Travel Insurance - Rick Steves Travel Forum (2024)

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Posted bymsmaxineon

we will be traveling for 2 weeks to Spain. I usually had gotten Travelex insurance and thought about Travelguard. I've read lots of negative reviews on Travelguard (lots of negative reviews from those who needed to use) and in regards to Travelex (all are giving good reviews but had also stated they did not have to use)

please......anyone use one of the companies mentioned and/or can suggest a company that you did have to put in a claim without any issues and good customer service ?

I am more concerned about any medical needs I may have or needing to get back to the States....etc.....

Many thanks forum !
Maria .

Posted byNine5472

SF Bay Area

2 posts

Last summer my wife sprained her ankle in Paris. We had Travelex Travel Max medical coverage. The medical cost came to about 650 euros. After we returned home I sent Travelex all their required information and received full reimbursem*nt several weeks later. No follow up questions or phone calls from Travelex. Very happy with results. The best price I found was through Squaremouth.com. Hope this helps!

We've used TravelGuard and have had some claims in the past. They always paid up quickly and the claim was easy to file. Perhaps those who are unhappy with TravelGuard didn't read their policy and got a nasty surprise when they found out they weren't covered for whatever incident arose. There are three levels of coverage - silver, gold and platinum. It's a good idea to review each level or coverage and the cost and determine how much you want to pay out of pocket should something unforeseen occur.

Posted bymsmaxineOP

4 posts

I'm looking on the site, "Squaremouth" and after viewing all the options it looks like a company called, "Tin Leg" has gotten some very high reviews. There are good and bad reviews on all of these insurance companies and I'm trying to make the best decision. I'd hate to find out I made a bad choice if something were to happen.

Any suggestions or has anyone ever heard of "Tin Leg".......I haven't till I went on this website.

Many thanks again to the Forum !

Posted byKim

San Francisco

993 posts

We get our insurance through our travel agent, and the latest ones have been through Travel Insured. We were stuck overnight in London at christmas, then re-routed a bit and missed a stop. They reimbursed us $1100 with no issues!

Kim

Posted byKim

San Francisco

993 posts

We get our insurance through our travel agent, and the latest ones have been through Travel Insured. We were stuck overnight in London at christmas, then re-routed a bit and missed a stop. They reimbursed us $1100 with no issues!

Kim

Posted byTC

Atlanta

4650 posts

We've had one claim with Travel Guard. They did require documentation but nothing that was not reasonable. Had a check in less than two weeks.

Another thing to consider is this. Most travel policies have medical evacuation coverage. But they USUALLY will only evacuate you to the nearest hospital than can treat you. There is a company named "Med Jet Assist" that has a number of different membership plans. It in NOT medical insurance -- just med evacuation coverage. As long as you are more than 150 miles from home, they will, if medically necessary, fly you back to your home hospital in a medical jet with medical personnel. Google them and see what you think.

Posted byNorma

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

8293 posts

I see there are a lot of not-so-wonderful reviews of Tin Leg on the Cruise Critic forum. Does the name Tin .Leg inspire you with confidence?

Posted byjaimeelsabio

Mid-Atlantic area

6259 posts

Never had to file a claim, but we get our travel insurance through allianz.

Posted byFrank

Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA

23133 posts

The issue is the fine print and you seldom read that. We have been slightly burned on two cancellation policies simply because we didn't - in both case were unable - to read the fine print. Both had to do with airline cancellation insurance purchased with the ticket. Have concluded that is a sucker play. I think the independent travel insurance is a different issuewhen you have the opportunity to see what is covered and more importantly what is NOT covered. A good rule of thumb is the more expersive the policy more that is covered. Expect a premium around 5 to 10% of covered costs. There are two types of policies - sometimes combined. Medical insurance and trip cancellation/interruption. We carried a year around medical evac policy (very cheap) that will get us home anytime we are more than 500 miles away. Then depending on the situation we may or may not take a cancellation policy. Just depends on how much cash we have at risk. Personally I would not combine the two types of insurance. Buy what you need when you need it.

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Travel Insurance  - Rick Steves Travel Forum (2024)

FAQs

Does travel insurance really pay? ›

If your trip is canceled for a covered reason, a policy will often reimburse airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, tours, cruises and other prepaid, non-refundable expenses.

