Current best option for annual travel insurance

[drron]

:evil:Baaaaah! What complete bollocks!

Just checked the T&C and and also rang them (Westpac/QBE) to check and the 'period' of the travel insurance is from when you leave Australia until you return. Providing you have activated the TI by putting $500 before leaving Australia, it is irrelevant 'when' you actually pay for accommodation, car hire, tickets or other things to be used 'during' the travel period either before of after you have activated the TI.

Personally I have always activated the TI as one of the first things of the trip planing but there's no actual need to do so.

So I am forced to tell you all that I was completely wrong in all the bollocks I was arguing above.

(slumps off back under the desk for a few days now.... planning next trip.)

But just as well you found out.
For me I have had an annual policy and have kept it rolling over.But over the next few years there will be gaps as frequency of travel will almost certainly get less.So I guess then I will take out my policy when I actually pay the airfare.

 

[Major]

But just as well you found out.
For me I have had an annual policy and have kept it rolling over.But over the next few years there will be gaps as frequency of travel will almost certainly get less.So I guess then I will take out my policy when I actually pay the airfare.

I will be doing exactly the same thing. Age now has a big bearing on the annual fee and I need to watch our requirements closely

 

[Deleted member 29185]

the 'period' of the travel insurance is from when you leave Australia until you return.

Shows that it pays to read the Ts&Cs. For me, I see a small issue with the period. What about when one travels to SYD or MEL first, to travel OS? Seems if a leg was broken or what not, after you leave home on your trip, but before you leave Australia, the whole trip may be forfeited and no insurance cover! :shock: Buyer beware.

 

[TheRealTMA]

But just as well you found out.
For me I have had an annual policy and have kept it rolling over.But over the next few years there will be gaps as frequency of travel will almost certainly get less.So I guess then I will take out my policy when I actually pay the airfare.

I'll keep using the TI from Westpac Black. (It's now handled by QBA instead of Zurich.) Has served me very well over years and paid out claims without issue and as I have said including $32K on last claim. (Unlike with TravelMore some years ago who fought tooth and nail to not pay. )

 

[lovetravellingoz]

:evil:Baaaaah! What complete bollocks!

Just checked the T&C and and also rang them (Westpac/QBE) to check and the 'period' of the travel insurance is from when you leave Australia until you return. Providing you have activated the TI by putting $500 before leaving Australia, it is irrelevant 'when' you actually pay for accommodation, car hire, tickets or other things to be used 'during' the travel period either before of after you have activated the TI.

Personally I have always activated the TI as one of the first things of the trip planing but there's no actual need to do so.

Note quite accurate with Westpac.

“period of cover” means:
• for ‘unexpected cancellation of travel arrangementsand other unexpected expenses’ in the ‘Overseas travelinsurance policy’ this means the period after becomingeligible for the Overseas travel insurance (Edit: ie activation) as outlined in thisbooklet up until the journey ends.
• for all other sections in the ‘Overseas travel insurancepolicy’, the period of cover means the period of the journey



As I noted earlier in the thread to be covered for cancellation one should still make sure you activate the insurance from the time of your first significant expense which is non-refundable, or where the non-refundable deposit is significant . This is is a very important reason to activate early.


Note also with the Westpac Insurance:
Cover under this section is also provided if the cardholder intends to obtain a return overseas travel ticket,before leaving Australia, and meets all the other eligibilityrequirements (see “Eligibility for Overseas travel insurance”).

So if you have to book a major expense prior to your booking your flight you are still covered for cancellation and uexpected changes..

Caveat: Again read the T&C of one's own particular poicy whether paid, or "free" CC. TI as they all vary on the fine print.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I will be doing exactly the same thing. Age now has a big bearing on the annual fee and I need to watch our requirements closely

Card TI may suit you, and other older AFFers then as it covers upto, and including, 80 years of age.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Do you over-indulge with alcohol when overseas?

My wife told me yesterday that a work colleague got drunk in Hawaii and fell down some stairs while ona recent holiday. She incurred $10,000 in expenses and her TI refused to pay (sorry I do not know which insurer).

I note that in the Westapc TI it states:
We do not insure you for any event that is caused by or arises from:– you being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, unless the use of the drugs was prescribed by aqualified and registered medical practitioner;

I do not know what the insurers definition of "under the influence' is, but is possibly something like:
“A person is under the influence of alcohol when, as a result of drinking any amount of alcohol, his mental or physical faculties are so impaired as to reduce his ability to think and act with ordinary care."

 

[Moindardt]

We took out TID annual with snow skiiing and excess buyout at the start of January. It seemed like the majority said it was good cover, albeit expensive. We also use the free CBA insurance, not sure whether that's from the Diamond CC or home loan, and register all trips with them. All travel is booked on the Amex Platinum so it is supposed to cover everything as well. Personally I hate insurance T&D's. Is this a good setup or can using multiple policies cause problems?

 

[Moindardt]

We do not insure you for any event that is caused by or arises from:– you being under the influence of alcohol or drugs,unless the use of the drugs was prescribed by qualified and registered medical practitioner;

Any of the medico's want to prescribe some alcohol for medicinal relief of social anxiety?

