Travel insurance recommendations?
March 23, 2023 7:30 AM Subscribe
I need to get travel insurance for an American teenager traveling to Japan. It needs to cover "full medical and accident insurance as well as third party liability." Any recommendations for a company to use, or for a company to avoid?
If this is just a personal trip and you already have a family travel insurance policy, perhaps it could cover the teenager on a trip without you if they are travelng on their own. Check the policy language or give them a call.
If that’s not possible, World Nomads has never let me down despite some odd claims, and quoted me a price of $130ish for their standard policy for a one-month trip to Japan taken by a 16-year-old American. However, I would call them and ask what the exact rules are for an under-18 person to seek care on their own if needed, especially if their reps can engage with the teenage insured person on their own or if their parent would need to make certain/all decisions.
If the teenager is traveling there for a specific program and the visa for them to participate is dependent on getting insurance with this exact phrasing, is there a specific company which the program organizers recommend? You might also find the website of the Japanese Embassy in Washington helpful if there’s a visa requirement: they’ll have the exact coverage limits the policy needs to meet.
posted by mdonley at 9:29 PM on March 23, 2023
If that’s not possible, World Nomads has never let me down despite some odd claims, and quoted me a price of $130ish for their standard policy for a one-month trip to Japan taken by a 16-year-old American. However, I would call them and ask what the exact rules are for an under-18 person to seek care on their own if needed, especially if their reps can engage with the teenage insured person on their own or if their parent would need to make certain/all decisions.
If the teenager is traveling there for a specific program and the visa for them to participate is dependent on getting insurance with this exact phrasing, is there a specific company which the program organizers recommend? You might also find the website of the Japanese Embassy in Washington helpful if there’s a visa requirement: they’ll have the exact coverage limits the policy needs to meet.
posted by mdonley at 9:29 PM on March 23, 2023
I'm a longtime user of World Nomads for travel insurance. The coverage is comprehensive and the one time I actually had to use it, to get emergency hospital care in Thailand, they were extremely easy to work with and I was reimbursed promptly after submitting receipts. They have a good associated travel community, and as a company they are committed to promoting ethical travel. They might be slightly pricier than other plans, but for what you get, I believe it is reasonably-priced.
I got tired of having to comparison shop every time I travelled, because there's so much fine print with travel insurance generally, and it can definitely be like comparing apples to oranges with different plans. I know with World Nomads I'm getting coverage from a company that serves many serious travellers (Lonely Planet recommended). They have two tiers of coverage, one for regular travel and one for "adventure" travel. Once when I had an open-ended trip, it was incredibly easy to keep extending my trip coverage weekly through the dashboard.
Whoever you choose to go with, you do need to actually read the policy and make sure you understand what you are and are not covered for. Some coverage elements have changed in the post-covid environment, and things like flight cancellations and delays can be a little futzier to cover, as insurance companies are less willing to cover airline mishaps. As this review notes, WN is better for medical coverage and less good for covering your stuff. Here are some other reviews that include alternate insurance company recommendations.
posted by amusebuche at 9:39 PM on March 23, 2023
I got tired of having to comparison shop every time I travelled, because there's so much fine print with travel insurance generally, and it can definitely be like comparing apples to oranges with different plans. I know with World Nomads I'm getting coverage from a company that serves many serious travellers (Lonely Planet recommended). They have two tiers of coverage, one for regular travel and one for "adventure" travel. Once when I had an open-ended trip, it was incredibly easy to keep extending my trip coverage weekly through the dashboard.
Whoever you choose to go with, you do need to actually read the policy and make sure you understand what you are and are not covered for. Some coverage elements have changed in the post-covid environment, and things like flight cancellations and delays can be a little futzier to cover, as insurance companies are less willing to cover airline mishaps. As this review notes, WN is better for medical coverage and less good for covering your stuff. Here are some other reviews that include alternate insurance company recommendations.
posted by amusebuche at 9:39 PM on March 23, 2023
World Nomads recently changed hands, as an FYI. Not sure how that's going to change the company.
What is the purpose of the trip? If it is related to school in some way, WorldTrips Student Secure Insurance and GeoBlue Student Medical Coverage are both really good plans.
posted by rednikki at 8:18 AM on March 24, 2023
What is the purpose of the trip? If it is related to school in some way, WorldTrips Student Secure Insurance and GeoBlue Student Medical Coverage are both really good plans.
posted by rednikki at 8:18 AM on March 24, 2023
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posted by CathyG at 9:17 PM on March 23, 2023