kat12

I have never used travel insurance, but it's something I should consider for an upcoming trip to Europe. Is this something that can be purchased through the airline when the tickets are purchased or is it purchased through a separate company? Also should I look into purchasing airline tickets with an option for rescheduling? Which is the better option? Thanks in advance!

sfgirl42

I get travel insurance and while I've never had to use it, I feel safer with it. Airlines don't sell it.
I get mine via a link on my travel agent's website. I know, everyone books online or such; I (for medical reasons) want two seats and since my flights are always LAX to CDG, one of the travel agents who specializes in handling Air Tahiti Nui (love the company!) has been able to get me special fares which usually beat anything I could find online, assigned seating from the time of booking and all sorts of other services which save me stress and bother (and don't cost anymore).
They recommend CSA Travel Protection (.com) and since I've bought from other companies I know they're price competitive.
You can do a search on travel forums for 'travel insurance recommendations' and then do price and value comparisons.
For full coverage (such as strike insurance) you need to have the policy in effect within a couple of days of booking your flight.
As far as rescheduling, that kind of flight is much more expensive....
I see the Lufthansa pilots (who fly a Lufthansa owned company planes, but not with the Lufthansa name) are on strike. With BA strikes ongoing, AA possibly facing a strike, I think it is more important to think about when you want to go, and find an airline that isn't having union problems.
I know BA was offering some super low fares and I'm sure some people decided to travel because the low fares made travel affordable...and now are confronted with lots of problems...
Hope you find something to suit your needs and enjoy your trip.

avalon

Actually American Airlines does sell it. Look at insuremytrip, you can compare policies. If you have a pre-exsisting condition make sure you buy the insurance shortly after you make your first purchase

Melnq8

kat12 -

Be sure to read the fine print, as travel insurance is full of loopholes.

I never buy it for myself, but I recently did some extensive research on travel insurance for my brother who needed it for a trip to Australia. Not all companies offer 'cancel for any reason' and those that do, require that you purchase the insurance no later than 7-21 days (varies by company) after booking your trip, so if you need that coverage, buy it as soon as you can.

I found this site extremely helpful - they provide side-by-side comparisions of the different polices and are quick to respond should you have any questions.

http://www.tripinsurancestore.com/

Of course, you'll never know how good it is until you file a claim, but hopefully you (and my brother) won't have to find out!

hetismij

Make sure you are covered for health care. Your own health insurance may cover but if not you must have health insurance for your trip. Do not assume you will get free treatment in Europe. Health care in Europe can be as expensive as in the US for the uninsured.

kat12

Thank you all for your suggestions! You've given me a lot of helpful information!

Travelnut

I can report that we had Trip Cancellation Insurance with TravelSafe in fall of 2008. My husband had stent placement one week before we were supposed to leave for Paris. We cancelled the trip and rescheduled it for 5 weeks later. TravelSafe paid for the airline change fees and fare increases, and also for increase over original hotel room rate. The claim was straight-forward and payment made without delays.

bettyk

Glad to hear that about TravelSafe, Travelnut. We just purchased a TravelSafe Vacation policy with them for our September trip.

I really like www.squaremouth.com. They allow you to filter the different policies by your priorities (pre existing condition, trip cancellation, etc) and then compare them side by side.

As already mentioned, if you want a "cancel for any reason" policy, then time is of the essence. You must book within a certain time period after you make your first trip payment, whether it is airfare, hotel or tour.

yorkshire

I also noticed Delta offering travel insurance when I purchased tickets, but I would recommend using a separate company. I always use http://www.travelinsured.com/, but luckily I have never had to use it!

Dayenu

"Airlines don't sell it." - I was offered insurance by Delta when making reservations for flight to Europe. The price was OK, not sure which insurance company.

I needed a combo for flight + cruise, so I got another after searching "InsureMyTrip" - they have great somparison with option to sort by your criteria.

Like with the airlines, when I look them up on Orbitz, then make reservations on the airline website, I picked one on InsureMyTrip, went to that company website, and paid there.

CarolA

The airlines policy has some "issues" For example here in the US the policy sold by one airline did not cover THAT airline defaulting and going out of business... so they were stuck.

Airline policies also may not cover your hotel, etc. It's probably not what you needed.

Underhill

Buying insurance very soon after you pay for your initial trip cost is important for covering pre-existing conditions as well as getting a cancel-for-any-reason option.

HImom

As has been said, be sure to read the fine print of any policy BEFORE You purchase. We considered buying trip insurance for our S when he was flying to Australia with his band but the coverage did not look very robust and would likely not have provided much/any protection for his pre-existing health condition. Especially if you are concerned about health, read the policy CAREFULLY so you know what is and is not covered.

jaja

Continental Airlines also offers travel insurance.