 

[get me outta here]

Did the hosp give her a blood test or something? We don't do that automatically here do we?

Do you over-indulge with alcohol when overseas?

My wife told me yesterday that a work colleague got drunk in Hawaii and fell down some stairs. She incurred $10,000 in expenses and her TI refused to pay (sorry I do not know which insurer).

I note that in the Westapc TI it states:
We do not insure you for any event that is caused by orarises from:– you being under the influence of alcohol or drugs,unless the use of the drugs was prescribed by aqualified and registered medical practitioner;

I do not know what the insurers definition of "under the influence' is, but is possibly something like:
“A person is under the influence of alcohol when, as a result of drinking any amount of alcohol, his mental or physical faculties are so impaired as to reduce his ability to think and act with ordinary care."

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Did the hosp give her a blood test or something?

Sorry I do not know specifics. However I would guess they must have done so, or similar, otherwise the insurance could not have knocked her back unless of course she was silly enough to state in her claim that being drunk was the cause for her fall.

Insurance companies do have the right to see the medical records for any claim.

We don't do that automatically here do we?

Don't know. But for TI it matters what they do in the country you have the accident in arther than what they do in Australia.

 

[codash1099]

I will be doing exactly the same thing. Age now has a big bearing on the annual fee and I need to watch our requirements closely

Not only the fee, but also the fine print. As you get older, "pre-existing conditions" permitted can get restricted. In my case, asthma cover ceases at 60 under some policies.

 

[drron]

Do you over-indulge with alcohol when overseas?

My wife told me yesterday that a work colleague got drunk in Hawaii and fell down some stairs while ona recent holiday. She incurred $10,000 in expenses and her TI refused to pay (sorry I do not know which insurer).

I note that in the Westapc TI it states:
We do not insure you for any event that is caused by orarises from:– you being under the influence of alcohol or drugs,unless the use of the drugs was prescribed by aqualified and registered medical practitioner;

I do not know what the insurers definition of "under the influence' is, but is possibly something like:
“A person is under the influence of alcohol when, as a result of drinking any amount of alcohol, his mental or physical faculties are so impaired as to reduce his ability to think and act with ordinary care."

This weeks episode had a fellow in Bangkok was assaulted outside a bar-initially because he had had an alcoholic drink his TI was refusing to pay his hospital bill even though his alcohol ingestion had nothing to do with the incident apart from where it happened.The Embassy fixed it though.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

This weeks episode had a fellow in Bangkok was assaulted outside a bar-initially because he had had an alcoholic drink his TI was refusing to pay his hospital bill even though his alcohol ingestion had nothing to do with the incident apart from where it happened.The Embassy fixed it though.

Yes the insurer would need to demonstrate how the alcohol contributed, and so one could push back on that.

We do not insure you for any event that is caused by or arises from

So ie If you fall down the stairs they could knock you back, but if someone fell onto you you would be covered.

 

[Cryptarcadian]

That sure makes common sense, but I imagine we need to check each policy for that wording as always.

Wonder if some TI underwriters think it's viable to claim "you were drinking at the time your airline cancelled your flight, so no cover for that event"?

 

[andye]

I was just looking at my (very good) corporate Allianz policy when I saw the following

Travel Services Provider Insolvency – Excluded CompaniesIt is hereby noted agreed that we will not pay any claims under 4.2 - TRAVEL SERVICES PROVIDER INSOLVENCY directly orindirectly arising from or in any way connected or associated with services provided by the below companies:
 Air Canada
 Meridiana Fly S.P.A
 Tiger Airways Australia
 U.S Airways
 Red Wings Airlines
 PAWA Dominicana and Acerca
 Air Zimbabwe

Any ideas why Air Canada is in such company?

 

[quick_dry]

I've switched from TID to "World2Cover" (world2cover.com.au). While they're trying to establish themselves the annual policy is pretty well discounted - code YT20 dropped the annual policy down to $196 (36, male, no pre-existing medical) and I didn't notice any big gotchas in the PDS.

 

[drron]

Just a heads up.I had switched to the QF QBE policy last year-longer trips allowed as well as up to 70.
Just renewed.Significantly cheaper using QBE site rather than through QF site.

 

[Kaiser]

I've noticed most PDSs have a blanket general exclusion for acts of terrorism: Basically they will still pay for medical and repatriation (the important stuff), but not for material, personal effects, travel delays etc.
I've had a close read of my complimentary insurance provided on my Plat Mastercard underwritten by Allianz and it seems provide a similar level of cover with the same exclusions.

I used it on my last trip to cover rental car damage (windscreen= 800 Euros) and they came through with no dramas.

 

[celph]

I've switched from TID to "World2Cover" (world2cover.com.au). While they're trying to establish themselves the annual policy is pretty well discounted - code YT20 dropped the annual policy down to $196 (36, male, no pre-existing medical) and I didn't notice any big gotchas in the PDS.

Looked into this but noticed that the annual policy excludes domestic travel