Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with insurance and travel

Help a Canadian travel with peace of mind!

exquisite_deluxe — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:29:19 -0800

I'm a Canadian abroad with expired health insurance. What options do I have for a new policy? I need private health insurance for a 6 week trip to India, departing from New Zealand. I've been out of Quebec, Canada since October 2008, and I'm returning in December 2009. My private health insurance (bought through Travel Cuts) has expired, and they will not sell me a new plan without being in Canada.

I was then going to book through World Nomads, which does allow policy purchases after leaving Canada. However, they require Canadians to confirm that they are still covered under provincial health insurance. Since I have been out of Quebec for more than 183 days this year, and did not obtain a letter of extension before departure from Canada, apparantly I am no longer covered. So I can't get the World Nomads insurance.

All the policies I have looked at require booking before the trip, or being out of Canada for less than six months. I have seen this question asking about good travel insurance in Quebec, but it doesn't seem to address what to do without having a valid extension from Quebec health.

Help!! Do I have any options?? My main concern is having coverage for major medical emergencies.

Thanks in advance!

Advice before I fly the coop for a year?

adamk — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:02:37 -0800

I (26/male) am leaving Los Angeles in January for at least one year of backpacking solo around Australia, NZ, SE Asia, and possibly some other places! Other than enjoying my remaining time before I leave (going to favorite restaurants, hanging with friends, etc.), what pre-trip activities should I be thinking about, and what preparations should I be making (especially while I have good insurance)? What do you wish someone had told you before you left for a trip of this length and scope? This is me! I have a few months left before I take off and start my working holiday visa in Australia. Obviously I'm heading to a first-world country to begin, and should be able to buy plenty of things that I may want while I'm over there.

I did my research and bought a great backpack, and plan on packing lighter than I ever have before. I've been trading in some of my must-have things (camera, laptop, etc.) for smaller and lighter versions. I'm planning on keeping my website updated with my past/future/current whereabouts, and posting blog entries, pics and video as the opportunity presents itself. I'm considering printing up some Moo MiniCards to pass out to people I meet, to make it easier for them to track me down. And I may get one of those recently announced Amazon Kindles with international downloads, instead of my usual approach of lugging around a small library.

In addition, I have about 10 more weeks of good medical/dental insurance from my current job, which I'll be leaving just before Christmas. I'm planning on getting a physical, and asking about immunizations for some of the less developed countries I may end up visiting. Beyond that, I'm not sure if there's anything I should be taking advantage of while I have the chance. Once my coverage runs out I'll have travel insurance with emergency health coverage, but nothing as nice or comprehensive as I have now.

For the past two months I've been aiming to get rid of 3-5 pieces of personal property each week, either by selling, giving or throwing things away. I'll be selling my car before I leave, and anything remaining will go into a small storage unit. Then I'll be living out of my backpack. Crazy.

I'll probably do occasional freelance programming work (old clients and new) to keep some money rolling in while I'm away, so I'm looking into gadgets/software that'd make my computing life easier... I've seen some external USB WiFi antennas that have received excellent reviews.

Any advice relevant to my specific situation would be appreciated, or any tips that are applicable in general. Thanks so much!

I Wanna Be Protected!

fourcheesemac — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:52:15 -0800

Can one buy a personal auto liability policy for rental cars that replaces or supplements LDW or liability supplement coverage offered by the rental agency? I travel constantly, and rent cars 20+ times per year as a result. However, I live in New York City and do not own a car, and hence possess no personal auto policy. Prior to moving here, I owned cars and trucks for 15 years, and have an extensive and good driving record across multiple states. I am, of course, licensed to drive in New York.

My credit card (Visa) covers the collision damage liability for the rental car itself as primary insurance in this situation, so I typically decline the CDW. In any case, it wouldn't break me to pay cash to replace the economy or compact cars I usually rent. So to be clear, this is not a question about coverage for damage to the rental vehicle itself. As far as I know, credit cards do not offer liability coverage at all (and many people are misinformed about this, in my experience, including some rental agents).

