Do you or don't you buy Travel Insurance for your Trip?

Question

I was wondering how many of you out there have purchased insurance in there travel? I would say especially for International travel where many aren't covered medically.

What were your reasons for purchasing insurance? What reasons did you choose not to purchase insurance? Have you ever known someone where insurance helped them or where insurance could have helped them had they purchased it?

This question is sparked because today here at work I get TWO calls (ok that is VERY unusual) of ones that had a tragic event happen in there life. One his mother had a stroke and the other I’m unsure of the details all I gathered was it was her Brother in Law. Neither purchased Insurance. One will be out $2,200 dollars. The other 800 dollars.

Vendors penalties are extremely strict, especially now a days. Typically and yes we will try for you, they don't waive penalties due to it's unfairness to those who did purchase insurance.

What are your thoughts on this subject?

Akasanoma in answer to your question. I'm referring to insurance that includes:

Trip Cancellation
Trip Interuption
Medical Insurance
Emergency Evac. (Helicopter)
Baggage Loss
Baggage Delay
Missed Connection
Etc.

Answer 1

if you travel internationally without insurance, then you are being very stupid. many countries dont have the same standard of healthcare as the us. even if you have enough money on your credit card to pay for the treatment, you may not get the same standard of care. it doesnt matter if you are fit and healthy, accidents happen. if it is something serious your family may become financially crippled trying to get you home alive. BTW insurance usually also covers repatriation of mortal remains too - kinda hard to get these back without help from other sources

insurance for belongings is just your own risk - weigh up cost of items to cost of insurance

Answer 2

Not sure what you mean by travel insurance but it seems you are implying medical insurance. Depending on what type of medical insurance you have in this country you may not get coverage from 1 state to the next so I would not put to much faith in buying medical insurance for treatment during your international trip.
Insurance for oversees travel is problematic, period. I rented a car in Sydney, Australia using an American Express card. I had a minor accident in the hotel garage when while backing up a short plastic box slightly dented the car. Believing I was covered by American Express for the damage I left Australia next day. I was sent a bill for $1400 or so for damage that was perhaps $200. American Express did not pay because they told me after the fact that they do not cover auto insurance in Australia, Nigeria and Italy. Yes, American Express - you can leave home without it. At least don't rent cars with it. Who knows, their list probably includes Canada now.
In short I don't buy travel insurance and I don't worry about it. If I'm unlucky the insurance might just become additional headache.

Answer 3

I do not any more. But this was a carefully researched decision. We try to travel as cheaply as possible and this would add to our costs. We cruise frequently and are going with the odds that we wont have an emergency on all of our trips. Given that, we do have medical coverage internationally, my husband and I are both in excellent health, and I never use luggage that I cant afford to lose and besides the airport luggage handlers abuse them anyway. if we were traveling with all our adult children, a large group of friends or we get less healthy in our later years we would buy the insurance. I would not however buy it through the cruiseline. The first time we travelled we did by insurance with our regular insurance agent and now you can compare prices online. BonVoyage and Good Luck.

Answer 4

I use a credit card that provides travel insurance with the purchase of a ticket. Also, my health insurance provides international coverage. I think it's a good idea to have travel insurance if you can afford it.

Answer 5

Not me. I usually drive to where I am going. The only time that I flew I did not buy insurance and I did not even think of it. You do not think of things happening to you like that. You think that the airlines will cover all of that but they want. Now when I do fly, which is alot because of my job because of 9/11, I do buy insurance.

Answer 6

Always buy flight cancellation insurance. Always buy accident/hospital insurance. You are in a foreign country and the benefits of hospitalization might be very expensive.

Answer 7

Most of the time(if I'm flying).