at home and overseas. The peace of mind, although not part of the coverage, is priceless.

We, too, are bound for France next month. We leave fully covered by our travel policy -- and you should be, too.

ggnga

Last October I got very sick and hospitalized 1 1/2 days after returning from Europe trip. but by the grace of God...

I had purchased some of the time before, but will always do so now to cover medical and medical evacuation.
I go on insuremytrip.com and do a comparison. A note, purchase soon after booking to get preexisting conditions covered. I have asthma so this important to me.

gracejoan3

You will find people who don't believe in insurance of any kind. I take travel insurance for my trips. All you need to do is read one of the reports of someone who has been in an accident or something and that will convince you. I do like the "comfort" of medical evacuation insurance. It is a personal issue.

AisleSeat

We have bought the insurance for most of our trips and on one occasion by wife was very ill the day we were supposed to leave so we had to cancel. The insurance covered the lost $ for airfare and hotels. It was about $1100 in all.

Another situation, my wife's cousin fell in the Vatican and broke her hip. She was hospitalized for several days and her husband stayed in hotels until they could be evacuated. They had to bring a nurse with them on the plane. I don't know the total on this one but I have heard stories of this type of event costing over $100,000. The cousin was VERY glad they bought the insurance.

GoSox

Along with the medical coverage while out of the country, it also depends on the money paid up front. If you have puchased a package or tour and the trip is paid for in advance, it is usually well worth the small amount of money for travel insurance so you can get your money back if you cannot travel.

Ann1

We travel to Europe often. I would never leave without travel insurance. First of all it covers medical. Even if your own insurance covers it, this picks up the rest. I have had family members sick in Europe. I have also had to cancel trips because of a family member getting sick before we leave. It covers car rental insurance, lost luggage, trip cancellation, interuption, etc. Hopefully you will never have to use it, but it feels really good knowing you have it. We use CSA. One note....One time awhile ago before airlines started refusing to issue refunds for illness, we had to cancel a trip because of illness. It was more than 10 days before the trip. I cancelled everything with no problems. I contacted the insurance company and told them I had no loss. They said that since I notified them more than 10 days in advance of the trip, they refunded my money. Now I understand airlines don't refund for illness even with a dr's note.

DeborahAnn

The one and only time we took out trip insurance is the only time our bags did not arrive when we did. We had baggage delayed insurance so we were reimbursed up to $150.00 per person for purchases we made until we were reunited with our luggage. We have traveled to Europe since then and not taken out insurance, just didn't think it necessary. This year we are going to Italy and have already purchased travel insurance. It's probably an over reaction to tales of pickpockets, renegage taxi drivers, thieves lurking around every corner but it just seems right for this trip. It probably means our lugguge will get misplaced again, but we'll be insured. Deborah

furs

If you can afford to pay $50,000 in case you need an emergency med-evac, then don't do it.

Intrepid1

Are you talking about a travel insurance policy which simply covers costs if you have to cancel, or a policy which covers emergencies and possible air evacuations?

For the latter I would say if you feel there is any remote possibility that you may need those services an insurance policy could end up saving you thousands.

Whether or not you will need it is always "the" question but how much money are you willing to pay for peace of mind?

victoria_reynolds

We get travel insurance, even though we're relatively young and healthy. The feedback I got from people on this forum was that the travel insurers were quick to honor their policies, which was my concern. You never know when a family member might have a life threatening injury or illness. This might be someone at home, or a traveling companion. As for medical evacuation coverage, frankly, I can't self-insure for $100000+, so it is peace of mind. The only caveat I noticed is that airlines, etc, in financial trouble (includes United, etc) are not covered...so do be aware of the exclusions when you book. Unless you are an avowed risk taker, it makes sense to pay a few hundred dollars to protect your investment and reduce your stress level.

parisnow

I never bought travel insurance before 9-11 and never had a problem. We left for Europe 6 days after 9-11. We decided to buy insurance for that trip. My elderly mother was tripped in Germany. Fell and broke her hip. Insurance was a life saver since medicare will not cover outside the U.S. Second time I bought travel insurance, my father passed away while I was in Ireland. What you need to do is check out your current medical insurance...alot of credit card companies cover plane cancellations/lost luggage/reservations. See if you are duplicating and decide what is right for you.

donco

We've had to use it twice when older parent was hospitalized on eve of trips. Glad to have had it. There was a technical difference between cancelling and postponing-sorry I can't remember how our re-planning was affected. I vote yes!

rex

As one of the naysayers, I'll add a few perspectives from the other side - - mostly reasons why even a naysayer should be in favor of insurance for certain trips.