In some states in which I rent, the rental agency claims not to carry any liability insurance (in Indiana, Alamo and National have told me they are exempt from state minimums and that, in essence, a renter is required to either possess an auto liability policy or buy their liability supplement). In other cases, even where there is some liability coverage (ie, for damage done to other people and property in a hypothetical accident in which I was at fault), it's pathetically low given the risks one takes by pulling out of the airport parking area. So I usually buy whatever additional liability coverage is offered by the agency (still not great -- usually a 100K-200K overall limit). Tends to run 12-15 bucks per rental day. Usually you have to persist in asking for the liability coverage alone, and not as part of a package with the CDW and veterinary coverage for the family pet and every other little ripoff option.

I would like to buy my own policy that would simply cover me in any rental car in the US to the tune of half a million to a million bucks. Does such a policy exist? I've heard about general personal liability policies, but that seems like overkill to me.

I am having a devil of a time searching for this on the net because any combination of keywords pulls up endless bitching about the CDW/LDW policies of the various rental agencies.

Even when I travel on business and supp. insurance is covered by my employer, I'd love to have a personal policy for increased protection. Like I said, it's pretty easy to imagine doing 100K worth of hurt backing into someone's outside wall, for crying out loud.

Seems like an obvious product for business travelers, no?

Recommend a good insurance plan?

osloheart — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 17:34:42 -0800

Travel insurance to cover camera equipment? Anyone have a recommendation for a trip insurance plan that covers expensive camera equipment? Im an amateur photographer taking a pretty nice Nikon and some gear to South America for 2 months. Im not too worried about medical/trip cancellation, but if there is a plan out there that will protect my baby if my attempts at protecting her fail, Id like to know about it.
Also, I dont have home/renters insurance so I cant tack on an extra.
Thanks!

Should I get travel insurance as a UK citizen in Holland?

Kirn — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:22:01 -0800

Do I need travel insurance if I live in the UK and am travelling to Holland? I'm about to spend 4 days in Holland (flying the day after tomorrow). I completely forgot to look into travel insurance.

I'm a UK citizen (since always) and have a European Health Insurance Card (which is not about to expire). Does this basically cover me for medical issues and emergencies in Holland?

Should I still get travel insurance?

If so, can I still book it at this late stage?

And if the answer to the last two questions is yes: who would the hive mind recommend? I've never heard of any of the companies the comparison sites bring up.

Details: I'm in my mid-20s. I have mild asthma but no other medical conditions. I'm not planning on driving or taking part in any dangerous activities, and I'm not taking anything particularly valuable (passport and wallet are probably the only things I really wouldn't want to lose). I don't have any other kind of insurance other than home insurance.

Other details: I'm an idiot who doesn't know anything about insurance.

Thanks in advance Internet.

Trip insurance without medical coverage? General advice on trip insurance?

springo — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:35:12 -0800

Asking for the fiancée: is it possible to purchase trip insurance without medical coverage? Also: general advice about trip insurance for this situation is welcome (traveling several weeks in France & England, with expensive train connections). She says (she has a metafilter account but is using mine in case she gets desperate for other travel advice):

summary: leaves May 18, returns June 17, traveling in England and (mainly) France. Policy must allow cancellation "for any reason," which of course costs extra. Doesn't need health coverage. Wondering if she can get trip coverage for less than $91, if she could only find a policy that doesn't include medical.

details

I'm flying in to London/Heathrow, then plan to take a train to St. Pancras Station, then catch the Eurostar to Paris. The Eurostar is expensive. Pricing makes the non-flexible Eurostar tickets quite attractive -- but if my plane is late I'd be in trouble.

For what-if-I-miss-my-train reasons, as well as what-if-someone-gets-sick-and-I-have-to-stay-home reasons, trip insurance seems prudent. I estimate I'd need $1,500 covered for plane + train tickets. I also want to be able to cancel "for any reason".

Every single trip insurance plan I've looked at includes medical emergency coverage, but I have that through employer-based insurance. The quote I'm currently looking at is $91 (for $1,500 worth of coverage).

