Travel Insurance-what constitutes

I am not in that age group, but I traveled recently to southern Africa with a couple who are in that bracket. They were quite pleased with this website (see below) and eventually chose a policy underwritten by Travel Guard. (I also bought one from TG; this was the first time I had ever bought insurance for a trip but we had to lay out a large amount upfront and I thought it wise)

I think you should put down costs based on the total that you are paying for upfront and would therefore lose if you could not travel. So not wine and hotel only if you were to lose a deposit upon cancelling.
Not car rental, unless you are planning to pay upfront and cannot get a refund, which is unlikely. Flights, yes, if they are non-cancellable. Also, check first with your credit card company and see what kind of protection they offer.

www.insuremytrip.com

I put the airfare, any prepaid travel costs (tours, hotels paid in advance, rail tickets bought in advance, etc), and then round up. Anything you haven't paid for that you would not get to do or see does not need to be covered.

I use Insuremytrip.com for comparisons...last two times, I've bought the "cancel for any reason" type of policy b/c of work concerns and two 84-yr old parents. I think there are two companies offering that extra coverage; I've bought from: www.travelsafe.com

I think it's basically any cost that you cannot recover if you have to cancel at the last minute, or maybe a cost you might incur if something goes wrong (like missing a plane or train connection).

I make it very small because it is the most important determinant of how expensive the policy will be, and it's not that important to me. When I buy trip insurance, for me, it's mainly for the medical or evacuation, not to cover some minor tickets due to delays, and I have never bought an airfare ticket that had more than a $100-200 change fee.

It definitely cannot be the cost of a glass of wine at a cafe, how could that be a trip cancellation cost.

I don't think it includes the limits that are defined under other coverage -- ie, it is not the medical costs. It would not include hotel costs except a nonrefundable deposit or perhaps one day fee if you cancel at the last minute. Just be aware that the amount of money you put in there drastically affects the cost of the policy.

Since medical evacuation coverage seems to be a concern you might take a look at joining Divers Alert Network, as membership includes worldwide medical evacuation coverage for you and a spouse for a single annual fee ($35, I think) www.dan.org

In terms of trip cost, add in whatever yo are paying - air, hotel, etc - they ask this because it is used in calculating coverage levels.

Thank you Travelnut for your information about "canceling for any reason" insurance. I have been so torn about what to do with regards to scheduling our trip for next year because my mother is extremely ill right now and we have no idea what the future holds. Your info gives me tremendous peace of mind that I can cancel due to her illness as well as for any other reason. As usual, all the info I desire is somewhere here at Fodors! Thank you

If there's an existing illness you need to be sure you declare it when buying the insurance, otherwise it might end up being invalid.

With the policies that I have purchased, the cost is based on everything you have prepaid.

We usually do not have many prepaid expenses, and therefore the policy cost is relatively low.

I too purchase it mainly for the medical evacuation part.

Usually pre-existing conditions are covered if you purchase the policy within so many days of making your trip reservation. But check each policy carefully for this qualifier.

It's not that I have any pre-existing conditions but I would like the option of canceling the trip in the event that my mom, who is not traveling with us, takes a turn for the worse and we decide to stay home with her. Or in the event something happens to one of our kids...just so many things can happen in the course of a year that I really like the option of "canceling for any reason".

Yes, but as your mother is already ill now, if you don't mention that when you get the insurance, and then need to cancel because she gets worse, the insurance co could say you would not have got the deal you did get if you had declared it/that it was a forseeable occurrence, refuse to pay out, and then you might just as well not have bought the insurance in the first place.

Oh, that's a good point. I will be sure to disclose that when I buy the insurance. I just thought I had to disclose info about our health.

Additionally, it looks like I cannot interrupt the trip for any reason, only cancel it. Since we will be in Europe for three months, I wonder if I should buy three different policies for each month we will be there instead of one for a three month trip up front. Of course I will call the insurance company to verify that I can actually do this.

How would any of you handle this situation. I guess I just have to really review each and every reservation we will make to actually see just how much upfront outlay of money we will have to make. Although the cost of the trip will be high, the actual part to be reimbursed will probably be about 20-30% of the total.

