schmerl

Goddesstogo, Good for you! As far as insurance, if you have pre-existing conditions, make sure you get the insurance within 14 days of your initial booking date.

KTtravel

Great news. Have a wonderful trip!

goddesstogo

Yikes​​​ ​​​​​I didn't know that!
And the first price we were given seems high but I don't really know since I've never bought travel insurance before. I'm going to shop around a bit.
I thought this was going to be a breeze but this part is stressful.
​​
And thanks, KTtravel!

schmerl

Travel/health insurance is high. It usually runs about 10% of the cost of the trip depending on your age and how much coverage you want. Contact Allianz for insurance. We had good luck with them. The guy I spoke to was very helpful and explained everything clearly.

goddesstogo

I've sent an email off to our finance company. The woman I work with there helped us in March with a tiny top-up of our insurance and coincidentally Allianz is the company they used for that. I'd be happy to save even a couple of hundred bucks. This is a very expensive trip and seems to get more costly every day!
I can't wait till we actually go and I can stop thinking about the cost and just spend fun money there.

thursdaysd

You can compare travel insurance policies at insuremytrip.com and squaremouth.com. I buy mine from Seven Corners, but I have only ever bought medical and medical evacuation/repatriation insurance. Buying from a travel agent or company (e.g. airline or cruise company) is usually not the best idea. Does your health insurance cover you abroad? (Hint: Medicare generally does not.)

There have been several threads here on travel insurance, you might try a search.

goddesstogo

The finance company's plan is slightly lower than the travel agency's plan. I'd be surprised if they both didn't use Allianz but I'm not sure about that.
Thanks, thursdaysd, I'm going to take a look at those threads now.

schmerl

goddesstogo, Yes, the trip is expensive, but ours was worth every penny. I was in awe most of the time.

goddesstogo

I'm really looking forward to going, schmerl! I'm sure I'm going to love it.
Re the travel insurance (and I've done more reading about travel medical insurance than I'd ever want to do again!), it seems the two companies do use two difference insurance agencies. In my reading, if I understand it correctly, there's a "standard policy" where you have to fill out a long medical questionnaire, and a "personalized policy" where you are just asked a few medical questions.
I don't have any pre-existing conditions. My SO had a heart attack 12 years ago and had a shunt put in but has been stable ever since. "Stable" in medical travel insurance seems to be 90 or 180 days. I hope I've got this all right.
Going with the one that requires the medical form will save us about $400 in total.
Can anyone tell me what the form is like, e.g. how long is it, how detailed are the questions, am I going to have to have doctors fill out any part of it? I'm not afraid of the form -- I just want it to be less annoying and time-consuming.
Advice? (both plans offer the same benefits)
1. More expensive plan (by $200/pp) that just asks some medical questions
or
2. Less expensive plan that just asks 'some medical questions'?

goddesstogo

Correction re above (because I'm too late to edit):
1. More expensive plan (by $200/pp) that just asks some medical questions
or
2. Less expensive plan that requires the medical questionnaire?

thursdaysd

I have never had to fill in a form for travel medical insurance.

Who are these policies with? Did you look at the sites I posted above?

goddesstogo

I did, thursdaysd, but those are US companies and I don't feel confident that the requirements are the same for Canadians. Both policies presented to me are from reputable companies, so I'm not worried about that.
I've also looked at an independent Canadian site which talked about travel insurance in general.
You may just be too young to be required to complete a medical form. Here that requirement starts at 60.

thursdaysd

No, I am over 70. However, I had forgotten that we were talking about Canada.

goddesstogo

Yah, so I guess the requirements are different here. Thanks anyway.

schmerl

I was wondering the same thing as well, since I didn't really have to fill out any medical forms. However, I'm in the US.

goddesstogo

Done! The Allianz insurance from my finance company was considerably cheaper (about $400pp) than the other one and I was walked through the medical form online pretty quickly. It was exactly the same insurance package.
So yay! Now all I have to do is sit back and relax and read the Fodor's Israel threads till it's time to pack. And pray for no covid, no family emergencies, no dire illnesses, no rain of locusts or toads. You know, the usual stuff.
Thanks, everyone, for all your wonderful help!

schmerl

Good for you. I hope you report back after your trip.

goddesstogo

Absolutely! It's been years since I've been able to write a travel report and I'll be happy to do it!

GaryCA

Maybe this is too late, but I like Adventures Abroad.

goddesstogo

We're already booked, GaryCA, but thanks anyway. Your suggestion may help someone else who's looking at this thread for their own information.