Apropos of this question, we looked at our bank and our car insurance companies (State Farm and also Amica), but they don't offer travel insurance.

General advice on trip insurance, or insurance company suggestions, are welcome, too. She's currently looking at this TravelSafe policy.

Travel Insurance + Canada

ryanbryan — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:40:26 -0800

Planning a working holiday to Canada, and need advice on travel insurance... Planning a working holiday to Canada, with possible side travel through the US and Europe. Looking into travel insurance and have been warned about being wary of those policies with limits on dental. Is this really something I ought to be concerned with? Never really had dental problems, already had wisdom teeth out etc. What are typical prices for dental procedures in Canada?

Also, does anyone know of a website/company to get cheap travel insurance for an Australian? Best I've seen for a comprehensive policy is about $870 AUD for 12 months.

Posting for a friend on this one.

Travel insurance help needed, please!

Planet F — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:10:39 -0800

I'd like some recommendations for travel insurance (online or otherwise easy to get) for an exchange student travelling from Germany to China. I'm covered under many different health insurance plans, but none will cover me travelling from Germany to China, since I'm leaving not leaving directly from my original country of residence (Canada). I'd normally purchase insurance from Travel Cuts (list of Plans available), but again there's the rule and stipulation that I must be leaving from canada in order to have that coverage.

I'd like to find a similar type of easily-purchased insurance that would cover both my health and belongings while in China. I'd also like it to come with a studenty-price tag, if possible :)

Thanks very much!

How can I book a sane vacation?

mhz — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:41:25 -0800

What's the safest/best way to book airline tickets? Hey…

I'm planning on flying from New York to Melbourne. I don't have a credit card. What is the best way to make sure my trip is hassle-free?

I've flown many times in the past and have never had a problem with lost baggage. But I figure I'll get screwed sometime, and with the multiple connections (and chances for things to go wrong) I'm seriously debating the extra $60 or so that the booking website charges for insurance. So as far as insurance is concerned:

- Is it worth it?

- What do these things usually cover? I'm landing in Australia a day before my friend's wedding – what exactly happens if Gaffubid my stuff gets lost?

- Is it possible to get a third-party insurer after booking my tickets, with a better cost/benefit ratio? If yes, please provide a link.

- Is there a credit card that helps? I vaguely recall something about AmEx guaranteeing something – does it only work for the cardholder? How about someone in the cardholder's household? How about a companion? If so, does the companion ticket need to have been bought together? Are there any other credit cards that would offer this?

- I'm going to start and end in Melbourne, but I will be in Sydney and possibly other cities as well. Is there a better traveler's insurance which will cover all flights and incidentals during my trip?

slightly offtopic
- I will probably be flying Virgin Blue (MEL-SYD-MEL), and I can't seem to figure out from their website if there's a 1 bag limit (using the super cheap fares) or not. I know there's an $8 charge – I just don't know if I can take two bags.

I've flown between the US and Australia multiple times, so I think I've got everything covered, but if there's anything else that may help…

If it helps at all as far as getting insurance things are concerned, I'm 22, male, US and Australian citizen.

Thank you very much

I no long have insurance, want to travel, and don't know what to do thereabout

fjardt — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 12:57:52 -0800

I am no longer covered under my parent's insurance because of my age and i will be traveling soon. What should i do? I am not entirely sure how it all works.

Do i only need travel insurance? Do i need to have "normal" insurance, and in addition to that buy travel insurance? I think that most people get insurance through their jobs, but how else can one get it?

Currently i will be traveling in the US, of which i am a citizen, working on WWOOF farms.

Thanks MeFites!

Where to find travel insurance for a dialysis patient?

MotorNeuron — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 18:26:22 -0800

My Dad does hemodialysis 3-times a week. He is a Canadian, but we have found a great dialysis clinic that will treat him here in Louisiana when he visits. The problem is that it now looks like we are going to have trouble finding travel insurance for him. Mom and Dad won't travel to the States without it. Has anyone got any ideas how we can best find this insurance for him? Do you know any dialysis patients who have found travel insurance for a U.S. vacation?