If you are on Medicare, you should buy insurance (I think - - though I have no idea about costs or likely benefits for travelers this age).

If it took you more than five years to sae the money for your trip to Europe, then you woud likely want to consider both medical/evacuation insurance AND trip interruption insurance.

If you are financially risk-adverse, then beaware that you should investigate insurance choices before (or simultaneously with) the day you spend ANY money on a trip. Many insurance companies have a very narow window of time (10 days, two weeks or less) from the time you buy a plane ticket, book a tour, etc - - and when you have to exclude all pre-existing conditions, or put other restrctions on your benefits.

Having said that, my own travel experience is 24 trips to Europe (32 total outside the US), reflecting about 100 "person trips" and I never personally purchased insurance for me or any family member, nor advised it for anyone I traveled with. That's $10,000 to $30,000 "saved"; likewise over 30+ years, I figure that I have saved "many" thousands (3? 5? more?) on declined inurnce when renting cars - - and I have paid out slightly less than $2000 on car rental (minor) calamities. Have I (and others I traveled with) put that "saved" money to good use - - to furthr build up the "nest egg" financial cushion I should have, to protect me from losses? No, not as well as I should - - I have probably just traveled more - - I am, after all, not nearly as wealthy as I could have or should have become.

The way the OP asked the question(s), you will selectively hear from the tip of the iceberg - - those who benefitted from insurance; survey a THOUSAND people in your own home town and ask them "do you have flood insurance? have you ever collected anything on it?"

Insurance questions inevitably produce "lifesaver" storie from the few - - and "never thought about it" from the multitudes.

Best wishes,

Rex

Kate

This seems an odd question to me, coming from a country (UK) where travel insurance is taken without thinking. What's more, it's incredibly cheap here, to get full coverage for all medical, theft, losses, cancellations, you name it. I can get covered for a whole year from about £100, and a single trip for less than £20, so what's the reason not to do it?

I even now get it free from my bank as part of my current account package.

Is it very expensive in the States?

BTilke

Yes, I side with Kate on this one. We just bought annual travel insurance, up to £1 million, I think, for £100, covering my husband and I.
Last year, we had travel insurance that included veterinary care and it came in handy when our cocker accidentally swallowed a small wasp and became very ill, needing x-rays, examination, treatment, etc. in Angers.

amelia

We do buy trip insurance when the largest % of our trip money is being put in the hands of others. We are willing to take a hit on airfare, etc and we have really good medical coverage, so for our independent travel, which is probably 75% of the time, we don't buy it.

If we have to use services of a tour for adventure travel, then absolutely, we buy it. The upfront costs make the travel insurance costs reasonable.

We shop each time for the policy whose caveats meet our needs at the time (I must have pre-existing condition coverage, and so on).

USNR

Kate: you raised interesting points.

Travel insurance in America covers various aspects of the journey, and you pick and choose among many variables. The coverage purchased determines the final charge. I can buy just trip-cost coverage. Another person may choose to add health-care insurance because their Medicare coverage ceases at the water's edge. It soon becomes a Christmas-tree type of purchase, and the costs mount and mount. I would say, on average, that it runs about 3% to 5% of one's total trip cost. Do others agree or disagree?

logos999

I am paying 8€ a year for unlimited travel health insurance abroad incl. med-evac. I did have to use it once, when I was admitted to hospital in NZ. The cost of 4 days were about 4500 NZ$. I got my money back about 6 weeks later. It's a major German insurance company. I don't know for sure if foreigner can get a policy, but it may be worth a try.

walkinaround

kate has an excellent point but i think the difference is that many american health insurance policies cover overseas illness (at least to some degree).

However, a european traveling in america (for example) typically has no coverage at all there. He can be wiped clean as anyone who has set foot in an american casualty knows. therefore, only the most reckless would take such a trip with no travel insurance.

Perhaps I am willing to risk lost luggage or a stolen camera but i am not willing to risk no medical coverage in a place like the US.