Is Trip Insurance a worthwhile investment?

[bucknaway]

I just had a bad allergic reaction to something and I can only guess it was from when I was doing yard work. It put bumps all over my skin, bathroom frustrations, listless, tiredness as well as a loss of appetite. I took a look at myself in the mirror and had to laugh; I looked a mess! I smiled to myself thinking that it is a good thing I won't look this way when I am in Thailand!

That got me to thinking... I have never purchased travel insurance but with each trip, it seems that I am taking a risk. When I was in Bangkok and everyone was preparing for the flood to come, I was lucky to get out long before getting out became a problem.

Now I am wondering if I should buy trip insurance this go-round?

What do you do?

If you buy trip insurance, where do you buy it?

[stevehadders]

If you're referring to medical insurance element of trip insurance, then I believe an unacceptable risk is being Aiken to travel without it. Imagine a taxi you are in has an accident, you could be faced with a horrendously high bill, and if you need medivac same thing. Unless you are a man of very substantial means I would definitely buy medical insurance.....I always view it as a purchase I need but hope never to use it. As for other trip insurance ie against theft, delay etc, that element doesn't really bother me, but in most cases health and general insurance covered.

[gaymandenmark]

I have never understood, that people can afford to fly half around the World, and then travel without any health insurance.
It could be fatal, if you get seriously ill, for your health and future economy.

Luckely I had one, when I was in New York and had to go to the hospital with 41C in fever and with an pneumonia.

The bill was outrageous high.

[lukylok]

I have a travel insurance which covers me all year round, so I don't have to think about it.
It costs about 130 тВм/year.
Their coverage is pretty good : for a very bad ski accident, went to private swiss clinic, they took care of everything, and when the limit
was reached - 2 weeks in a swiss clinic ! - sent an ambulance with two people for repatriation.
Only cost for me, the phone call to warn them !

I wouldn't dream of travelling without insurance.

[Nirish guy]

Same as Lukylok - I've a yearly policy, with a high rate of cover selected, it only costs me around ┬г70 a year or so and auto renews so I don't have to think about it - although I do check it each year anyway to check the emergency numbers still work and that the policy number is still valid etc - which surprisingly on my checking and for anyone else with an auto renew policy sometimes I have found that things HAVE changed so it's always worth that one phone call once a year to check !

That the means that I've ONE self prepared word document with all the basic info I'll ever need in an emergency on it saved and printed off and I bring that with me wherever I go in my travel documents - and if I'm being REALLY organised ( which isn't as often as I should I admit) I pop a business card sized card into my wallet saying " In case of emergency I HAVE health insurance, call this number or contact my hotel where you'll find the policy documents in my room safe" ( where I also have a copy of above Word document stored in my room safe along with my passport etc, meaning if I get knocked unconscious somewhere the first responder will a) know who I am from my wallet ID, b) see that I AM covered and so should then hopefully take me to a GOOD hospital and c) not delay any treatment and d) will have the documents they need to allow them to get on with treating me further and fully without any delay should it be anything serious.

In my mind anyone who travels without proper cover it is nuts and trust me I'm SO not the sort of person to be careful about such things but the financial outlay involved in almost ANY medical incident these days compared to the very small cost of cover makes this one a no brainer and I'm AMAZED that Governments around the world don't make it a compulsory element of your required travel documents just like visas etc to offset the risk of THEM being screwed for your health care costs if shit happens ( as I believe may happen in Thailand in the not to distant future perhaps).

[scottish-guy]

My private Health Insurance which costs me around ┬г850 a year includes a Travel section - so I don't have to take any further steps.
But before I had that I used an Annual Travel Ins Policy which was no more than ┬г40 because I'm fabulously young (there's also a discount for gorgeousness which I very narrowly missed).

The people who have a problem IMHO are people who just can't GET travel insurance on realistic terms because of age or pre-existing conditions. Unless they are very wealthy they are running a tremendous risk. I feel there should be some kind of scheme in place for them.

[Beachlover]

I agree with most posts above... Bucky, if you're traveling without the medical component of travel insurance and don't have any other medical coverage (valid abroad), then you're taking an utterly stupid and irresponsible risk.

The travel insurance for travel expenses/theft etc. you can do without but medical costs can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars for serious accidents or illness. At best, you'll lose a significant portion of your net wealth. At worst, you'll die without funds for treatment or transport home (as one member did recently).

There was a story about another guy who had an accident in India and didn't have travel insurance. His family ran a media campaign back in Australia to raise funds to have him transported back home for treatment. By the time they had managed to raise enough funds, the man was dead. All they could spend the money on was transporting his body back home (also a significant cost): http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-new ... -f72a.html (http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/disabled-australian-tourist-stranded-20090902-f72a.html)

[Nirish guy]

My private Health Insurance which costs me around ┬г850 a year includes a Travel section - so I don't have to take any further steps.