How to get good travel insurance in Quebec?

Succa — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:45:43 -0800

How can I, a resident of Quebec, get private travel medical insurance for a round-the-world trip lasting ten months? And how can I get a good deal? I've been doing some research, but can't seem to find any advice particular to my situation. Every insurer I've looked at refuses to insure a trip longer than 187 days. They tell me this is because my provincial health care will expire if I'm out of the country for six months.

However! The Régie tells me that since I'll be leaving on Aug 1 and returning on Apr 30, I'll be gone for only five months in 2007 and four months in 2008, and as a result, I get to keep my provincial coverage. This page confirms it (all the stuff about "calendar year"), and the Régie has assured me it's true.

But the insurers don't seem to recognize this fact. They say six months. I'll try to convince them, but if I can't, how can I get full coverage for my entire trip?

The other part of my question is, how can I get a good deal? The best quote I've found so far was with PC Financial, but they don't offer the travel insurance to Quebec residents. The price offered by Scotia was almost double. I haven't had much luck elsewhere. Any ideas?

Travel insurance for the technologically savvy?

antifuse — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 06:39:47 -0800

Help me insure my expensive gear while I'm travelling between residences! Ok, as my last question implies, I'm heading off on a kickass 6 week trip shortly, as my fiancee and I make our way back to Canada from Ireland. Unfortunately, things are a bit confusing when it comes to the insurance situation. Health insurance is easy - Soon-To-Be-Mrs. Antifuse is getting worldwide health insurance any way, because she won't be covered for her first three months back in Canada (and technically, I might not either, having been gone for some time... but I digress). More importantly, we want to insure our stuff!

What she's bringing that needs insuring:

- the brand spankin' new engagement ring

What I'm bringing that needs insuring:
- My laptop, worth maybe $1000 (or, say, $1500-2000 to replace with a comparable model [more because it's small than because it's fast])
- My camera gear, worth roughly $3000

I've looked at some of the previous travel insurance threads on here, and while there was some OK links in there, I couldn't find anything that would help with my particular situation. Now, here's the real kicker - does it make sense to try and find a travel insurance plan that covers all these items, and if so is there a way to do it that won't cost me $800? I understand that things like this are normally covered under home/renter's insurance, but I've got a bit of a pickle - my fiancee and I are going to basically be without a residence while we're travelling. We're giving up our apartment here when we leave, and we're moving into my mom's place temporarily when we get back to Canada. So we can't really have home insurance if we don't have a home! I've asked my mom if she can put us in a rider on her home insurance, but I'm afraid of getting caught in a "Well, you weren't technically residents of that home at the time you started your travel" loophole.

So, does anybody have any insurance advice? And no, "just don't bring your expensive stuff" isn't really an option. I'm not *overly* worried about losing any of our stuff, but I just want to make sure that we covered in a worst-case scenario. For added details, we're currently residents in Dublin, Ireland, and we plan on being residents of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada once we get home at the end of our trip.

Getting an unseen used vehicle 1000 miles away...

nTeleKy — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 11:46:27 -0800

I recently purchased this used vehicle on eBay which is located around Bangor, Maine, and I'm planning on driving it back to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I'm looking for advice to maximize my chances of actually making it back... I'm flying out friday morning, taking a taxi ~50 miles out of bangor to pick it up (I contacted a service and this is OK) and was hoping to get it home by the end of the weekend. I took off work on Monday and could call in for other days if necessary (ie I am stuck in BF, Nowhere). Should I make hotel reservations ahead of time? Am I forgetting anything in the travel arrangements?

It's sold as running condition (without a warranty), the seller claims to have driven it 100 miles with no problems, but that's a bit different than 1000 miles. I was thinking about trying to make arrangements with a local repair shop to have them look it over and tell me if there are any repairs that should be done. Could the feasability of a long trip be assessed immediately? I figured I'd get all the fluids flushed, in any case. Will it be problematic to find a shop willing to deal with a vehicle like this?

