Travel Insurance

[Landry]

Question from an inexperienced overseas traveler: Do you purchase travel insurance along with your airline ticket purchase when it is offered or do you purchase it separately? I only need the coverage for my Camino trip.
Thanks!

 

[Bradypus]

Answer might depend on your nationality and country of residence. I'm a Brit and I always buy a standalone annual travel insurance policy - mostly for the medical cover.

 

[Landry]

I will be traveling from the US to Madrid in Sept.

 

[witsendwv]

I will be traveling from the US to Madrid in Sept.

The insurance offered when you purchase your ticket may only be trip cancellation insurance. If your are looking for medical coverage- purchase separately. We use GEO Blue Global to supplement our health insurance. Medicare does not pay for services internationally. Check with your current health insurance as well. We have a Blue Cross/Blue Shield that does cover us when we travel, but purchase the supplement to cover what Medicare does not. There are many threads on the Forum that discuss various companies. Ultreia!

 

[Landry]

Thank you so much for this!!

 

[Grousedoctor]

Good advice from @witsendwv. I, too, have Medicare for my primary, but I’ve always checked with my secondary carrier to see what would be covered. With that said, and even knowing that I have certain coverage, I’ve always purchased travel insurance just in case of something catastrophic. For a few hundred dollars, I’ve always enjoyed the peace of mind I have knowing that I have probably more than I would ever use. Do some research to see what policy might best suit your needs. Buen Camino!

 

[trecile]

I use SquareMouth.com to compare and purchase travel insurance policies. I don't buy the insurance offered by the airline. It's important to read the policy and understand what you are buying.

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[Peterexpatkiwi]

Answer might depend on your nationality and country of residence. I'm a Brit and I always buy a standalone annual travel insurance policy - mostly for the medical cover.

Kiwi, ditto.

 

[PiesIrlandeses]

Kiwi, ditto.

I am Irish, an EU citizen with an EHIC card, so while in Spain I am entitled to free treatment - should I need it - in Spain's excellent health service.

But I still take out travel insurance, not least for its repatriation cover.

 

[Bradypus]

But I still take out travel insurance, not least for its repatriation cover.

That is one of my concerns. I believe that travel insurance is much cheaper for we Brits and probably the Irish too than for most people from the USA and Canada in any case. Even with a couple of pre-existing medical conditions my annual policy was £35 for any number of trips provided the maximum duration of stay for each is under 31 days. In previous years I have paid a little more for a longer duration limit but that will not be an issue for me this year - too many other things going on.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I am Irish, an EU citizen with an EHIC card, so while in Spain I am entitled to free treatment - should I need it - in Spain's excellent health service.

But I still take out travel insurance, not least for its repatriation cover.

Yes I was a little hasty in my first post - when travelling out of NZ I've always taken travel insurance for longer periods (if I just travel for a couple of weeks I always purchase my flights with my MasterCard, which gives me 30 day free travel insurance).

Here in Germany as a resident I also of course have free treatment, but I have an additional medical travel & repatriation insurance. Family coverage- myself and my son - is €30 pa, unlimited trips, world wide, max. duration 56 days.

I'd actually forgotten about it until the post from yourself & @Bradypus.

 

[dougfitz]

Yes I was a little hasty in my first post - when travelling out of NZ I've always taken travel insurance for longer periods (if I just travel for a couple of weeks I always purchase my flights with my MasterCard, which gives me 30 day free travel insurance).

I find it just as important to check the conditions and exclusions on insurance provided by credit card companies as any other travel insurance product. Some don't offer the option of having some of my medical conditions covered, others do so at extra cost where they do have the flexibility. My experience is that insurance provided by my credit card providers is least flexible, and often cannot be changed. Anytime I have looked at the products provided by the airlines I have been flying with they were remarkably poor value for money.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I find it just as important to check the conditions and exclusions on insurance provided by credit card companies as any other travel insurance product. Some don't offer the option of having some of my medical conditions covered, others do so at extra cost where they do have the flexibility. My experience is that insurance provided by my credit card providers is least flexible, and often cannot be changed. Anytime I have looked at the products provided by the airlines I have been flying with they were remarkably poor value for money.

