Safari Trip Insurance?
 

We are ready to book our trip directly with Roys Tanzania Safari for next summer but would like to get trip insurance since we risk losing 30% of the cost of the trip should an ememrgency come up. I live in the US...does anybody have suggestions of insurance company names that provide insurance even if the trip is booked dircectly with the tour company? Has anyone taken out insurance before while booking with Roys directly?

there are several threads on insurance -- if you do a search you should find them. There are web sites such as www.insuremytrip.com that gives prices and descriptions of the coverage.

We went with Sta travel which is not on that list but we heard about them here and the cost was quite a bit less than the others.

My husband and I took out Trip Insurance for the last 2 or 3 trips we took, (2 to Africa). We didn't need to put in a claim - but I feel that insurance is just that, it especially helps prevent worry about illness, medical evacuation etc.

We used TRAVELGUARD International all three times and found it very easy. Call or get on the web site about 10 days prior to your departure, because they sometimes need to mail the stickers to you. The last time it was printed out on my computer.
TEL. 1-800.826.1300 OR www.travelguard.com.
There are several other companies such as MEDEX and be sure to go on line to Insure my Trip for price comparisons - www.insuremytrip.com.
If trip delays and/or cancellations are a worry, you will find that some of these plans are better than others. I'm mostly concerned with one of us having a medical emergency in the middle of the bush and needed a Medical evacuation by helicopter - very expensive.
Best wishes on your trip. - Joan

Besides the trip insurance covering your intl air, delays, baggage, medical, dental and evacuation, etc... you should also purchase Flying Doctors Service which is an inter-/intra-country service. Should anything unforseen happen where you need to get from the bush to Nairobi - hospital or doctor - this service will pick you up by plane from out in the wilds and get you back to NBO for further support. Even if you have intl evacuation, they can't fly to the bush - Flying Doctors provides this service.

If you only need a doctor while on safari - tummy problems or other minor situations - most lodges have 24-hr doctor service on site or nearby; camps can get a doctor for you rather quickly also.

The fee for Flying Doctors is about $25/pperson for a 2-week trip ($15/pp for shorter trips) More then likely it will not be needed and the funds go to help local people should they encounter emergencies and have to get to a hospital in NBO or Arusha or Dar.

You can find Flying Doctors at: http://www.amref.org/

i bought travelex lite insurance and it has medical evacuation/repatriation in it. is this similar to the flying doctors (which isn't available in zambia)?

Dennis - As far as I know Flying Doctors at the site provided is available only for Kenya/Tanzania. You'd have to check whether there is a similar service in Zambia or other African countries one might be visiting.

I've read about people using Medjet. http://www.medjetassistance.com/index.asp?partner=.

One guy I read about was very sick with malaria. Flying Doctors flew him to Nairobi. He was afraid he wasn't getting the treatment he needed so when Medjet called to check on him he told them he needed to get home (US). They couldn't pick him up until the next evening but he said he was too sick to go that day anyway. He said a nurse from The Flying Doctors came to his room and transported him to the airport with wheelchairs, ambulances etc. They were to make the transfer on British Air in First class, where the seats fold flat into beds. The nurse rode in the seat next to him, checked on him, and handled all the logistics of travel. As they got off the plane in Dallas, the EMT's were at the gate with a gurney with two US Customs Officers. Customs was not going to allow him into the country because they were unsure what Malaria was but the nurse an EMT's assured them it was not contagious and they were satisfied.

Here's what Medjet say:
MedjetAssist is your ticket home if you become ill or are injured.

As a MedjetAssist member, if you are hospitalized virtually anywhere in the world, simply call MedjetAssist and a specially equipped aircraft with a medical team can be dispatched to bring you to your home hospital or hospital of your choice so you can be treated by your personal physician and be close to your family.


MedjetAssist is a prepaid, air medical transportation membership program -- not a travel insurance policy or health care plan. MedjetAssist was created to provide affordable, high-quality air ambulance service to individuals, families and businesses.

Lloyd's of London underwrites the program to guarantee that a transport will be available to every MedjetAssist member in time of need.

MedjetAssist transports members without regard to medical necessity. Members who are hospitalized may choose to be transported to a hospital of their choice.

There is no limit on the cost of a medical transport. And unlike travel insurance or travel platinum cards, MedjetAssist provides medical evacuations for its members both globally and domestically.

MedjetAssist's services are provided to members 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

I guess I should have proof read because I didn't make it clear that the man sick with malaria had a policy with Medjet, not flying doctors. Medjet used flying doctors but his policy/agreement was with Medjet. I don't know if the Flying Doctors policy would have covered flying him back to the states.

