Travel Insurance

[Melcro1218]

Hi All!

I’m here again with yet another question …
Can anyone recommend a trustworthy travel insurance company? One that includes coverage for trip cancellation, medical, etc.
Again, thank you!!!

 

[trecile]

First of all, it depends on where you live. Travel insurance companies and policies are different in different countries. But I see that you are in the US, so I will tell you what I did. I purchased my insurance through a site called SquareMouth.com. The site has filters for you to choose the features that are important to you. Each company also has user ratings.

I think that it's important to hear from people who have actually had to claim against their insurance. I am one of those people. I broke my wrist in Portugal in 2022 and had two surgeries while there. I had purchased an AXA Platinum plan from SquareMouth, and since it provided primary medical coverage they reimbursed me 100% of the medical claims that I submitted and I didn't have to submit to my home health insurance first.

I would not buy the insurance that is offered to me by the airline when I buy my ticket.

 

[CWBuff]

Hello
There are tons of threads on topic and of course everyone git their fave, so in the end you'll still need to do some homework and make ultimate decision as to what you'd feel would suit you the best.

I've used Travelex for years. They are known and are underwritten by Berkshire and Hathaway.
They are not "awesome " but they are very good.
Thankfully I only had to file 3 claims (one of them was Camino related) and they all got paid. The last one (interrupted TMB this past July due to injury sustained by my wife) was a biggie; I've posted about it in another thread so if you search by my handle and the topic you'll probably find it.
There was a delay in getting the payment but I chalked it to the fact that we moved and changed addresses during claim processing and if course in the end it all worked out.

In any case hope you get some choices and make one for you.

Good luck and Buen Camino

 

[DavidOB]

Hi All!

I’m here again with yet another question …
Can anyone recommend a trustworthy travel insurance company? One that includes coverage for trip cancellation, medical, etc.
Again, thank you!!!

Melcro, you might want to do a "search" in this site for that topic. Previously, I've seen it discussed at some length (by others who are more knowledgeable than me).

 

[trecile]

I should mention the tag "travel-documents/insurance" to the top of the thread. Click on it to find other threads on the topic.

 

[Melcro1218]

Yikes! Sorry you had to go through all that.
Thank you for the input. I will definitely look into SquareMouth.
Hope your wrist healed well.

 

[J Willhaus]

For the best price and coverage, buy insurance when you book your trip. If you wait, the cost goes up. Buy on the same day even if you don't buy what the airlines offers.

The medical coverage may be the most important for you if you are from the US. We always get travel coverage which covers at least our plane fare and medical care.

I have had to file one claim when I needed to return to the US to care for a sick family member. It took several months and forms signed by my family member's doctor before I was partially reimbursed for the emergency travel. If the claim is for yourself and for medical care, I hope the process is quicker and easier.

 

[RRat]

Hi All!

I’m here again with yet another question …
Can anyone recommend a trustworthy travel insurance company? One that includes coverage for trip cancellation, medical, etc.
Again, thank you!!!

Just make sure you carry an emergency credit card to cover the cost of expensive medical care. You are expected to pay at time of service. The travel insurance companies will reimburse some time later when claim is submitted. Not like the USA where you present your insurance card at time of service and you are billed later.

 

[Shells]

I used Seven Corners and bought the “Cancellation for any reason option.” I had to file a claim when I broke my ankle this fall, and was completely non-weight bearing.

Seven Corners said that they would pay for a nurse to escort me from Madrid to my home city, but that they didn’t know how to get me from Lugo (where I was taken after my accident) to Madrid, and that it would take them several days to make this arrangement. I refused this service, since my husband immediately came from the US, rented a car to Lugo, and escorted me home, while they were still trying to figure things out.

Seven Corners would not pay for any of my husband’s travel expenses, which wasn’t really a surprise. What was a surprise was that they refused to pay for the rental car to Madrid, nor for my non-refundable Iberia Airlines ticket (which was how I had originally intended to return to Madrid after completing the Camino). I thought that the most incredible thing for which they refused reimbursement, however, was my hotel in Lugo, when I was released from the hospital the evening of my accident. They said this was because its necessity wasn’t stipulated on my release orders from the hospital, although it’s unclear where they thought I should go. I still haven’t received any bills from the Lugo hospital or the Spanish emergency services, so don’t know how, or if, they will handle these expenses.

I experienced care, compassion, and help from many people, but, unfortunately, I can’t recommend Seven Corners’ service and would suggest that you don’t select them as your travel insurance provider.

 

[wynrich]

We don't usually buy travel insurance because our Medicare medi-gap plan is supposed to cover 80% while overseas. And we pay with a Chase Sapphire credit card which is supposed to cover trip cancellation. We've never had to file a claim on either. Does anyone have experience with either of these types of insurance? Can they be counted on?

