Travel Insurance: Perilous or Life-Saving
Two recent articles brought trip insurance to the forefront again. So should you buy trip insurance, and if so, when and how.
The first article: From the New York Times. A couple purchased trip insurance through their cruise ship company. When a medical condition forced them to cancel, they could not collect a cash refund.
My take: Never buy insurance from a tour company, airline or cruise ship at the time of booking. Shop around for the best insurance for your specific needs and the best deal using my tips at the end of this article.
The second article: From yesterday’s Garden Island newspaper. A local vacation rental company skipped town and left people stranded.
My take: Trip insurance does not cover situations where a hotel or vacation rental does not accommodate you. For protection, I suggest always using a credit card so you can get a refund if you find yourself in this situation.
Do I need trip insurance for my Hawaii vacation?
Yes, if you are using a cruise ship or tour company. Also, if you cannot reschedule your airline ticket within a year of purchase, you may want trip insurance coverage.
No, when the non-refundable, insurable costs associated with a planned trip are less than the cost of trip insurance.
Do I need trip insurance for international vacations?
Yes, in almost all instances, your health insurance will not provide coverage in countries outside of North America.
Travel Insurance Tips for those who need to purchase:
1. Do not buy on a whim, no matter what. If you are going to get trip insurance, you need to do your homework in order to avoid throwing away your money or worse.
2. Use on-line sites like Insure My Trip which offer comparisons between companies and policies. Check the A.M. best rating of carriers.
3. Each policy has specific limits as to how soon it needs to be purchased in order to provide full coverage. Start shopping for insurance within a few days of making your first trip reservation.
4. Read every word of all clauses that are the basis for you’re need to buy insurance. Do not rely on statements made by insurance agency representatives. As with all types of insurance, don’t assume buying insurance means that you’re covered.
5. I wrote four articles on travel insurance that contain 28 coverage areas plus more helpful things to consider before buying:
Medical, dental, and hospitalization coveages and more.
The companies, ratings, free policy review, and pre-existing conditions.
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In April we were to take our daughter who had recently graduated from college on a vacation to Cabo. We had trip insurance but when I called to cancel, the swine flu had just been raised to pandemic and we could not get a refund. We lost the first day @ the Presidente and would have to pay $150.00 per ticket to reschedule. I beleive that Mexicana has now decided not to charge the rebooking fee. I will look into your companies. We took a trip in 9/08 to Ireland and the travel insurance included \any\ reason we could cancel and then have up to a year to reschedule.
I can only warmly recommend to sign up for a travel insurance for your Hawaii vacation. Hawaii trips are mostly booked quite a bit in advance and so many things – whether we like the idea or not – can happen before you get on your plane. I agree always best to pay with credit card. Gives you extra protection of your money. Better be safe than sorry!
Aloha, Pua
Best Hawaii Vacation Blog
Hi,
I used the sites you recommended for trav. ins. I have an Amex card and after speaking to a rep., I had more coverage. Thank you Beat of Hawaii!!! I use your site for all my travel info.
Hi Jan,
Glad it worked out!
Jeff