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Travel Insurance - good or bad?
Posted on 8/2/23 at 11:32 am
Posted on 8/2/23 at 11:32 am
My wife and I are getting older, and have an elderly parent who is in poor health.
I have typically bought travel insurance when we go on cruises without thinking about it that much. Usually the cost is around $150 for both of us, but I get it mainly for something catastrophic such as a medical evacuation, which it typically covers up to $1M.
I can get some travel insurance via a CC I use, but it has limited medical/evacuation benefits.
I guess my question is, do you guys buy travel insurance for any types of trips? If so, where do you get it? I usually just buy via my travel agent, and it's a company called Allianz, but I am curious about shopping it myself and purchasing separately.
Thoughts?
Edit to add: My card I pay for travel with is the Chase Sapphire Reserve or for Delta flights, I have the Delta AMEX Platinum.
I have typically bought travel insurance when we go on cruises without thinking about it that much. Usually the cost is around $150 for both of us, but I get it mainly for something catastrophic such as a medical evacuation, which it typically covers up to $1M.
I can get some travel insurance via a CC I use, but it has limited medical/evacuation benefits.
I guess my question is, do you guys buy travel insurance for any types of trips? If so, where do you get it? I usually just buy via my travel agent, and it's a company called Allianz, but I am curious about shopping it myself and purchasing separately.
Thoughts?
Edit to add: My card I pay for travel with is the Chase Sapphire Reserve or for Delta flights, I have the Delta AMEX Platinum.
This post was edited on 8/2/23 at 11:37 am
Posted on 8/2/23 at 12:18 pm to kywildcatfanone
How much is the cost of the cruise for $150? Generally speaking travel insurance is about 7% for a general plan, so that means you'd need an issue every 15 trips to make it worth it. Generally speaking its not, they have to make money somehow.
But, if you have specific risks like someone elderly and you can't book refundable or transferrable reservations then it certainly becomes more attractive.
But, if you have specific risks like someone elderly and you can't book refundable or transferrable reservations then it certainly becomes more attractive.
Posted on 8/2/23 at 12:37 pm to baldona
quote:
How much is the cost of the cruise for $150?
About $2K. I'm not against them making money, just don't want to buy another policy if my card might have similar overall benefits.
It sort of looks like the Chase Sapphire Reserve has similar benefits, and if I book with that card, those are included. I think I might be buying something I don't need, but I wanted to ask those who travel regularly and certainly more than I do.
This post was edited on 8/2/23 at 12:39 pm
Posted on 8/2/23 at 12:39 pm to kywildcatfanone
I've never paid for travel insurance, but my wife and I are also 30 and in good health.
Posted on 8/2/23 at 12:47 pm to kywildcatfanone
$150 is 7.5% of $2000 so thats about right.
I have never paid for rental car insurance and rented a car 3 times in Europe. We got side swiped on one trip and I didn't know it happened until the morning we turned the car in. It was $1200, my credit card I used had international rental car insurance and I paid the $1200 and then I received a refund about 30 days later. Process was super easy (this was all USAA but the insurance was a 3rd party).
I don't think all CC insurance is as good, so it really depends.
Personally I think the best bet is to book refundable or transferrable trips as much as possible and then use a good CC with travel insurance perks. Unless you have something that is almost definitely going to happen in the next year such as a close relative with cancer and a short life span given by a doctor, I don't think travel insurance is generally worth it.
Your other option is to wait and book
I have never paid for rental car insurance and rented a car 3 times in Europe. We got side swiped on one trip and I didn't know it happened until the morning we turned the car in. It was $1200, my credit card I used had international rental car insurance and I paid the $1200 and then I received a refund about 30 days later. Process was super easy (this was all USAA but the insurance was a 3rd party).
I don't think all CC insurance is as good, so it really depends.
Personally I think the best bet is to book refundable or transferrable trips as much as possible and then use a good CC with travel insurance perks. Unless you have something that is almost definitely going to happen in the next year such as a close relative with cancer and a short life span given by a doctor, I don't think travel insurance is generally worth it.
Your other option is to wait and book
Posted on 8/2/23 at 12:52 pm to kywildcatfanone
quote:
I get it mainly for something catastrophic such as a medical evacuation, which it typically covers up to $1M.
Exactly the same for me. I don't insure anything that isn't catastrophic. But medical evacuation is one of those things and I do insure for it. For the last few years I've bought an Allianz annual policy since I've done a lot of travel, with around 3 to 4 months out of the country. That runs somewhere in the neighborhood of $700.
Down the road when I'm traveling less I'll switch to buying the policy for individual trips.
Posted on 8/2/23 at 12:53 pm to kywildcatfanone
quote:
Chase Sapphire Reserve or for Delta flights, I have the Delta AMEX Platinum.
We have both as well. Usually charge on the Chase card. To me, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is easily one of the best travel rewards cards.