SHIT ! I never thought of that ! I pay those robbing bastards in Bupa nearly two grand a year for sweet FA at present ( which I guess I should be pleased about, ha medical cover, the only policy you should be pleased NOT to be getting your monies worth back on ! :-) I'll have to check and see am I covered under their terms as I'd MUCH rather claim off them ( well or not actually but you know what I mean :-)

See, who says these boards don't throw up some gems of useful information still from time to time eh !

[scottish-guy]

┬г2k????
Obviously you're much older than me and do not get the gorgeousness discount either :crybaby:
For that amount I'd be demanding an operation every 12 months whether I needed one or not.

Oops - banter!!

Here's another tip - switch to Prudential :glasses7:

[bucknaway]

I was not thinking medical insurance. I'm fully covered. I was asking about travel insurance, not medical coverage, but I thin some travel policies cover medical expenses as well as general trip coverage.

[Nirish guy]

┬г2k???? Here's another tip - switch to Prudential :glasses7:

Again you're bang on the money there ( trust a Scotsman !) as even I ( who am a lazy git about such things usually and never bother checking) realised that BUPA were stroking me and the last time it came up on my radar about a year ago I DID start looking around and actually got a great deal from Aviva ? who came in at less than half BUPA's price and ( most importantly) were prepared to cover whatever pre existing conditions I'd had listed as well - which was always the main reason I hadn't moved before), but I'd literally just signed for another year with Bupa and the fees to move etc made it not so worth while to shift ( plus see lazy git medical condition as listed above).

Actually now that you've reminded me of it I do believe the policy is up at the end of June so I'll have to look into that again - see, the buggers are obviously watching me as they always insist on sending me my renewal papers bang at the end of June JUST when they know I'm usually heading off somewhere hot and haven't the time or will to bother reading them and so another year goes by - this year perhaps I may just catch the buggers out ! )

* Edit - on checking the above when I got into the office it appears the great quote I got WAS from "The Pru" after all and not Aviva so you were spot on there SG !

And sorry to the Op for sliding off topic there - and to get back on it - you say you were thinking more about "travel" insurance not medical - do you mean insurance should your flights or your main trip be cancelled or cut short for some reason ? If so then no, I've never taken that out as there's usually enough cover in my main (medical) policy to cover both areas.

[scottish-guy]

Any "travel insurance" I've purchased always included "medical" cover - that was the point of getting it (for me).

[christianpfc]

No, I don't buy trip insurance.

I assume you mean the option that is offered when you buy your flight. For about 10% of the price of the flight, you can buy insurance that allow you get get full refund of the ticket price in case you cannot take the flight for medical reasons.

[scottish-guy]

There appears to be some confusion as to what Bucky is referring to - it doesn't help that he refers to both "Trip Insurance" and "Travel Insurance" in his OP :sign5:

I assumed he meant what we in the UK call "Travel Insurance" which is basically cancellation, luggage, and trip/holiday medical insurance all in one for either a single trip or an Annual policy - and I voted and posted accordingly

The suggestion now seems to be that perhaps he meant just cancellation insurance that one might buy with the flight or holiday.

If I buy "Travel Insurance" then it includes the "Trip Insurance" so I'm covered either way - but since I have private Medical Insurance which includes the Travel Insurance which includes the Trip Insurance, it's all getting a bit confusing.

So, c'mon Bucky - spell it out please!

:hello2:

[bucknaway]

You guys must be professional travelers. To us Americans, if we asked anyone if they had trip or travel insurance we know that it is basic cost of vacation cancelation insurance.

Talk about something being lost in The translation.... Hahaha

[Up2U]

You guys must be professional travelers. To us Americans, if we asked anyone if they had trip or travel insurance we know that it is basic cost of vacation cancelation insurance.

Talk about something being lost in The translation.... Hahaha


As an American I too was confused by your op. But no, I would never buy travel insurance for a trip to Thailand. I would seriously consider it if I were booking a cruise however.


Now that you have clarified clarified I think some would like to retract their vote.

[bao-bao]

Trip insurance - in case the trip can't be made - has always been bundled into the policies I buy for medical coverage each time a journey is booked. It's a minimal amount to protect the investment. Because of that I chose "I don't travel without it", and have only missed getting it on one trip when I just plain forgot it.

[francois]

Bucky, you started your initial post by describing a medical condition you encountered at home and then ask about travel insurance. Kind of confusing to most people.

[lukylok]

To make things clear : I have two separate insurances though with the same company.
One which covers me when I am out my my home, for whatever can happen to me, medical insurance, accidents, misfortunes on the road, even 1 km away from my home, and so on.
The other covers the costs of cancellation, for whatever (reasonable) reason, and subsequent losses.
As I travel a lot, about 6 months per year, it is a very small amount to be free of any worry.

