Trip insurance - ABD or other company?

[Bobo912]

I bought the trip insurance through ABD for our last trip, but I've been doing some research today and it looks like I can get it more cheaply elsewhere for the next trip. I went to insuremytrip.com and did some comparisons and can get a somewhat scaled down policy for about half what I paid through ABD. I'm mainly interested in trip cancellation coverage and they all cover that for the entire amount. As far as I can tell, I'm paying the higher premium for higher reimbursement for lost luggage and life insurance. I have life insurance already and I don't plan to take anything particularly valuable with me, so wouldn't the cheaper policy suffice? I was comparing Access America (which I think ABD uses), AIG and Travelex. Any opinions on these companies/policies? Is there anything important I might be overlooking?

 

[sayhello]

I bought the trip insurance through ABD for our last trip, but I've been doing some research today and it looks like I can get it more cheaply elsewhere for the next trip. I went to insuremytrip.com and did some comparisons and can get a somewhat scaled down policy for about half what I paid through ABD. I'm mainly interested in trip cancellation coverage and they all cover that for the entire amount. As far as I can tell, I'm paying the higher premium for higher reimbursement for lost luggage and life insurance. I have life insurance already and I don't plan to take anything particularly valuable with me, so wouldn't the cheaper policy suffice? I was comparing Access America (which I think ABD uses), AIG and Travelex. Any opinions on these companies/policies? Is there anything important I might be overlooking?

I agree with you. Generally, when I look at the policy offered by ABD (or a cruise company, or a TA) they have a set offering that is a bit different from what you yourself can buy from the insurance company directly. Really the question is, is the "extra" stuff on the policy worth the extra you'd pay? Usually these policies are priced somewhere between their "economic" policies and their "premium" policies.

One thing you really have to look at (and I have not looked at the ABD policy in months & months) is whether they cover pre-existing conditions. I find that a lot of the policies offered by the tour or cruise providers don't. Basically, if you purchase the policy within the proscribed time period after your initial deposit, and something that you've been treated for recently (a bad back, heart issues) flares up just before the trip, you're still covered. If you don't have the pre-existing condition waver, you likely will not be covered.

Also, the policies sold through the travel providers don't always cover default of the travel provider. If, god forbid, ABD went out of business, or, more likely, your airline folded, you're only covered if you have the travel provider default coverage. Same as with pre-existing conditions, you usually have to buy the policy within a particular number of days after your initial deposit for it to cover this.

One other think I look at is the coverage for trip delays. If you get stuck overnight, and have to go to a hotel room, buy toletries, catch up to your tour, whatever, how much will they pay, and how many hours does it take to qualify as an actual delay.

Insuremytrip.com is a fabulous site. I've bought many policies through them, have never had a problem. Any of the 3 companies you mention are great. I've made claims through AIG and Travelex for 2 separate trips and didn't have any problems with either.

Bravo for you. Trip insurance is *SO* important on trips like this. Medical coverage is important, as your insurance may or may not cover treatment outside the country you live in. (I was treated by the physician on the cruiseship I was on --- and it was $300! More than paid for the insurance!) And I had to cancel a hiking tour to Yosemite last year, and the full refund I got paid for this year's ABD. Plus the insurance paid for the changes to my airline ticket so that I could still go visit my family in California even if I missed the tour. Great investment.

Oh, and yes, in most cases, my experience has been that the cheaper policy is generally enough.

Sayhello

 

[Bobo912]

One thing you really have to look at (and I have not looked at the ABD policy in months & months) is whether they cover pre-existing conditions. I find that a lot of the policies offered by the tour or cruise providers don't. Basically, if you purchase the policy within the proscribed time period after your initial deposit, and something that you've been treated for recently (a bad back, heart issues) flares up just before the trip, you're still covered. If you don't have the pre-existing condition waver, you likely will not be covered.

Sayhello, are pre-existing conditions defined as conditions you have at the time you pay for the insurance or at the time the trip takes place. We don't have any pre-existing conditions to be concerned about now, so if it's at the time of payment, we would be okay. But I'm booking a trip for late next spring, and who know what might happen between now and then. Thanks for the info!

 

[Bobo912]

DOH! I just reread your post and you already answered my question.

 

[beachbunny]

I believe the AbD policy covers preexisting conditions if the policy is purchased within 14 days of your original deposit. That's pretty much the same as most other travel insurance policies. I took a quick look at insuremytrip and found that I would need to pay extra (from $30 to $58, depending on policy) to cover preexisting conditions for my upcoming AbD trip. AbD trip insurance is definitely more expensive but you need to compare apples to apples.

 

[sayhello]

DOH! I just reread your post and you already answered my question.

Just want to be sure.... each policy has it's own "preexisting condition period" and can vary from 90 to 180 days prior to your trip. Say your policy has a 90 day pre-existing condition period, and you injure your back 75 days before the trip. You go through therapy, are fine. But a week before your trip, it gets aggravated, and you can't take your vacation. If you have a pre-existing condition waiver, you are fine, and can get re-imbursed for not taking your trip. But if you don't have that waiver, the back problems are a pre-existing condition from within the pre-existing condition period, and you are not covered. Trip insurance will also cover you for other people if it affects you (your mother is hospitalized due to a heart attack, and you have to cancel your trip to take care of her.) But if she was taking heart medication 60 days before your trip, it's a pre-existing condition; not covered.

Look at the policy. It should list all the details for this.

Sayhello