What are people's opinions on travel insurance? Anybody recommend a good company? From what I understand it cover only airfare reinbursement in a few extreme cases and overseas emergency hospital care but does not cover lodging or car rental expenses (assumming it's to late to cancel). I guess I should just shell out the cash in case of catastrophe but my flight allows cancellation minus $150.00 per flight and a refund in case of death of relative and I'm pretty sure that my health insurance cover overseas expenses so is it really worth it?

I think when the travel insurance becomes important is for seniors as medicare does not pay medical costs out of the country. And as one ages, more things can come up to delay a trip. Otherwise you have to weigh the risks. Until I became a senior, never took it and always came out fine. However now always do, if only for the medical. Good luck. Halfpint

A couple of things

"pretty sure" you health insurance covers you won't get it. Find out!

Are you sure about that flight? Airlines have gotten very NASTY lately.

I used www.insuremytrip.com recommended by someone on this board. Very useful site.

Hi
yes I ordered Aer lingus Summer sale fare tickets which come with increased flexability. I confirmed this information under the fare rules listed for my tickets.

We had a Christmas vacation planned for a resort in Mexico this year with my sister and her two kids. Her son broke his leg playing hockey five days before the trip. We had cancellation insurance and were fully reimbursed for my sister and her son and in addition we were given a refund for the $450 single supplement charge that we had to pay because one of my teenagers now had a room to himself.

I also know people who have become seriously ill overseas and have had to be sent home by air ambulance that was fully covered by travel insurance. As far as I'm concerned it is well worth the extra cost.
Linda

I would never

Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance is especially importants if your've paid for your airline ticket (you have); prepaid your Hotels (?); prepaid tours (?), prepaid for a car (?).

And one doesn't have to be a senior or "older" to need medical care. It can be a slip or fall and whoops you have a sprain or broken leg/foot.

So as another poster indicated, check the site: www.insuremytrip.com and see what is available and best suits your situation. Read them carefully as all policies are not equal. And if you have any questions, you can always call these companies.

These policies not only cover air, hotels, car, tours and medical, even death and repatriating the body - but lost/delayed luggage, some even car insurance & other misc. So check it out, and with all available information, make your decision.

We use CSA travel insurance, based in San Diego.

Thank you for recommending that insure my trip site. It is a real time saver with everythng all laid out nicely.

Trip cancellation insurance is also useful in the event of a child or parent or traveling companion getting sick or job loss (obviously check the terms of whatever policy you are getting).

YES, YES, YES!

In 2001 on a trip to France (Point de Hoc), my mother and I had our bags stolen from our rental van. I never leave home without travel insurance. On this trip we were covered by Travelex (at that time a AAA recommended carrier). On our return, I contacted them. They sent us the necessary forms to complete. The biggest problem with their coverage was the required "receipt" for each item stolen. Well, that had me scrambling and, of course, was not able find all that I needed. They did come through, except for reimbursement costs for replacement airline tickets. (I usually get the travel insurance with the need for medical/evacuation coverage in mind)

Please keep that in mind as you plan your trip. SAVE THOSE RECEIPTS. Note: They wouldn't pay for the cost of the replacement airline tickets. Also, from what I understand many airlines are reducing the amount of reimbursement for "lost luggage" on their carriers. Another good reason to be covered.

Mom and I lost all of our cash and credit cards as well as our "identify". You can't begin to imagine the nightmare it is to get replacement passports.

Thank you again for directing me to insuremytrip. The fine print is very confusing and I had to call their 1-800 number twice to ask complicated questions and both times my call was picked up immediately without having to wait and their representative was great. Seriously I can't remember the last time I had such great customer service over the phone.

It's a risk/reward issue--basic benefit-cost analysis. We've never purchased it as the potential risks we faced never justified the cost. But we are very healthy, aren't into high risk activities, and have health insurance that covers us overseas. If we were less healthy, or were into higher risk activities, or had less inclusive insurance coverage, it might have been cost effective.

So, in 30 years of travel together, and around 10 years on my own before that, I've never purchased insurance. Saved a lot of money. But it is a gamble one way or the other. There is also the comfort factor--if it's something you'll worry about, then it might be worth buying just to ease your mind.

But there's no one answer that fits everyone's situation.

We don't buy extended warranties either.

Most people have health insurance that will "cover" them overseas. The problem is it WON'T pay until you get back home. That means you have to spend your $$$$$$ and then come home and fill out forms to get reimbursed. No problem if you have access to lots of $$$ while you are traveling. Big problem if you don't.

It is my understanding you must pay for all medical expenses out of your own pocket.Then they re-imburse you.Heaven forbid you're laid up in a hospital overseas for a week.If anyone knows of a company that pays on the spot...please let me know

Go to the Insuremytrip website and call their 1-800 number during business hours and they will probably be able to answer your question and even recommend a provider. I had a lot of questions answered this way.

Hi ...

Think you need to be slightly careful here .... I guess that most of the people responding to this topic are from the States. I'm from the UK, & as I'm covered by the National Health Service, don't have private health insurance. I suspect most UK people would be the same ??

So I would recommend UK people getting travel insurance. It covers you for things like flight delay, baggage loss, medical bills, legal costs etc. I just picked up an annual policy for Europe (including the Canaries) for 2 adults (32 & 36) for £55.

I don't travel abroad without travel insurance, there have been a number of cases where people have been flown back to the UK by air ambulance & because they have NO insurance, they end up paying the full cost (£20000-£30000) !!!!

For those of you who don't take travel insurance out ... what happens if you fall, break a leg & have to be flown home by air ambulance ... does your health insurance cover you ??

Mark

Hi ...

Just had a thought about baggage ... on my latest flight ticket .... it states the following:
"Liability for loss or damage to baggage is limited to $9.07 per pound for checked baggage & $400 per passager for unchecked baggage. Also the limit is $1250 per passager."

It also says that some carriers might not cover fragile/valuable items !!

This suggests that if you take expensive items on holiday eg.camera/laptop etc, they are unlikey to be covered by the airline !!

Mark

isplumm--depends on the particular insurance you have. And that's another factor to take into consideration when you do your benefit-cost analysis.