Our safari operator offers free medical -baggage insurance,but trip cancellation costs a whopping $500+ p.p.for 2 weeks travel. This is a luxury trip- a real splurge and we feel disinclined to fork out more money for something we hopefully wont use. We're leaving in mid September on North West, which already has rumblings of a strike. Any suggestions? We have to act quickly. Thanks garthc

Go to insuremytrip.com and put in your numbers and see the various rates you can get from insurers. Maybe you can find one that will meet your budget. I personally always insure expensive trips.

Well, I can share my recent experience. I have never worried too much about trip insurance, but often purchase it. In July, with 4 days to go before our much anticipated 2 week trip to Switzerland and Italy, my mother fell gravely ill, and we had to cancel. Most, but not all, of the trip was covered. We would have lost a lot of money - instead, we are now rescheduling for next summer. I guess it just depends on how risk averse you are.

On the other hand, $500 per person sounds high for cancellation. Perhaps you can purchase trip insurance on your own which is what I just did for our next trip.

Good luck and happy travels!

If you are looking to insure yourself against a NW strike, you are too late -- no carrier would cover it.

Not knowing the overall cost of your trip, I can't say whether the price you've been quoted is a reasonable price. Using outside insurance (I use Travelguard), I expect to pay about $5 per $100 of trip value. Since the insurance premium pricing is also based on age, you may expect to pay slightly more if you are older than the 39-45 range. This includes medical evacuation coverage as well as lost luggage, trip delay, trip interruption, carrier default, etc.

Personally, I buy insurance for every trip out of the country. I have a long (and rather infamous) track record for trip snafus and consequently a half dozen claims under my belt -- so in my case, I feel it's worthwhile. Your trip problems may have nothing to do with your own health or your family's, or weather at your destination or departure airports. A hurricane, or a volcanic eruption, for example, can disrupt travel hundreds of miles away.

Ultimately, however, it's a decision only you can make. Do yourself a favor and read a typical policy, understand what it covers, and decide whether the covered risks are risks you are worried about (and are willing to pay to cover).

Good luck, and enjoy your trip!!

When did you book this trip? The reason I ask is that there is some kind of 14 day rule within which to purchase trip insurance if you want to be covered for "preexisting" conditions.

In other words, if for example, you have a parent who is ill, and you purchase your insurance within 14 days of booking your trip, you will still be covered if you must cancel due to a sudden turn for the worse in that parent's condition, or death. Otherwise, it would be an exclusion. I think this applies regardless of who you purchase the insurance from, but I'm not 100% sure, so you should ask this question before paying.

Please get the travel insurance. I had to cancel a 3 week trip that I had planned for over a year due to a unexpected illness. Because of travel insurance, we only lost the travel insurance. Everything else we refunded. We used CSA on insuremytrip.com

For an expensive trip insure it. You should be able to insure it outside the tour, but talk to an operator IN PERSON and check all the points.