I was considering bringing out some parts and/or tools to do minor repairs if necessary, as I'm pretty mechanically inclined. This has an all-mechanical detroit diesel engine, which I'm told is pretty easy to work on, but I have no experience with. Are there any parts in particular I should be concerned with being able to find? Any parts I should replace just for the hell of it?

I was also thinking of getting something like an Allstate Motor Club membership, which should cover me (towing, lodging) if it breaks down and I have to get repairs done. Is this a good service, or is there anything better?

Lost bags

Mossy — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 14:28:46 -0800

Expensive lost baggage and multiple travel insurance policies. Having returned from a trip to Houston on Friday, our largest suitcase containing the big ticket items ($2000 coat, $500 suits etc) that we received for our wedding didn't make it. I have my Amex platinum insurance (£2000, £500 per item max) as well as a work policy that covers personal travel (£1500, £300 per item max). Is it allowed to claim from both policies? In addition, should I also claim from the airline? Has anyone been successful in doing this? Experiences welcome.

How do I get vaccinated for travel to West Africa?

Nothing — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 17:52:59 -0800

I have the opportunity to visit West Africa, but I do not have health insurance or a doctor. How do I go about getting the vaccinations needed, and how much will it cost? The details: I would be going to Dakar, Senegal. The trip would be in February. I am in northern Virginia.

The CDC has a guide, but I don't have a doctor to ask, as they suggest. Can I just go to a clinic or something?

Travel insurance suggestions?

sarahmelah — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 16:20:41 -0800

Travel insurance advice requested for an extended trip to New Zealand. We're looking for a reputable place to get travel insurance for our several week (8) trip from the US to New Zealand. Our primary concern is medical coverage, but any plan that offers additional coverage for personal effects / electronics (laptop, cameras, etc.) would be good too. There seem to be a lot of websites out there, but we're not sure how to check the reliability of a company. Right now we're between:

World Nomad (underwritten by BCS insurance), suggested by Lonely Planet's website. They seem pretty affordable, about $145 for 2 months, and cover personal items as well as medical. Has anyone heard anything +/- about this company?

International Medical Group (IMG) is another option offered through AAA, but they seem to be only for medical, and had limitations on what activities they covered.

There are so many companies and options out there, just wondering if anyone had any experience or advice to offer?

Thanks!

Are we insurable?

lloyder — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:15:09 -0800

We're (myself, wife and 3m old daughter) going to Germany for a long weekend at the end of October. Wife and I have already got an annual travel policy, but need to get a policy for my daughter. Our policy is through the bank and they will not add her. Complication is that my daughter has got a problem with one of her Kidneys and is on the waiting list for an op. Indication is that the op will not be until Nov / Dec.
Will we be able to get insurance for her?

2nd part of the question, we booked the trip about 9 months ago, what's the likely stance of our insurance if we have to cancel due to the op being scheduled for that week? We did not know anything about the kidney problem when we booked.

Start my engine

Felicity Rilke — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 12:04:29 -0800

Looking for (preferably) short-term auto insurance in Ontario . . . I've been told that some insurance companies in Ontario offer short-term auto insurance (30 days-ish), but so far I'm coming up empty. Are there any Ontarians who can point me in the right direction?

And if 30-days insurance is just a pipe dream, how about 90 days? Six months? The car really isn't used for anything but the occasional out-of-town trip (we're living in Toronto and rely on bikes and transit to get around), so insuring it for a full year would be expensive and unnecessary.

(car is a 1989 Toyota Corolla 4DR; driver a 25 year-old female with a clean driving record, if this matters)

Where do I find travel insurance for an athlete.

Doug — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 09:32:38 -0800

I'm looking for travel medical insurance that specifically covers a traveler engaged in sporting competitions/professional sports. My girlfriend is traveling to Austria to compete in a horseback riding competition, and she's looking for travel medical insurance. Looking at the carriers listed in previous Ask Mefi posts, it seems that travel insurance companies often will not cover individuals engaging in sporting competitions. Anyone know of a good company that will cover injuries resulting from sporting competitions?