What does travel insurance not cover? ›

Travelling against medical advice or to get medical treatment. If your doctor says it's not safe for you to travel, then you won't be covered. Similarly, if you go abroad to get planned treatment, sometimes called 'medical tourism', a standard policy will not cover this – you'll need specialist insurance instead.

Is 100000 enough for travel insurance? ›

Every plan is different, but the coverage amounts and benefits may vary. Determine how much you really need. For example, SquareMouth recommends international travelers get around $50,000 in Emergency Medical coverage and $100,000 for cruises or travel to remote areas.

How much travel insurance is enough? ›

How much travel medical insurance do you need? Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison site, recommends buying at least $50,000 in emergency medical coverage for international travel. For travelers going on a cruise or to a remote destination, the site recommends at least $100,000 in coverage.

How much commission do travel agents make on travel insurance? ›

In 2023, travel insurance is more essential than ever, and travel agents can earn commissions by offering these policies to their clients. The commission rates for travel insurance can range from 10% to 36%, depending on the insurance provider and the specific policy sold.

What is the best travel insurance company? ›

The Best International Travel Insurance Providers in Detail
  • Faye. Our Top Pick. ...
  • Travelex. Our pick for families. ...
  • Nationwide Travel Insurance. Our pick for most coverage reimbursed. ...
  • Tin Leg. Our pick for customizable coverage. ...
  • Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. ...
  • Seven Corners Travel Insurance. ...
  • AIG Travel Guard.

How much travel insurance do I need for Europe? ›

Without this coverage, you are responsible for any medical expenses. The average cost of travel insurance is between 5% and 10% of the total price of your trip. This can be worth it for the medical benefits alone when traveling in Europe.

Is Allianz travel insurance good? ›

We at the MarketWatch Guides team awarded Allianz Travel Insurance 4.1 out of 5 stars based on our provider review methodology. Named our pick for concierge services, Allianz offers 24/7 travel assistance through a multilingual team, which can help policyholders with travel and coverage issues while abroad.

Does travel insurance cover you if your flight is Cancelled? ›

Cancellation cover is a common inclusion with most standard travel insurance policies, but you can take it out separately if it doesn't offer enough cover. Alternatively, if you only want cancellation cover to protect you against cancelled flights rather than baggage protection, you can get it for that.

Is $250,000 enough for medical travel insurance? ›

If you read any of our other articles, you'll remember that we always offer a simple recommendation for Medical Insurance. Overseas travelers should have these minimum levels of protection: Medical Insurance Coverage - $100,000. Medical Evacuation Coverage - $250,000.

What percent of trip should travel insurance cost? ›

According to NerdWallet analysis, the short answer to “How much does travel insurance cost?” is that it's typically 7% of your overall trip cost. For example, travel insurance will cost you an additional $70 (roughly) for a $1,000 trip.

What should I pay for travel insurance? ›

It can also help cover medical care and evacuation costs in an emergency. One way to predict your travel insurance cost is to look at your trip cost — most insurance policies cost between 3% and 5% of your total trip cost. Your Estimate Estimates are based on your trip cost.

Does travel insurance get more expensive closer to the trip? ›

Unlike other aspects of your travel experience like airfares or hotel-room rates, the price of travel insurance doesn't increase the closer you get to your travel date. There's no financial penalty if you wait to buy travel insurance (except for those bonus coverages, of course).

How many days before should you buy travel insurance? ›

Ideally, you'll buy coverage no later than 15 days prior to your trip.

What is not covered by Allianz travel insurance? ›

Claims due to known, foreseeable, or expected events, epidemics, government prohibitions, warnings, or travel advisories or fear of travel are generally not covered (coverage can vary by state.)

Does travel insurance pay upfront? ›

Travel insurance may pay your expenses upfront if you require emergency medical treatment or emergency transportation while traveling overseas.

What does trip insurance cover? ›

So, what does travel insurance cover? Here's the very short answer: Cancellations, medical expenses, evacuations, loss or delays, and 24/7 assistance. These are the 5 basic types of coverage provided with vacation insurance.

Does travel insurance cover cancelled flights? ›

Does travel insurance cover cancelled flights? Travel insurance will generally provide some coverage for flight cancellations, but the level of coverage will vary from policy to policy and may require certain conditions to be met.

Does travel insurance cover non-refundable hotels? ›

A comprehensive travel insurance plan protects your nonrefundable reservations, which can include prepaid excursions in addition to airplane tickets and hotel stays. If your trip doesn't involve any nonrefundable reservations, you may not need travel insurance.

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