Travel Insurance Skinny

This is an old topic, much commented on. We have never had any kind of travel insurance, and are not likely to ever have any kind of travel insurance. To be sure, my opinion on this subject is not widely shared by those who revel in paranoia and play life close to the chest.

It's hardly paranoia to get travel insurance if you think one of your parents might die soon. Just a little perspective on the topic. Rick has written a good summary of the options, and it's available on this website at Travel insurance

Depends on what you mean by insurance. My medical insurance covers me for emergency treatment abroad, otherwise I'd want medical insurance. I won't travel without medical evacuation insurance, which I had to use when I broke my wrist in Switzerland. I recommend Seven Corners for that. On the other hand, I've never bothered with trip cancellation/interruption insurance, but then I don't have dependents. If I were going to buy that I'd start at insuremytrip.com.

I buy it for every trip abroad to cover medical evac if needed, interruption (i.e., if bad weather or a volcanic eruption prevent me from departing for the US, or if a family member's health at home necessitates a speedy return), cancellation in case my employer decides I am indispensable and forces me to work. The coverage also included lsot or delayed luggage (unlikely since we carry on), and you can select all the disasterous options you want. It's cheap compared to the expense you would incur if any of the bad scenarios present. I like http://www.squaremouth.com. The site allows you to compare policies based on your needs.

We visit Europe almost every year, but this was the first time I have bought trip insurance. The flight tickets were expensive, and that was all I insured. I also insured a ski trip we had scheduled for February, and ended up using the insurance, as one of our travel partners had a medical emergency the morning we were supposed to leave. I got a full refund of our prepaid expenses ($1800) hassle-free, so it was worth it.

I don't think Monte knows what " play close to the chest" means.

I purchased travel insurance through my agent because I am leavning four kids and a father in law in rapdily declining heath behind. RS recommends several reputable companies to compare. Their prices and coverage is very, very similar. Purchasing travel insurance is always a gamble. Basically you are betting several hundred dollars (insurance) against many thousands of dollars (cost of your vacation). I am not paranoid or living in a doomsday frame of mind but I do have firm handle on the reality that my life can get complicated easily and quickly. For that reason, I am happy to bet a few hundred against many thousands. That is just referring to nonrefundale expenses. Think about the medical expenses that your US insurance may not cover while overseas. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.....

Travel insurance is like any other insurance...you buy it just in case you need it, but you hope you never do. My medical insurance does not cover me out of the U.S., so at a minimum I want insuance that will cover medical/dental and medical evacuation. It does not matter how good your health is, because illness and accidents can happen to anyone at any time. On my last trip I became ill in Germany and I HAD to see a doctor right away. There was no way I could wait until I went home. I was totally reimbursed for my expenses, which were more than the amount we paid for coverage for both me and my husband. Were the medical costs more than I could afford to pay? No...but what if it had been much higher? What if I had been hospitalized or needed surgery? That is not paranoia, it is reality. I use www.insuremytrip.com to compare policies. I was promptly reimbursed by Access America.

David, I'd highly recommend getting medical travel insurance, in the event you're injured or become ill during the trip. You'll have to decide whether baggage or trip cancellation insurance will be of any value. You might want to speak with a local Travel Agent, as they'll be able to explain the various types of insurance available. Cheers!

Marianne said it best! I don't think paranoia is the issue here...I think it's a matter of being practical and prudent! My whole family had an international trip planned years ago and unfortunately my mother-in-law was hospitalized right before the trip began. We used our travel insurance and were glad we had it; we were refunded all of our money. My parents & my in-laws are all in their 80's and faced with health issues so for me, there's a peace of mind in knowing that if something happens, I will be able to recoup my out-of-pocket expenses. In 2009, my own health almost jeopardized our trip to Italy and literally it was right down to the wire in terms of whether we would be able to make the trip or not. I didn't purchase travel insurance for that trip and learned my lesson. You simply never know what will happen in life and as Marianne said, it's a gamble and I'd rather spend a few hundred dollars for the peace of mind that if something interupts our travel plans, we won't lose that much money.