Re your trip insurance, the $150 seems low for your trip. With which company are you purchasing the insurance? Does the policy you are purchasing include your international air tickets and prepaid land (safari)? Did you cover for a Comprehensive plan (including cancellation, interruption, flight & baggage delay, baggage loss, medical/dental and medical evacuation).

Sandy: I am using AIG Protect Assist. The lower cost is because my airfare is through AAdvantage miles (no direct cost). The land portion of the safari for two is approximately $5000. The medical is their top tier $300,000 evacuation, etc, and includes the extras you listed. Also by signing up within 14 days of my deposit, there is a waiver of any pre-existing conditions. AIG from my experience is a top insurance company. The others listed seemed to be off the wall.

"off the wall " is not good, but what is worse is an insurance company that is not fair in settling claims. Do you have any experience with making a claim/collecting on insurance from AIG? Anyone else?
regards - tom

Not familiar with AIG for this particular insurance, but that $150 jumped out at me and seemed real low, even for $5000 land only. And the 14-day purchase (some companies require 7/days or 21/days) is usual for pre-existing conditions. As long as you feel this covers you sufficiently... hey, it's insurance, that we hope we never need.

Yeah, but hey, sure I buy it hoping I won't need it, BUT if I need it, I REALLY NEED IT. (I don't buy insurance to cover incidental losses). And if it doesn't cover what I need, then I've lost once in buying it and twice maybe BIG TIME (medical) if it is not good for what I wanted/needed.
regards - tom

Tom and Sandi:
Thank you for your thoughtfulness and concern about the insurance. I checked it out and confirmed the following. AIG TravelGuard is the largest travel insurer in the US (6 million policies), and it covers the trip from the time I get on the plane to my arrival at home. But, based on your help, I upgraded slightly (to $175 each for $350 total) to make their insurance primary to my full US HMO emergency coverage, and also to double the medical ($50,000 each and $1,000,000 emergency ecacuation amounts). I appreciate and value your advice, and now can go back to the fun planning and getting ready.

And thanks for your follow up. I am going to check AIG and compare it against TravelGuard, the one I usually use. Wonder if they are one and the same?
regards - tom

Tom:
They are the same company. They have three major policies. TravelGuard, TravelGuard Extended and Travel Protect Assist. The later is the most comprehensive. (The one I took, along with the $22 Umbrella with the extra features). My pleasure to recripricate.

in addition to the standard travel insurance you may want to look into med jet assist. it is an annual membership like AAA that covers you anytime you are 250 miles from home. the reason we bought it before our safari last year was because almost all insurances get you to the nearest appropriate hospital which would most likely be nairobi or johannesburg. you are then on your own from there. Med Jet Assist will medivac you to the hospital of YOUR choice. They will send jet, doctor, nurse, etc to bring you all the way home. it is not very expensive (about $200 as i recall) and covers you for the whole year. www.medjetassistance.com is the website. i really think they have a great product.

Goodness, if you had said Travel Guard then that would be familiar to most travelers... AIG, just threw me for this type of insurance.

As to Medjet, yes they will get you to hospital of your choice, but even with the others, it's not unusual to initially get you to a hospital in NBO. When stabilized for travel, the insurer will fly you home, so you're not really on your own. As an individual, policy premiums are quite reasonable in addition to a cancellation/interruption policy. And if anyone is a regular traveler, anywhere, the annual Medjet policy for single, is about $200; a family is a deal at about $300.

Is 'Humphrey' affiliated with Sardius Tours in some way?

Sandi:
My apologies for calling it AIG instead of TravelGuard. They are the same. Rookie mistake on my part. In any case, thanks to you and the others for your input.

Just to put a final point on the Travel Guard Insurance. In addition to medical, cancellation, etc., it also Tour Operator/Airline Defaultat 100%. This was something I originally worried about by using a Kenyan tour operator. They did ask for an ASTA number, which I provided to them. Atravelynn: I haven't even left and I am suffering from "addiction for life". Thanks.

I sure wish JAYINTX would respond on how his safari went with Sardius. Are you out there JAY???

I just received a quote from Sardius for a 12 day safari/beach holiday staying mostly at the wildlife lodges (read: not 5 star from what i've hear) and they quoted me $4300 for 1 person. I know that I am going during high season, but this seems steep from what others have posted. I am a little weary about Sardius....