Looking for some input. At the end of May, my wife and I will be traveling to Tel Aviv, Rome, Florence, Venice and Amsterdam (brothers' 70 birthday). Travel agent is offering a third party plan covering travel interruption,medical, delayed flights, emergency evac for 10% of the trip which comes out to around $750.

I have Amex and the plan offered is around $500 for similar coverage.

Is there any preference or things I should look for or any shortcomings I may be missing so I could choose better? Any personal experience would be helpful.

TIA--

Here is information in regard to HTH Worldwide. They offer the following coverages on their “helpee-selfee” website:

• Travel Health Insurance
o For a single trip or multiple trips
• Expatriate Health Insurance
o For international long term needs
• Student Health Insurance
o For students studying abroad
• Protection
o Trip cancellation, trip protection, etc.

Their website is as follows:

• http://www.hthtravelinsurance....sonalized=y&header=y

That sounds really expensive. When Mrs. Lee needed a visa to go to Germany last summer, all the EU consulates require proof of health insurance with coverage of at least 30k Euros. Mrs. Lee's BCBS policy doesn't state any minimums, so they wouldn't accept it and she had to buy separate travel insurance. It was something like $35 for a two week visit. I can't find any mention of it on their consulate's website, but $750 sounds crazy expensive for this stuff.

My wife and I go on cruises.
We read stories about travelers who are trapped in a country because the can't pay for an emergency medical bill.
You hear these stories very infrequently but the do happen.
We always buy travel insurance.
The two big thing I look at, One How much coverage they provide to get me back to the United States, think specialty medical flight.
Second how much coverage do they provide for emergency medical payments to medical providers abroad.
Some of these cost can run into the 6 figures. Cost depend on where you are traveling to, where you need to be brought back from and how you are transported back to the U.S.
As far as the other coverage covered,(bag loss,trip cancellation/trip delay) I can handle the loss, it may hurt but it is not going to put me into debt possibly like the medical coverage could.
We have used a service called Insure my trip. They will comparison shop for you. They are a broker. You tell them what coverage you want and they provide quotes.
We do the research on their recommendations Including the companies they recommend. We then pick the company that best suites our needs.

My wife and I used Roam Right for our trip to Kenya. We used a service recommended by another member here that let us compare policy coverages and price, and Roam Right came out on top of the price to benefit comparison.

We paid nowhere near 10% of the trip, but we don't buy trip cancellation coverage.

Check out Diver's Alert Network: https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/membership/

Membership includes $100,000.00 medical evacuation coverage but you can also buy trip insurance. I plugged some numbers into their premium cost page and they are a lot less expensive than 10% of the trip price. You don't have to be a scuba diver to join.

Thanks guys! I have a bit of checking out to do tonite. I appreciate all your inputs.

It is not unusual to offer 3rd party travel insurance, typically at a rate of 8% or higer of your total travel expense.
You may have a deadline on when you have to purchase this insurance by. Check to see which cancel reason qualifies for an early return trip.
Always, always get documentation if a claim needs to be made.
Personally I would not travel without insurance. Have used it before and used to also work in the travel industry.

here's a good site to compare


https://www.squaremouth.com

quote:

Originally posted by Suppressed:
Check out Diver's Alert Network: https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/membership/

Membership includes $100,000.00 medical evacuation coverage but you can also buy trip insurance. I plugged some numbers into their premium cost page and they are a lot less expensive than 10% of the trip price. You don't have to be a scuba diver to join.

I know more then one person that has used this insurance both in the US and outside of the US. These were diving related incidence though. One included a medical evac from a remote island to Guam and then back to the US. They coordinated the evac flights. This is supplemental insurance to your own insurance. After your own pays out it picks up the rest or everything if your own doesn't cover it.

For diving, I would highly recommend DAN. For your trip, I would talk to them and make sure their coverage fits your needs.

quote:

Originally posted by BigWhup:
here's a good site to compare


https://www.squaremouth.com

Yes! That's the site I used to compare travel policies.

I started buying travel insurance about 5-years ago when a friend of my mother's had an accident in Athens, I'm not close to retirement but, I don't heal as fast as I used to either. Basically a retired couple on a tour, the husband didn't step right on some steps in town, fell and fractured his hip and dislocated his wrist. Long story short, they were lucky to have bought travel insurance WITH [u]evacuation and repatriation coverage[/u]. While they were a few thousand out of pocket for daily expenses (8-days), that got reimbursed while the insurance company helped arrange he and his wife's flight back to the US all the way back to their hometown and home doctor.

Evacuation and Repatriation coverage is key.

Do not buy the plans offered buy travel agencies and/or airlines. Shop for your coverage. $750 seems high, although maybe you're over 75 and doing a luxury trip

Besides Squaremouth, check this site also for comparison

Interesting story and another resource to use

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:

quote:

Originally posted by BigWhup:
here's a good site to compare


https://www.squaremouth.com

Yes! That's the site I used to compare travel policies.

Another vote for Squaremouth. I have been buying our trip insurance through them for years and have been very impressed with the product range and prices.

-Rob

I have purchased insurance from Seven Corners multiple times. I've never had to use it, but I was referred there by large international mission organization. They were pleased with the service. It is very affordable. Make sure medical repatriation is included. That is what gets you back to the good ole U S of A. Found that out the hard way with my father in law in France.

USAA has some good programs.