Two questions:
1- Would you recommend purchasing travel insurance for a 17 day trip to Europe? Any suggestions on packages?
2- I'm wondering what I should do about the money situation...should I go to a bank here in the US and convert hundreds of dollars to euros, or should I just take a smaller amount of euros and use ATM's in Europe to access cash? I just heard that there are outrageous ATM fees and I wanted to minimize that as much as possible.
Thanks!
At the very minimum you should purchase insurance which covers medical and evacuation charges. For example, if you suffer a severe leg break and need special seating on an airplane to get you home...those charges start at $20,000USD!
It's best to rely on ATM machines. ATM fees are nothing compared to the fees that banks and exchange counters will charge you to convert cash or traveler checks.
I recommend you look at CSA (csatravelprotection.com) They have a reasonably priced package that includes medical and travel coverage. We got the package that also included $50,000 car rental insurance (zero deductible) When we filed a claim, they paid it promptly. I have always bought travel insurance, but I have only had to file a claim once. Like most insurance, you buy it hoping you never have to use it. But if you use it...it is priceless.
I always get extra medical insurance. Always, its actually not that much, and its great peice of mind.
I always take about 100-150 euros with me and then use my ATM. I have a no fee foreign withdrawal account here. I also raise my limit on what can be withdrawn at once,, so that I can take the max out and not have to go to the ATM every two days,, I try to go once every 4 or 5 days.. I leave bulk on money in my hotel safe and just carry a days worth with me each day. Some do the same but keep bulk of money in their moneybelt,,which ever you feel best about doing.
Hi Alison,
Based on the answers I've seen on this board many people here do purchase travel insurance. In my view, there isn't a sure answer. Where you are going and if you are renting a car as well as your age and general status of your health are factors that need considering.
Many people think that they are purchasing evacuation coverage (back home) but the insurance they are purchasing doesn't actually provide it. Some policies do but many cover only the provision for care in a 'qualified facility' of the insurers choosing.
Trip insurance will generally run 8% of the cost of your trip so if you take many trips it can get expensive. This website will help you: http://www.insuremytrip.com/
The second part of your question is easy - take about 150 euros. Once you arrive, use an ATM for the balance. We travel with ATM fees of 1%. You can too.
"Where you are going and if you are renting a car as well as your age and general status of your health are factors that need considering"
IMO the only factor to take into consideration, is that accidents can happen to anyone. Regardless of whether one is renting a car, age, or health status. It doesn't have to be your fault either. You can be very careful, obey the speed limits, look both ways before crossing the street and all that, and it just takes one careless idiot to ruin your day. Getting inured overseas isn't a on-in-a-million event like getting hit by lightning. People break their arms, legs, backs, necks, and heads everyday. In the end it's your savings account, and life savings, if you want to play Russian Roulette with it----go for it.
Thank you for the responses! I will be going all around Germany, and also to Prague and Amsterdam, and the total trip cost will probably end up being around $4000. I'm 27, and we are traveling solely by train once we reach Europe.
I spoke with my insurance company that I have through work, and they said I was covered overseas, but that I may have to pay costs up front and be reimbursed later if anything were to happen. I'm just wondering if it would still be better to purchase something above and beyond this. Thoughts?
Alison, I have never purchased insurance before this year, but I bought insurance for my trip this fall after reading comments on this site. The big thing you have to worry about that I never thought of is the expense of having to be transported back to the U.S. in the event of an accident or injury. I didn't realize that expense can easily reach $20,000 or much, much more.
Alison..this makes me wonder. When I have bought trip insurance, I only buy for the amount of my trip that is non-refundable. If your total trip cost is $4,0000, does that include food, getting into sights, places to stay that you haven't booked or paid for yet, etc. I don't cover that with trip insurance, since I don't have anything at risk there. Previously, I have bought insurance for between $1500-2,000. Most of that is arifare and then I usually have a few expenses that I won't be able to get back (pre-paid hotels, etc.) I figure if my trip is canceled, I will get my investment back. My trip overall may cost me $3500-$4,000. But I can cancel my car rental at no expense, I won't be eating or seeing sights if I don't go, etc. It has been awhile since I have researched, but when I talked to travelguard years ago (my first trip) they said I only needed to insure for the part of my trip that I would lose if I had to cancel. (Keep in mind, I travel with my husband and we buy him a policy for the same amount). Perhaps others have wisdom on this, but it may be cheaper for insurance than what you think. All the other insurances are the same (medical, lost luggage, etc) whether you are insuring for $1,000 or $5,000. The 2 things that affect the cost of your insurance is 1. The amount your are insuring your trip for...your investment and 2. The length of your stay-how long you will be covered.
George,, your age and general health theroy is so scary...
My best friend died in Hawaii at 26,, perfectly healthy.. and the bills her parents had to pay were enoromus,,, pluse of course,, since she had no insurgance they had to have her cremated to bring home, and was less expensive( about a couple of hundred thousand in hosptial bills they had to economize..
I cannot undersntand why one would NOT spend an extra hundred or therabouts .. to save your family and yourself from going broke!
No one PLANS on anything going wrong.. but sometimes ,, things do.
George you make excellent points. We normally don't use trip insurance since we're both covered for out of the US health costs and medical evaculation through work. This year we opted for the insurance through CSA since my husband's parents aren't in the best of health and we felt it was worth the money for peace of mind. I"m not sure that the policy we had would have covered the return of our bodies to the US but we both have life insurance that would have been more than sufficient.