Benefits
Review 1
Review 2
If your trip is canceled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations, you can be reimbursed up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses, including passenger fares, tours and hotels.
I'll caveat that by saying the person that pays the bill, the wife (no pics), states that we do purchase trip insurance for more expensive trips.
Best Travel Insurance
This post was edited on 8/2/23 at 12:55 pm
Posted on 8/2/23 at 1:40 pm to kywildcatfanone
In general, insurance is good for things that are too expensive to self insure. Getting it for inconveniences is a waste of money IMO.
Anecdotal but Ive never purchased it in my life BUT I do make sure I carry healthcare policies with world wide emergency coverage and have a credit card with other protection for travel delays, baggage issues, rental car damage, etc.
Anecdotal but Ive never purchased it in my life BUT I do make sure I carry healthcare policies with world wide emergency coverage and have a credit card with other protection for travel delays, baggage issues, rental car damage, etc.
Posted on 8/2/23 at 1:43 pm to kywildcatfanone
quote:
Chase Sapphire Reserve has similar benefits, and if I book with that card, those are included.
Yes, there are some good benefits with that card. I just reviewed those insurance benefits before our trip this summer. But like all insurance, collecting on those benefits if you have something happen is a different story. Travel insurance is not usually regulated so its rife with abuse by the companies that provide the insurance.
This post was edited on 8/2/23 at 1:44 pm
Posted on 8/2/23 at 2:25 pm to H2O Tiger
quote:
I've never paid for travel insurance, but my wife and I are also 30 and in good health.
Prior to having kids, we never once bought travel insurance and never had an issue or need for it.
The first really big family vacation we planned a few months back (multiple young kids plus grandma) we bought travel insurance for the first time, and sure as shite, we needed it.
The claim filing process and payout was incredibly simple and efficient, I was shocked.
Posted on 8/2/23 at 2:26 pm to kywildcatfanone
For cruises in the past, I always came out better shopping for my own policy through InsureMyTrip. IMO, generally better coverage for less money than buying through the cruise line.
Nowadays, I've switched to multi-trip/ annual plans, so I don't deal with insuring any particular trip anymore. Our current year policy is the AllTrips Premier plan from Allianz.
Nowadays, I've switched to multi-trip/ annual plans, so I don't deal with insuring any particular trip anymore. Our current year policy is the AllTrips Premier plan from Allianz.
Posted on 8/2/23 at 3:32 pm to kywildcatfanone
I generally spend about the same and get it more for the med evac and medical benefits than the costs of the trip. It also gives my wife peace of mind, at a low cost. Transguard and Allianz typically have the best coverage for the money.
Posted on 8/2/23 at 3:33 pm to kywildcatfanone
It always makes me feel better to have it.
Posted on 8/3/23 at 1:53 pm to kywildcatfanone
I go on hiking trips often, so yes I buy it. Even for Canada, where they will bill you out if you have to use their healthcare system.
Posted on 8/3/23 at 2:21 pm to kywildcatfanone
I purchased it once and had what I thought was a legitimate claim. The claim was denied. I won’t buy it again.
Posted on 8/3/23 at 5:40 pm to kywildcatfanone
It would depend on areas traveling to and activities.
Staying at resorts or most tourist areas I say no. But if going off beating path, then maybe justified. I say this because if you break a leg, or have a heart attack most of these places healthcare are capable of reasonable care. At the very least to get you stabilized to return home. Likely for 1/5 of cost here in states.
For trip refund or cancelation issues most of the companies will find any way not to pay. Better to pay up front to be able to reschedule or change dates.
Staying at resorts or most tourist areas I say no. But if going off beating path, then maybe justified. I say this because if you break a leg, or have a heart attack most of these places healthcare are capable of reasonable care. At the very least to get you stabilized to return home. Likely for 1/5 of cost here in states.
For trip refund or cancelation issues most of the companies will find any way not to pay. Better to pay up front to be able to reschedule or change dates.
Posted on 8/3/23 at 6:33 pm to kywildcatfanone
Going abroad 100%
A friend of mine had a stroke out of nowhere in Dubai, the Insurance saved him well over 30k in transportation back.
A friend of mine had a stroke out of nowhere in Dubai, the Insurance saved him well over 30k in transportation back.
Posted on 8/3/23 at 11:31 pm to kywildcatfanone
Like you I usually book travel on my CSR because of the good travel protections and they do have a med evac plan. Also, I have an AMEX Plat and that one apparently has great med evac coverage and you don't even need to buy the trip on it to be covered. I'm guessing the Delta AMEX Plat you have has that coverage too. Long story short, I feel I'm covered for med evac with CSR and Plat. I do need to look into insurance though as we're doing an African Safari next year.
Posted on 8/5/23 at 11:39 am to Sho Nuff
We have the sapphire preferred and this thread has brought it to my attention that ours doesn't have the medical evacuation coverage. Thanks guys!
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