Help! Travel Insurance [anyone find it necessary? + what dos it cover?] About This Page:

[SheLovesAriel]

Hi all, hopefully this is the correct place to ask this question:

We are finally at the time for final payment! We have not chosen to add travel insurance to our reservations yet. Once we finalize payment we cannot add Disney insurance.

I have read on here that there are other/perhaps better travel insurance policies than the Disney travel insurance.

What have you all done? Skip it altogether? Buy the plan? Buy something else?

What does a travel insurance policy generally cover - why would someone want to buy one?

My parents are mid-70's and they want insurance in case something happens and they cannot take the trip. So we want a strategy that will reimburse them if they cannot go. They purchased their airfare separate from Disney. The rest of us...I just don't know....



Thank you all!!!

[yalibrarian]

We don't buy it for our Disney trips, but it can be useful if someone has a health condition that might interfere with the trip, or you have a sudden emergency that requires you to leave for home. What it covers depends upon what you want to pay, the ages and number of travelers in your party, and what you need to have covered. There are dozens of reputable companies that sell travel insurance policies. Here is a good site where you can compare plans and prices: Travel Insurance Plans, Quotes, Research, Reviews, and Advice ? InsureMyTrip If you decide to buy it, it is beneficial to purchase within a few days of your final payment as it may cost less and offer more protection.

My husband is on kidney dialysis and has other health issues, but we still did not buy it for our upcoming trip. We drive, so no plane tickets to worry about. We stay at a value resort so our hotel costs are under $1,000. If he got ill right before we went, I would move the trip and suck up the penalty charge (about $200 I believe) to change our dates. We'd likely lose our free dining too, but since travel insurance for the three of us would cost at least $150 up to $300 or more, we could live with the chance that we might need to reschedule or come home a bit early. However, if he gets on the transplant list, then I would definitely buy it, since when they call with an organ, you need to go right away no matter where you are.

[lanejudy]

First -- decide what you want from insurance. It sounds like your parents want cancellation coverage -- insurance will reimburse for non-reimbursed expenses (such as deposits, packages paid in full with a penalty for cancellation, etc.). You insure only the parts you want...airfare, ground transportation, hotel, etc.

Now, do your parents have medical concerns already? If so, you will need to purchase coverage with a "pre-existing condition" waiver. Travel insurance will have a period of time they "look back" to see whether the person has a known medical condition, and the insurance won't cover without the PEC waiver. This coverage often requires purchase within so many days of the initial deposit, or it can be more expensive to purchase at the time of final payment.

Presumably you and your parents have medical insurance that would cover you while on vacation in FL. If not, you'd want to include medical. (Such as if the regular health insurance has a limited in-network only or something.)

As for my experience -- we don't purchase travel insurance except for cruises and other international travel. Most everything else we do can be cancelled or rebooked with either no penalty or minimal penalty. Look at your travel plans, look at your cancellation/penalty restrictions, decide your risk. Google some travel insurance sites to get comparisons, but be sure to CALL and ask questions so you know what you are getting.

Enjoy your vacation!

[chezp]

We have annual travel insurance, as it's much cheaper for us with all the trips we take. For us, it's about getting medical care covered in a foreign country, cancellation coverage in case something happens to one of us or a close family relative and for anything like thefts or lost luggage.

It gives us piece of mind for not that much of an investment and I'd never travel without it. I was going to say I would travel without it within the UK, but actually I wouldn't, as at least it covers the unexpected and I just like having piece of mind, just in case any of our other insurances wouldn't cover us, if that makes sense?

[SheLovesAriel]

Originally Posted by lanejudy

Now, do your parents have medical concerns already?

No, they are currently both healthy and fit. My mom is a bit of a worrier just given their ages. And we all have health insurance.

[duck addict]

I am going to answer more that you need (for the benefit of others). Your mom and dad are in two different situations.

Your dad has a pre-exisiting condition, your mom does not.

1. Most travel insurance will NOT cover pre-existing conditions, so if something related to your dad's problems occurred, it would not be covered unless you bought the insurance at the time of booking the trip (or within a few days-depending on the company.)

2. For both.. travel insurance is usually based on the cost of the trip, and the amount of coverage. If you bought a complete package. (air, lodging, admissions, etc.) the premium reflects the total cost. If you bought items separately, the insurance bought from a vendor/insurer(will only cover the expenses with that vendor. You can buy a travel umbrella policy that covers the whole trip, or literally have to buy insurance from each vendor (one from the airline, one from Disney, etc) depending on how you purchased your travel.

3. A big part of the coverage (there are different levels) are things like the cost of 'repatriation' (return home with health assistance) if something major happens and the ceiling on what medical they will reimburse. You need to see the policy limits.

4. Not applicable to you-but for the benefit of others, Medicare does NOT cover you outside of the United States. So those going on cruises and overseas, and on Medicare should have coverage. Medicare generally stops covering you as the ship 'leaves' the US 3 Mile limit (basically as soon as you leave the US harbor).

I hope that this helps you and others. (I am not an insurance agent, I just travel a lot, inside and outside the US)