I agree completely, you certainly need to read the T&C's. Mine, for short trips, is adequate.
Because in New Zealand I typically just get four weeks holiday a year and we would generally be gone for longer if we came to Europe - which was every second year - we generally purchased a year coverage every two years and simply relied on the other one for any short trips on the year in between. (Across the ditch to the Western isles for example).

 

[dougfitz]

(Across the ditch to the Western isles for example).

droll!! It's alway amusing to see what delusions our eastern neighbours suffer from!

 

[Bothydave]

Always check the small print. I once had 2 policies due to being complimentary to other products. As I was going to the Dolomites I read them in detail and found that one of them would not cover the altitude I was intending to walk at. Indeed as soon as I stepped out of the hotel it was above the altitude covered. Beware and check!

 

[RedIsBestest]

Question from an inexperienced overseas traveler: Do you purchase travel insurance along with your airline ticket purchase when it is offered or do you purchase it separately? I only need the coverage for my Camino trip.
Thanks!

Great idea to obtain travel insurance - I highly recommend it! I'm currently on a walking tour in the Cotswolds, England, and had a bad fall yesterday and am unable to walk unassisted. I'll need to cut my trip short and will need wheelchair assistance getting to and through the airport. Luckily purchased insurance at the last minute and hoping these expenses will be covered. It is expensive - but peace of mind is worth it - as is if you need it!

 

[TravellingMan22]

Always check the small print. I once had 2 policies due to being complimentary to other products. As I was going to the Dolomites I read them in detail and found that one of them would not cover the altitude I was intending to walk at. Indeed as soon as I stepped out of the hotel it was above the altitude covered. Beware and check!

Yes I have seen that stipulation in some UK policies. Around about 2500m if I remember rightly, but will vary.

I don’t regard it as small print though. There is plenty of that but anything to do with pre diagnosed illnesses, undiagnosed symptoms, residency, max trip length, etc, is the real ‘meat’ of the policy. ‘Big print’ I guess!

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Great idea to obtain travel insurance - I highly recommend it! I'm currently on a walking tour in the Cotswolds, England, and had a bad fall yesterday and am unable to walk unassisted. I'll need to cut my trip short and will need wheelchair assistance getting to and through the airport. Luckily purchased insurance at the last minute and hoping these expenses will be covered. It is expensive - but peace of mind is worth it - as is if you need it!

Having done something very similar I feel for you. Good luck and hope you get well soon

 

[TravellingMan22]

The other major ‘watch out’, which so many folks fall foul of, in the UK anyway, is that if your medlcal circumstances change after you have bought your policy, you need to tell your insurer and they may need to reassess you. So if you buy a policy today and get some horrible medical news tomorrow, don’t think ‘glad I got my policy innbefore that’!

Re the GHIC/EHIC good for most things for UK folks, except reparation and private healthcare. We have lots of reciprocal deals too with OZ/NZ for example. Check gov.uk.

 

[trecile]

It is expensive

It doesn't have to be expensive. You have to decide what you want insurance to cover and what you don't mind "self insuring." I buy my flights using points, so I don't pay to cover my "prepaid" costs of flights, hotels, etc. I mainly want the medical, repatriation, and trip interruption insurance. When you set the trip cost to $0 the insurance is much less expensive.
At least that's how it has worked for me in the US.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Same ex UK. I do everything on a flexible, cancellable basis so just buy the medical aspect. Buy a year long policy. I have a few things that reduces the number of policies available to me. Most important aspect is max trip length and best I can get is 70 days, though there are products with 90+’days avail to many people.

 

[HikingGeo]

I use SquareMouth.com to compare and purchase travel insurance policies. I don't buy the insurance offered by the airline. It's important to read the policy and understand what you are buying.

Insurance Quotes for Your Trip - Compare & Save | Squaremouth

Get instant travel insurance quotes, and compare comprehensive plans from top providers covering cancellations, medical emergencies, travel delays, and more.

www.squaremouth.com

I highly recommend using Squaremouth to find your best option. Yes, it will cost more in the US, but don't underinsure or go without. Without our travel policy, we would have been out $12,000+ for medical and related costs in Switzerland back in 2019.