An ingenious game of chance in which the deluded player thinks he’s beating the house.

lalochezia — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:25:28 -0800

Travel[+Insurance]Filter. I have medical (50% cost) + Emergency Repatriation coverage for a 10 week trip to Central America. Should I have anything else? If so, where can I get such a custom policy? Any last minute advice on destinations as well? I’m off to Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua to learn Spanish and see mayan sites, mountains and dive off coast [wohoo!]. I may go on to Costa Rica and Panama or head back into Belize or Mexico.

My question is this: Should I get more insurance?

I have $150k repatriation insurance through my employer. My US health insurance pays 50% of out-of-network costs for any procedure, no matter where it’s conducted.

I’m traveling with <$750 of gear total (bag, camera, clothes, books etc) and will be staying fairly low rent in cities, jungles etc. I have my shots and meds ready. My travel plans are v. flexible, so I don't know dates or when I'll buy my tickets during the 10 week period.

As a bonus: any suggestions on places to go or last minute advice for that part of the world?

Recommendations for extended travel insurance.

Gaz Errant — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 12:53:27 -0800

I need good travel insurance! I'm going on a round-the-world trip and need medical, repatriation, and baggage coverage. I was going to use World Nomads, but I just found out that they no longer offer their Plus insurance to residents of the U.S. and Canada (which allowed you to insure laptops, cameras, etc. beyond the normal coverage). They will only cover $500 TOTAL for valuable items (laptop, camera, phone, etc). That doesn't even cover half the value of my laptop, let alone the camera and phone. So now it seems pointless unless I can also get additional insurance to cover my valuables.

Does anyone know of either 1) supplementary coverage for laptops or 2) a travel insurance company that doesn't put the $500 limit on valuables?

Can I get travel insurance that covers being put on the no-fly list?

Thorzdad — Mon, 13 Jun 2005 13:36:37 -0800

Can I get travel insurance that covers being put on the no-fly list? My wife and I are heading to Mexico in November for our anniversary. Having never actually been anywhere together, this raises some concerns in my paranoid little mind. One of which is this...
We plan on getting travel insurance, due to the uncertainties of life. Most of the plans seem alike...coverage for most common events (death, sickness, loss of job, etc) However, times being what they are, I have begun to wonder what would happen if we get to the airport only to discover, for some bizarre reason, one of us has made it onto the no-fly list. This would really put the hurts to our anniversary trip as well as our pocketbook.
So...anyone have any insight to this? Can I get travel insurance that covers this extreme possibility?

Hawaii - Hotel, car rental and inter-island flight advice

KathyK — Tue, 31 May 2005 13:13:08 -0800

My boyfriend and I are leaving from Ottawa to Honolulu in 10 days for 10 days. Should we book the hotels, car rentals and inter-island flights in advance or can we get away with doing it when we get there? We kind of just want to play it by ear and not end up paying through the nose for things. Neither of us have been there and we want the flexibility of being able to go where we choose instead of rigidly planning our trip.

How free-spirited can we be? Will we have trouble getting inter-island flights/car rentals/hotels when we get there or should we book before we leave? Also, should we get medical/travel insurance?

Car Rental in Mexico--Credit Card Insurance or Not?

_sirmissalot_ — Fri, 22 Apr 2005 10:13:04 -0800

We're getting conflicting advice on this one. We're planning to rent a car in Mexico, Los Cabos specifically, for about a week. Insurance through the rental car company will more than double our total bill. Can we use the coverage offered by our U.S. credit card? Any experience with either option? It seems to be required that we buy Mexican liability insurance directly from the rental company ($7-11) a day, but additional insurance will more than double our total bill. My wife's Amex includes "premium coverage" that they say will cover collision damage etc. in Mexico, and my Mastercard may do something similar. Any credit card insurance requires that we specifically decline what's offered by the rental company.

Some travel message boards say use the credit card insurance, others say to buy the rental company's insurance, and some warm that without Mexican insurance you could easily end up in jail following an accident. Does anyone have any experience with any of this? Purchasing insurance from a rental car company would raise our weekly rental from about $175 to more than $295.