Even MedJet can't get you from the bush to a hospital from where MedJet can make arrangements with their own plane or as in the case above via BA. I would, however, assume that if you don't already have Flying Doctor's to get you to a viable hospital faciity in NBO (or other Arusha, DAR, ZNZ) MedJet might pay for Flying Doctors to pick one up from the bush. That's only my guess.

MetJet is an excellent service for anyone who travels regularly - even domestically, at least 50-miles from home. The annual family policy is about $300; for a single about $200. And worth every penny, when one considers what is spent on overall travel - business of pleasure; what is would cost if you had to pay for evacuation without such coverage.

Other then MedJet, all other medical evacuation programs only get you to the closest best medical facility - can be NBO, JNB, TLV, somewhere in Europe - not to your home hospital.

The fee for Flying Doctors is a small amount to pay for piece of mind in conjunction with a comprehensive insurance policy or a medical/medical evacuation only policy. On www.insuremytrip.com you will find the various options available to you.

Hopefully, you'll never need any of these insurance options, but should be considered part of your expenses when planning a trip anywhere.

I was looking for Insurance against the 30% deposit we put down in case our travel plans (a year from now). Did anyone get that kind of insurance?

Look for a comprehensive trip insurance policy that provides trip cancellation/trip interruption coverage. Make sure you purchase your insurance within X number of days of paying your initial deposit (usually 7-21 days depending on carrier) so you have coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, travel supplier default, and terrorism. Go to www.insuremytrip.com to compare policies. Read everything carefully so you understand what types of emergencies are covered and what aren't. Each insurer sets their own policies which may be different from other insurers. Don't assume all policies are the same.

Hi All,
I like Medjet. But if I were in southern Africa and needed immediate treatment I would go to Joburg or Capetown. Some of the best hospitals in the world are there. I am used to medical treatment in the USA, probably the best in the world. Certainly better the England and most other european countries.
regards - tom

Do we need medical coverage on a safari or is the operator liable for any medical events?

Why take life insurance?

What are the benefits of trip insurance and shoudl we cover our luggage.

Give me an approximate amount for 2 weeks for my wife and I so we can get some idea of what it costs before we contact an agent....

"Do we need medical coverage on a safari or is the operator liable for any medical events?"

Your operator is very unlikely to pay your hospital bill. Medical coverage is necessary if your regular insurer doesn't cover you out of the country. Check with them first. Also, most regular insurance won't cover the cost of emergency evacuation.

"Why take life insurance?"

Because somebody back home depends on you financially, and would be greatly inconvenienced if you "kicked the bucket"?

"What are the benefits of trip insurance and shoudl we cover our luggage."

If you need to cancel or interrupt the trip for one of the covered reasons, you won't lose the non-refundable money you've spent. Most trip insurance throws in the luggage insurance as part of the package.

"Give me an approximate amount for 2 weeks for my wife and I so we can get some idea of what it costs before we contact an agent...."

Can't do it. A quote depends on how much your spending on the non-refundable portion, the ages of the travelers, what country you're travelling to, what state (if you're a US citizen) you live in, and what you want included in the package.

Go to www.insuremytrip.com and enter your parameters. You'll many quotes for your trip.

www.insuremytrip.com

is an excellent resource showing detailed policies from well known providers and you have the ability to compare policies being offered. Check out the site and read all policies carefully... if any questions, they provide an 800# so you can speak with a human for clarification and answers.

Whether you take out a Comprehensive policy that covers interruption/cancellation, travel and baggage delays, baggage loss, medical/dental and medical evacuation; or Medical/dental and Medical evacuation only. Some outfitters will not take you on safari if you don't at least have Medical and Medical Evacuation insurance... you have to provide them with our insurance confirmation particulars, before you get in your safari vehicle or on an internal flight. So I would suggest you at least have these last two.

Even young healthy people with no medical problems, can have an accident - a slip, a fall, a broken leg or arm resulting. Don't chance it! Obtain insurance regardless where you're traveling worldwide. More than likely you'll never have to use them, but they provide a certain sense of comfort should the unforeseen happen. Besides, if you had to pay for evacuation on your own.... lots and lots of money, you'll max out your credit cards if you even have the limit to pay for this.

Rarely will insurance cover your deposit, but more often then not, these deposits can be applied to a trip at a later date within 6-months to 1-year.

Do, also know your blood type and that of your travel companion/partner, just in case.

You've paid a good amount of money for a vacation, protect as much of it in case "something" occurs. Travel with some piece of mind - get the insurance.