 

[trecile]

I highly recommend using Squaremouth to find your best option. Yes, it will cost more in the US, but don't underinsure or go without. Without our travel policy, we would have been out $12,000+ for medical and related costs in Switzerland back in 2019.

The policy that I bought for my Portuguese Camino in 2022 cost $105, and paid out over €6000 when I broke my wrist and needed two surgeries in Portugal.

 

[AZperegrino]

We started getting travel insurance a couple of years ago, after we got on Medicare and realized that overseas coverage is limited or non-existent. I found policies from all the major players (Allianz, AIG, and even through Squaremouth) to be very expensive for the coverage provided. Eventually found World Nomads, and have been using them ever since, even for things like cancellation insurance for trips here in the US. They typically offer two tiers of coverage, and for us even the lower tier is sufficient.

We have never had to file a claim with them, but when I contacted them for an issue we had in Coimbra, Portugal, they were responsive. The reason we didn't have to file a claim was that the hospital told us not to worry about it and have a nice day. And that was after seeing a very attentive doctor, X-rays, a nurse, etc. You know, the kind of thing that would have probably cost over $2K here in the US.

 

[Kathrina72]

I have an annual family travel policy, which has been useful in the past and providing comfort at the moment. Am due to fly out for our trip in two weeks’ time but the airline has just gone on strike (Aer Lingus). Hopefully we will get sorted with alternative but if not, the travel insurance will cover all the committed accommodation and travel costs. So I don’t need to worry as much I have also used the policy in the past to see private doctor for antibiotics, while I’m entitled under EHIC to free medical care, I wouldn’t have gotten access as quickly or conveniently located, which I really appreciated while on holiday.

 

[donalomahony]

My tuppence worth! Check your policy is valid for over 30 days abroad, especially if walking the CF.

Usually It's a small premium to extend.

"Annual travel insurance" policies are not necessarily for 365 days abroad (though some are).

Check!

 

[Joynz]

That is one of my concerns. I believe that travel insurance is much cheaper for we Brits and probably the Irish too than for most people from the USA and Canada in any case. Even with a couple of pre-existing medical conditions my annual policy was £35 for any number of trips provided the maximum duration of stay for each is under 31 days. In previous years I have paid a little more for a longer duration limit but that will not be an issue for me this year - too many other things going on.

Last year, I paid around AUS $350 for 10 weeks travel/medical insurance for travel to several countries including the Camino last year (from Australia).

If the trip had been under 4 weeks, it would have been free through my credit card, but since I was going to be away for over 10 weeks I had to pay (it was still a bit cheaper than purchasing Covermore travel insurance directly).

 

[Atlas Traveler]

Question from an inexperienced overseas traveler: Do you purchase travel insurance along with your airline ticket purchase when it is offered or do you purchase it separately? I only need the coverage for my Camino trip.
Thanks!

I always recommend purchasing travel insurance through an insurance agent because if you need to file a claim, then having an agent who can help you will save you time and headaches and prompt get a claim settlement. When purchasing a policy through the airlines, then you will be at the mercy of the rep who answers your telephone call(s).

 

[mcginnaz]

It doesn't have to be expensive. You have to decide what you want insurance to cover and what you don't mind "self insuring." I buy my flights using points, so I don't pay to cover my "prepaid" costs of flights, hotels, etc. I mainly want the medical, repatriation, and trip interruption insurance. When you set the trip cost to $0 the insurance is much less expensive.
At least that's how it has worked for me in the US.

Hi, this is similar to our plans? What company did you go with?

 

[trecile]

Hi, this is similar to our plans? What company did you go with?

The last few years I have bought an AXA policy purchased through SquareMouth.

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It really paid off in 2022 when I broke my arm in Portugal. AXA reimbursed 100% of the medical costs that I submitted.

 

[Joynz]

Question from an inexperienced overseas traveler: Do you purchase travel insurance along with your airline ticket purchase when it is offered or do you purchase it separately? I only need the coverage for my Camino trip.
Thanks!

I purchase it separately.