 

[trecile]

We don't usually buy travel insurance because our Medicare medi-gap plan is supposed to cover 80% while overseas. And we pay with a Chase Sapphire credit card which is supposed to cover trip cancellation. We've never had to file a claim on either. Does anyone have experience with either of these types of insurance? Can they be counted on?

The devil is always in the details. You should read the policies carefully so that you know exactly what is covered. I also have a Medigap plan that will pay 80% after a $250 deductible, but there is a lifetime cap of $50,000 and it only covers you during your first 60 days out of the country. If you also buy travel insurance it should cover the remaining 20%. Either way, you will need to pay up front and submit for reimbursement. I like that my AXA plan is primary coverage reimbursing 100% and I don't have to submit to my home insurance carrier first.

Since I usually buy my flights with air miles I don't include the cost of my trip in my travel insurance, and that keeps the cost very low. Of course it goes up a bit each year as I get older, but last year I paid $115 for 2 months of coverage.

For the best price and coverage, buy insurance when you book your trip. If you wait, the cost goes up.

I haven't found that to be true, but if you want to cover pre-existing conditions you do have to purchase within 2 weeks of making your first payment towards your trip. I believe that even covers pre-existing conditions of a relative that you may have to travel home for in an emergency - this is for US plans. Not all companies have this pre-existing conditions waiver, that's why I like using SquareMouth to choose the features that are most important to me.

 

[J Willhaus]

The devil is always in the details. You should read the policies carefully so that you know exactly what is covered. I also have a Medigap plan that will pay 80% after a $250 deductible, but there is a lifetime cap of $50,000 and it only covers you during your first 60 days out of the country. If you also buy travel insurance it should cover the remaining 20%. Either way, you will need to pay up front and submit for reimbursement. I like that my AXA plan is primary coverage reimbursing 100% and I don't have to submit to my home insurance carrier first.

Since I usually buy my flights with air miles I don't include the cost of my trip in my travel insurance, and that keeps the cost very low. Of course it goes up a bit each year as I get older, but last year I paid $115 for 2 months of coverage.


I haven't found that to be true, but if you want to cover pre-existing conditions you do have to purchase within 2 weeks of making your first payment towards your trip. I believe that even covers pre-existing conditions of a relative that you may have to travel home for in an emergency - this is for US plans. Not all companies have this pre-existing conditions waiver, that's why I like using SquareMouth to choose the features that are most important to me.

One year we waited too long and ended up with a BCBS plan that was twice the cost with half the coverage compared to buying it at the same time as the original flight date booking. I used that company on two trips. Have also used AXA and Allianz for several trips. One issue we have started to run into is that they don't want to cover Phil who is 74 this year or don't want to cover a longer trip. This year our time in the EU will be 80 days. Last year we had some difficulty finding coverage for our time transiting through Canada on another long trip.

 

[Hiawatha]

Hi All!

I’m here again with yet another question …
Can anyone recommend a trustworthy travel insurance company? One that includes coverage for trip cancellation, medical, etc.
Again, thank you!!!

In the past I have waxed lyrical about Covermore Insurance , sadly I can no longer recommend that company.
We were stranded by the deluge and subsequent flooding in Dubai this last April . Connections , luggage , accommodation and transfers all disrupted and missed .
The response from Covermore was woeful, completely unhelpful and disinterested. We received more help from airlines and hotels for free and out of kindness than from a company we paid a substantial amount to .

 

[TravellingMan22]

In the past I have waxed lyrical about Covermore Insurance , sadly I can no longer recommend that company.
We were stranded by the deluge and subsequent flooding in Dubai this last April . Connections , luggage , accommodation and transfers all disrupted and missed .
The response from Covermore was woeful, completely unhelpful and disinterested. We received more help from airlines and hotels for free and out of kindness than from a company we paid a substantial amount to .

Probably worth checking your policy. Many don’t cover this type of thing, and most don’t cover consequential losses.

 

[Hiawatha]

Probably worth checking your policy. Many don’t cover this type of thing, and most don’t cover consequential losses.

A

Probably worth checking your policy. Many don’t cover this type of thing, and most don’t cover consequential losses.

A policy that doesn't cover natural disasters is not a policy it is fraudulent .
Previously the disruption from the volcano in Iceland was covered .
Covermore policies are , frankly Unfit for purpose .

 

[TrvlDad1]

The policy options are limited as you get older. I’m over 75 and have GeoBlue Trekker Choice, $265 annual premium. Seems to have all coverage features, but never had claim. Still money well spent, I think.
Had a claim with Alianz (via Delta airlines) years ago, never got a cent, they just kept asking for more info until I couldn’t get it (medical records), then final denial.