Thanks for your input.

yy -
you don't need three different policies. You need a trip cancellation and interruption policy that also includes medical and medical evacuation coverage - there are many of them on the market. And before you jump to conclusions about having got reveal your mother's pre-existing illness, I have never heard of the requirement to disclose any condition in anyone other than the insured. Your best bet is to check a site like www.insuremytrip.com, perhaps even call them. They have been very helpful to me in the past.

If you want to buy the cancel for any reason insurance I believe that you have to do so within a short time after paying for your prepaid trip expenses (e.g., plane ticket, etc). Presumably so you don't buy it after you've decided to change your mind about going on a trip. If you look in the recommended www.insuremytrip.com website, look under the FAQs and there are only a couple of policies that offer that option. Note that the cancel for any reason coverage is in addition to the price quoted.

I agree that the customer service on the website is very good and the people are quite helpful. I just purchased my second policy (with the cancel for any reason) for an upcoming trip. Although I haven't had to cancel a trip yet, so I don't know how well it works, I certainly feel a lot better about planning my trip and incurring a lot of prepaid expenses (plane tickets, apt rental) knowing that if we need to cancel we can.

yy4me: I agree w/ Seamus. Your mother's condition has absolutely nothing to do w/ your trip or the insurance policy. You are insuring yourselves/your trip. You would have to report any pre-existing conditions of yours - but not of your mother, cousin, next door neighbor or maiden aunt.

Hope things work out for your Mom.

Yes, carefully read everything. The 'cancel for any reason' won't pay ALL your expenses, but up to 75% of prepaid and covered expenses. The main difference between that policy and the others is a more liberal cancellation.

When you research individual policies, take time to read the fine print on medical evacuation. For most policies this means transporting you to the nearest hospital to where you get sick or are injured--NOT to your home country/town. So read carefully.

A mother's illness does have something to do with the policy, if that would be used as a reason for cancellation. I would definitely check with the policy you pick to make sure it would cover cancellation due to an illness of a relative, if it were based on a pre-existing condition. I don't think it's a matter of having to disclose it, it's just a matter of whether that would be covered or not. There are policies that waive pre-existing conditions, anyway, I always get one of those. All you have to do is buy it within a short time of making your first payment.

I thought trip interruption did refer to some things like that, illness of a close family member for which you had to return.

I would also check about the idea that if you are gone 90 days, you can buy 3 30-day policies. I doubt it, I think it would probably violate the contract if you would claim the start trip date was Nov 1st and it really was Sept 1st, but check on that. I think the date they ask for is the beginning of the trip, not the date you say you want coverage to start on a trip you are already on. Travel insurance policy premiums are based on actuarial projections of travelers on short trips, they aren't meant to be insurance for long periods (which have different risks). There are policies that can be extended beyond 30 days, though, they all do not require a return with 30 days. Travelex, for example, gives you the option of a price up to 6 months or something, as I recall.

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses. So far none of the sites I've read will let us interrupt our trip for any reason except those having to do with ourselves; illness, injury etc. I will keep checking though and reading the fine print. Thank you janisj for your kind thoughts about my mom. We have an appointment with City of Hope in Los Angeles next week...hopefully something good will come from it. Thank you again for your suggestions.

yy4me: Check the FAQ'a on Insure My Trip. One covers your situation -- "cancel for any reason"

From the website: "Cancel For Any Reason comprehensive benefits are now available to InsureMyTrip.com customers. The following companies offer the Cancel For Any Reason option:

AIG Travel Guard
Global Alert!
TravelSafe

To qualify for the benefit, you must:

Purchase the plan within fifteen (15) days of your first trip deposit/payment; Insure all prepaid Trip costs that are subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions and also insure within 15 days of the payment for those arrangements the cost of any subsequent arrangements added to your trip; and
Cancel your Trip two (2) days or more before your Scheduled Trip Departure Date.

To take advantage of this new benefit, click the button below to get a quote and select a plan from AIG Travel Guard, Global Alert!, or TravelSafe. Remember to select the Cancel For Any Reason option when you purchase the plan.

I am looking for trip insurance for my mother medical and medical evac primarily. ON the insure my trip website when it ask for cost of trip. The only thing we have pre paid is airline tickets is that the amount she would enter for cost of trip? Since hotels are just pay as we go.

Thanks

Anything you've already paid, or would have paid at the point you needed to cancel. Because they won't give you money you haven't spent.