[gaymandenmark]

Bucky, you started your initial post by describing a medical condition you encountered at home and then ask about traveI .

I was also confused about
I just had a bad allergic reaction to something and I can only guess it was from when I was doing yard work.

Sounds medical to me.

[Nirish guy]

I just had a bad allergic reaction to something and I can only guess it was from when I was doing yard work.

Well if we're talking about confusing I actually (mis)read the above as

"I just had a bad allergic reaction to something and I can only guess it was from when I was doing HARD work"

And as this reaction to HARD work is something I seem to experience quite a lot you had my full sympathy for a moment :-)

[bucknaway]

My mistake, I was thinking that the swelling and bumps made me look so bad that if I was going to Thailand it would be like hell for me looking the way I do, but if I had trip insurance, I could cancel the trip and get a full refund. I was not thinking about needing insurance coverage in Thailand because I'm covered by me insurance I get through employment.

Sorry for the confusion.

[billyhouston]

BUPA, at well in excess of ┬г2K per annum, told me that I would not be covered in Thailand. Additionally they would no longer cover a condition, fairly minor and not life-threatening, which they had previously covered, so I cancelled after more than 30 years with them. I will self-insure.

Travel insurance (UK style) will not cover stays longer than about 60 days on an annual policy, which I had until recently. Not all companies will cover over-65s for long stays (between 6 and 7 months) in Asia but I've found some that will for a reasonable premium. Even Bumrungrad is not expensive by UK standards.

[adman5000]

Bucknaway said: To us Americans, if we asked anyone if they had trip or travel insurance we know that it is basic cost of vacation cancelation insurance.

I am an American and don't view it that way. I have normally heard it referred to as either "Trip Cancellation", "Trip Interruption" or "Travel Medical". You can get a comprehensive policy but I would normally view them as separate things. I do not pretend to be an expert on the matter.

I thought Rick Steves offers a reasonably straightforward explanation:
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/tra ... urance.htm (http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/travel-insurance.htm)

I do not normally buy any supplemental insurance. I have a comprehensive medical insurance that has a special section for foreign travel on the medical side. On the Trip cancellation side, I normally get my air ticket with refundable or rebookable clauses. I have found some of the supplemental policies to have such squirrely exception language that it seemed to make it fairly uncertain as to just what I would be covered for.

[cameroncat]

I would think that most people who can afford to travel abroad can probably afford to have a medical insurance policy at home. If you're doing International travel but don't get medical insurance from your work or can't afford to buy it on your own, then your priorities are messed up LOL

[francois]

My mistake, I was thinking that the swelling and bumps made me look so bad that if I was going to Thailand it would be like hell for me looking the way I do, but if I had trip insurance, I could cancel the trip and get a full refund. .

Are you sure about that? I thought trip cancellation insurance was due to circumstances beyond your control such as medical emergency, weather, insurrection, etc.?

[bucknaway]

I had such a bad reaction that I'm sure I could have gotten a doctor to advise against travel hahaha

BUPA, at well in excess of ┬г2K per annum, told me that I would not be covered in Thailand. Additionally they would no longer cover a condition, fairly minor and not life-threatening, which they had previously covered, so I cancelled after more than 30 years with them. I will self-insure.

Travel insurance (UK style) will not cover stays longer than about 60 days on an annual policy, which I had until recently. Not all companies will cover over-65s for long stays (between 6 and 7 months) in Asia but I've found some that will for a reasonable premium. Even Bumrungrad is not expensive by UK standards.What's that in real terms then 2 cups of coffee a day sounds like a foolish "economy" to me.

[Up2U]

Looks like there are two groups of posters;Americans with health insurance (maybe Canadians too?) and everyone else. Americans are mostly covered by out of country emergencies, in fact insurers would rather you have your broken leg or heart attack in a foreign country where the costs are much less. Anthem Blue Cross for example has working relationships with many Bangkok hospitals. For non - Americans it looks like trip/travel insurance is a must.

[aot871]

Im 60 yrs old now and have just got a travel policy for my next trip to thai , this includes medical and cancellation plus loss of baggage , at a cost of ┬г120 for 18 nights . This is a bit steep but as I have a pace maker its well worth it , Would never travel with out it ,.Most uk private medical insurances do not cover overseas travel unless you pay a costly surcharge.

[Up2U]

...... Most uk private medical insurances do not cover overseas travel unless you pay a costly surcharge.

and therein lies the difference. There are two sets of users with different needs, so this renders the poll of little value. I can understand Brit insurers charging travel premiums. The costs of a traveller having a medical problem in USA could be astronomical. This story is dental related but gives one an idea of costs in America; a friend had a tooth extraction done here in Pattaya for 1500 baht. He had the work evaluated by his American dentist who pronounced the work top notch for a difficult extraction with crossed roots. His estimate to do the work in America was 2500-4000 USD!

