We have gone on 4 Rick Steves Tours and have always used the site https://www.insuremytrip.com/ site to purchase travel insurance. We have liked IMG as a middle-of-the road good insurance carrier....until we had a claim! On this last tour, a GAS Tour in Sept. 2022, I came down with Covid along with 18 of 26 others despite wearing required KN95 masks. This necessitated us leaving the tour in Lake Halstatt with 8 others and finding our own way to Vienna. When I filed a claim to cover added travel, plus the required Lab test by IMG and required medication, the only thing covered was a duplicate hotel stay we had booked earlier and yet banned us because of my COVID. Not even the Lab Test nor medicines were covered. Thank Goodness Rick Steves refunded us the last few days of our trip, or it could have been so worse! So all I'm saying is "Buyer Beware". Our next trip we will check into something more aligned with Rick Steves Tours. Just do your homework!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23267 posts
You just illustrated the principle problem with travel insurance or any insurance for that matter. READ the fine print and know what is covered and ---- more importantly ---- what is NOT COVERED. Most people buy travel insurance and assume anything and everything is covered. Insurance companies have a nasty habit of only paying for covered items that they specified and not what you assume. Not so such "Buyer Beware" as it is "Buyer Read the Fine Print." --- many times.
Posted by
11156 posts
We have had several large claims paid within a month ($20,000) by TravelGuard when we had to cancel due to illness, surgery.
Posted by
NorthCarolina
933 posts
COVID isn't typically covered by most Travel Insurance companies - this is usually in the 'fine print' of the policy.
We have USAA, so we have access to Travel Insured which has always been great to deal with when we've had to file a claim.
My friend is a Travel Agent and she recommends Travel Insured and Allianz and Travel Guard.
Posted by
12 posts
If you are under 70 and your trip is not hugely pricy then World Nomads has great travel insurance which is really Nationwide.
Posted by
17 posts
Just went to World Nomads. I'm 68; my spouse is 70. Nationwide (the actual insurer) has a similar business for 70 plus travelers called Silver Nomads. Price difference? For me, $197, for my spouse, about four times that. Geez.