Best Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance in the new COVID World?

[Pushka]

The amount of cancellation cover can add quite a lot to the premium. Taking cruises I get cancellation cover of $20,000 which can double the premium over basic.

Yes. Thats right I'd forgotten. Thats what bumped up my premium because of the cancellation cover, which cruises entail. At least we are getting two cruises in.

 

[Lynda2475]

Id be curious to see if any of those polices are comprehensive (top cover) excluding the optional extras like Cruise and Ski coverage??

I have top health & extra health insurance and always get top cover for travel too.

 

[CaptJCool]

In the good times something like 36 million fly out of Oz

The last figure I saw was 7 medical evacuations in a year and 1,800 deaths

The risk is actually very tiny
The impact is enormous and way beyond 99.5% of travellers finances

So don’t have an accident because you’re drunk or motorbikes seem to cause incidents …said no one ever

We've all heard of the gofundme when people fail to take up travel insurance … ah the young and aspirations of safe travelling

PS Inall the travel I’ve had in 30 plus years only ever made 1 claim

 

[SYD]

PS Inall the travel I’ve had in 30 plus years only ever made 1 claim

and that’s what insurance is about! Generally, you hope you never have to claim but eternally grateful if you do.

How many people think they’ve been ripped off because they’ve not claimed on the comprehensive car insurance on the Merc? No one.

 

[RooFlyer]

But if there’s a big ticket item that can’t be refunded or used for a future credit, then maybe worthwhile doing the sums on a seperate policy for that specific cruise? I can imagine your Antarctic cruise was a very big number and all matter of things could have interfered with getting onboard on time and I’d be equally concerned.

I did some research on this (trip-specific Vs annual policies) last year and posted about it somewhere. My travel agent costed various policies taken out at various times both annual and individual.

These days, I'm taking three major trips a year and in the coming year, there are 2 EDIT: 3 cruises ( one involving travel through the USA) so annual Vs individual trip policy costs come much closer into alignment irrespective of cancellation cover.

Cruises are the main issue. Their non-refundable component builds rapidly as the cruise approaches and the not insignificant deposit usually only becomes a credit. (Not universal of course, there are many and varied cruise options, and I'm relatively new to them). I have had a number of health issues arise over the past 3 years so I really need cancellation cover.

Plus I’m quite conservative, so a for instance a $500 premium addition for $20,000 worth of cancellation cover I judge to be relatively small amount compared to the overall cost of all the trips and my personal health profile.

When it comes to travel Insurance, everybody’s miles vary quite a lot!

 

[tgh]

We are considered a high risk because of age , add in $40k+ of cancellation, plus medical cover and the
cost of the whole package is thought provoking.
If we were to require hospitalisation abroad, travel insurance will see us dumped in the public system of
the nearest country the ship can offload us.
Reality says that we might then incur very significant outlays attempting to achieve a similar level
of care to what we would achieve at home.
US based evacuation insurance may be an option to ensure we are not left convalescing in
some 3rd world nightmare facility.
Medical condition cover varies enormously among insurers, as does the fine print of just what the item covers.

Caveat Emptor is trumps….

 

[Pushka]

In the good times something like 36 million fly out of Oz

The last figure I saw was 7 medical evacuations in a year and 1,800 deaths

The risk is actually very tiny
The impact is enormous and way beyond 99.5% of travellers finances

So don’t have an accident because you’re drunk or motorbikes seem to cause incidents …said no one ever

We've all heard of the gofundme when people fail to take up travel insurance … ah the young and aspirations of safe travelling

PS Inall the travel I’ve had in 30 plus years only ever made 1 claim

I paid for Travel Insurance for 20 year old son and his mate for Thailand. There was a motorbike accident and a very significant claim. Medical evacuation to Australia. This was 14 years ago.

It can and does happen. To ‘us’. I was actually thanked for taking out the cover by son and his mate a couple of years ago at their weddings. His friend still has a significant injury site on his calf. TID went above and beyond. And his friends new wife, a gorgeous English girl, came up and gave me the biggest hug for 'saving my husbands life'. Yes, it was that serious.

 

[JohnK]

I've been with SCTI the past 2 years and this year Cover More is by far the cheapest and there does not appear to be any loading for existing conditions declared.

Only problem is you've got to specify how much cancellation cover. If I'm not mistaken this used to be included on most policies I've had but is now unbundled on Cover More and I think one or 2 others.

May go with Cover More and 10% cashback on Cashrewards.

 

[VPS]

We took out an annual trip insurance with BUPA. Much cheaper than the usuals even before the 10-15% discount for membership. Cost of the year policy was the same as just one trip policy we took out a few months earlier. This one will cover us for three trips. Excluded USA.

I know it's unlikely but I took mine out with BUPA when I was away for about 5 months and was able to put my BUPA here on hold - very seamless

 

[sanne]

We are considered a high risk because of age , add in $40k+ of cancellation, plus medical cover and the
cost of the whole package is thought provoking.
If we were to require hospitalisation abroad, travel insurance will see us dumped in the public system of
the nearest country the ship can offload us.
Reality says that we might then incur very significant outlays attempting to achieve a similar level
of care to what we would achieve at home.
US based evacuation insurance may be an option to ensure we are not left convalescing in
some 3rd world nightmare facility.
Medical condition cover varies enormously among insurers, as does the fine print of just what the item covers.

Caveat Emptor is trumps….

For many years prior to Covid we travelled overseas multiple times a year and always found annual travel insurance with pre existing medical conditions covered us well. But I still had the same fears as you with regard to being dumped in the nearest hospital in a third world country.

Having done some research I found Global Rescue. Thankfully never had to use them, but for a fairly modest sum we had an annual subscription that gave us peace of mind. If you were hospitalised you could elect to be transported/assisted home to your hospital of choice plus all the medical help necessary until you got there including being transported on one of their medically equiped jets.

Now, with advancing age and more medical problems we are travelling and cruising only in Australia and NZ with family or friends so no longer need Global Rescue.

We still take out travel insurance to cover the cost should we have to cancel because of a covered issue. The cost is not insignificant since you now with most policies have to select the amount of cancellation cover you need. And our cruises are not cheap! But having had to claim for cancellation due to illhealth twice we’ve been pleased we had insured.

I have checked out annual policies that cover over 80 year olds with pre existing medical conditions and have found it costs more than insuring 3 cruises a year independently. But I keep checking.