[ceejay]

Do the US Healthcare plans include medical repatriation? No-one's likely to need it on any one trip, but that's one of the key areas of disaster cover that I buy it for. If you have a serious illness then it can cost you ┬г100k+ ($150K+) to get home.

[Up2U]

Do the US Healthcare plans include medical repatriation? No-one's likely to need it on any one trip, but that's one of the key areas of disaster cover that I buy it for. If you have a serious illness then it can cost you ┬г100k+ ($150K+) to get home.


My US insurance plan did and I think it is pretty common. Major insurers like Anthem Blue Cross have working relationships with hospitals worldwide.

[Sooty]

I'm not sure where some of you guys here in the UK buy your travel but a lot of Gold and Platinum credit cards include free travel insurance if you pay for the ticket using their card. In this article (http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/apr/06/travel-insurance-cover-10-tips-deals) last year insurance for a fortnight in Thailand was quoted at ┬г22.95 provided you are under 85!!!

[scottish-guy]

Sooty - sometimes if it's "free" it's not worth having.

(Albeit limited) personal experience with these Bank Account "extras" is that there are so many "get-out" clauses and so much "small print" as to make them almost worthless - example - sunglasses covered , but prescription sunglasses not covered for loss or theft, what's that about???

[Sooty]

Sooty - sometimes if it's "free" it's not worth having.I agree - "sometimes" something free isn't worth having but I subscribe to a site whose business is to analyse these offerings, and I only ever assume the medical cover is what I will use. Envious you don't have a platinum credit card Scotty?

[Nirish guy]

Cameroncat mentioned that most people probably have medical insurance at home etc and Billyhouston related that Bupa wouldn't cover him - just to clarify in case it's if use to anyone else, this raised the question for me does my own BUPA policy cover international medical cover / insurance and I rang them to check and they confirmed that NO, it definitely does not and none of their standard policies would ( and I have the top level of cover). They could offer me a separate policy attached to my own to cover this but even by their own admission it would just be another travel insurance policy probably very similar to the one I already have and certainly wouldn't entitle me to the usual range of Bupa benefits - just in case anyone else perhaps assumed they are covered when in fact they may not be.

On the issue of SG suggesting I shift companies to get a better deal I spent several hours on this yesterday, my existing policy is ┬г1900 (after a 20% discount) for full cover with no exclusions, I then used an independent broker and Aviva came back with ┬г1530 - but suggesting I switch to a company policy mechanism ( rather than a personal policy) as by doing that they could offer to add another person ( my office manager) on to the policy on full cover at no extra cost and subject to checking my medical history they would "probably" also take me on with no exclusions just like my existing BUPA policy etc ( although I'll believe that when I see it in writing more perhaps!)

I then called Bupa and they then too suggested switching me to their company scheme which would give me exactly the same cover but they still would be charging the ┬г1900 figure ( as they claim their cover is much superior of course) but they would also then cover the second person for that all in price ( subject to excluding any pre-existing medical conditions the person had within the last seven years) although why they couldn't have suggested that 8 years ago to me when I first took the policy certainly now grates a bit.

But all in all I think I'll "probably" just stick with Bupa for now for the sake of the relatively small saving involved, certainly for one more year anyway perhaps, as i think its a case of better the devil I know plus I won't then need to go through the whole medical assessment crap thing all over again with a new company, where no doubt they will try to find SOME reason to load my policy or otherwise screw me over and if I were to go back to BUPA later they would then class any new policy as new business and ALSO try to exclude god knows what !

Hope that helps if anyone else finds themselves in the same position of shopping around for cover.


On a side note and as a gay man one thing that pissed me off was neither of the companies include ANY cover within their policies for any HIV /AIDS related illnesses - which could of course encompass a range of medical issues throughout your life should you be unlucky enough to contract the virus. Whilst 15 years ago i could possibly have understood this but i think in this day and age where HIV positive people should well live to a ripe old age like the rest of us it's a bit shitty of them to not cover you for getying sick just when you could actually need it ! :-(

[scottish-guy]

Sooty my dear- I'm not "envious" of anybody - I have SEVERAL platinum cards - and what's more they're ALL maxed out - beat that :sign5:

[Sooty]

Sooty my dear- I'm not "envious" of anybody - I have SEVERAL platinum cards - and what's more they're ALL maxed out - beat thatI'm amazed a Scot would challenge anyone to join him on his voyage to penury.

[scottish-guy]

Only if you're paying ..............

[ofage]

You guys must be professional travelers. To us Americans, if we asked anyone if they had trip or travel insurance we know that it is basic cost of vacation cancelation insurance.

Talk about something being lost in The translation.... Hahaha
I'd call it more lost in a fog. I'm from the US also but there I think most people know the difference in trip and travel insurance. One covers the cost of the flight and the other covers you for losses while you are traveling.