I've got a chance to buy a decent-priced return ticket to London from Canada but have discovered that two travel agents charge a substantially different prices for trip medical/cancellation insurance (both from Voyageaur Insurance). The problem is that the cheaper flight ticket's insurance costs over $30 more using the exact same carrier (Air Canada) and itinerary as the other agent. I assume the agent's make a commision off the insurance sale so can I purchase the insurance independently? They also tell you that you must purchase the insurance at the time of ticket purchase. Is that a scam? Again, if it is a fact, then obviously I cannot buy it on my own after purchasing the ticket. <BR>Thank-you.

I don't know about American law, but here in the UK it is illegal for a travel agent to offer a price 'on condition' that insurance is purchased. Yes it is usually a scam -and I am sure you must have some kind of similar protection in the US.

Sarah, I should clear up that it is not a condition that insurance MUST be purchased if you want the ticket...it's just that if you want the insurance it must be purchased at the same time as you purchase the ticket (you cannot decline the insurance at time of ticket purchase and then the next day come back to the same agent and purchase it. Also, what about buying cancellation insurance when purchasing directly from the airline on the internet? Air Canada does not appear to offer that service. <BR>Thanks again!

Toddie, <BR>Places like AAA used to sell inexpensive travel insurance no matter who you bought the ticket from. They changed their policy this past June and now say you must buy the ticket from them in order to buy their insurance. They use Access America as their insurer. If you go an insurance broker, such as <BR>http://www.insuremytrip.com/ they will quote you a much higher price for Access America insurance than you will get from places like AAA. I found that I could buy insurance thru Orbitz at orbitz.com for as cheaply as AAA with more options. <BR>I did buy a ticket from Orbitz and used their insurance link for very inexpensive rates-less than half quoted by the broker. I don't believe you have to buy your ticket thru them to get the insurance. Give it a try because my confirmation stated that my travel protection was purchase directly with Access America(thru the Orbitz link)and would not appear on my Orbitz intinerary. The phone number listed on my confirmation regarding Access America is: 1-877-593-4989. <BR> Needless to say, I did not renew my AAA membership after 34 years of continuous membership.

Jim--You and other irate AAA members may have gotten their message across. For my trip to Oaxaca in October with a nonprofit group, I was referred to AAA for cancellation insurance, which I did indeed buy from Access America. Fairly comprehensive policy with a decent price, I thought. But I didn't buy the trip through AAA, nor am I a member of AAA (I'm a lifelong non-driver, aka a New Yorker). You might want to find out if the policy changed.