Travel insurance - optional or essential?

[Pushka]

As a nearly 50 year veteran (OWE etc) of biz travel, I have yet to find out what 'travel insurance' is actually for.
Whilst its offered as a matter of course, no explanation is ever provided as to what purpose it serves.
Accordingly, I tick the 'no' box, along with all the other absurd nonsense like carbon offset (???!!).

You've just been lucky.

When my husband and son went to Nepal they thought they might try paragliding. TID did not cover this so we had to use Covermore. They did end up paragliding across the Himalayas. Stunning photos.

 

[leadlegs]

"Kathmandu is 4,000m above sea level." from legroom earlier. No it's not. 4000 feet yes, as it's actually 1400 m

 

[legroom]

I was wrong !

Read it last night in a hurry

It is 4000 Ft

"Kathmandu is 4,000m above sea level." from legroom earlier. No it's not. 4000 feet yes, as it's actually 1400 m

 

[Ennoh]

I just asked me 23 yo son if he had arranged travel insurance - and as I suspected - he hasnt. He asked me why he should have it (8 day trip to Hawaii starting Sunday) so I pointed out that he could get sick or have an accident requiring hospitalisation (he says that wouldnt happen!) and I set out a number of scenarios that could happen - but it all sounds so far fetched to him. He's young and fit and obviously invincible! Im starting to make calls now and will get a policy for him!

 

[pgsdiver]

The second post mentions scuba diving.
I'm an instructor and I go nowhere diving without DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance. I like the fact that, along with normal medical evac, these guys will put you (or anyone helping you) on the phone with a dive doctor, who will advise you and help sort out the RIGHT sort of evac (ie. low level heli evac rather than high-flying turbo-prop) etc if appropriate.
I also take out an annual policy each year. Have used varying providers of the Mondial policies and they seem ok, have claimed twice with no hassles.

 

[prozac]

I rely rightly or not on the travel insurance offered with my Westpac Black card package. It seems comprehensive enough but not sure if it will cover mrs p. and myself diving the Bahamas in 2014. Will look into it. In 2010 I chopped the tip off a finger whilst in Netherlands. Medical was covered under AUS-NL reciprocal medical agreement. If it was anything more serious than that I guess the card cover would come in to play. I don't know if any other countries have reciprocal medical agreements with Australia. Anyone know?

As for CoverMore, mrs prozac got sick whilst in Morocco a few years back. CoverMore paid for doctor, medication, taxi to catch up her itinerary etc.

 

[Deleted member]

If I were able to do a one word post it would be
"Essential"

 

[lightie]

Please do not travel without travel Insurance travelled a lot always had insurance, then went onto our credit card insurance, my Husband got very sick, the credit card insurance people were marvellous 3 weeks in best hospital available, checking on us all the time, then a nurse escorted us back to Australia, if didn't have insurance would have been bankrupt I think

 

[legroom]

Mate, sound like my 25-yr-old son !!!

I just asked me 23 yo son if he had arranged travel insurance - and as I suspected - he hasnt. He asked me why he should have it (8 day trip to Hawaii starting Sunday) so I pointed out that he could get sick or have an accident requiring hospitalisation (he says that wouldnt happen!) and I set out a number of scenarios that could happen - but it all sounds so far fetched to him. He's young and fit and obviously invincible! Im starting to make calls now and will get a policy for him!

 

[footy99]

My son is planning to do some guided trekking (not climbing) in Nepal with an Aust-based company.

Would you know of any "specialist" insurer for that sort of trip ?

TID, for example, excludes any activity above 3000m [Kathmandu itself is 4000m above sea level].

I read of World Nomads but are there any other reliable ones?

Thanks in advance.

Have you got the provision for that 3000m restriction? I've used TID for regular trekking trips to Nepal over the last few years. The restriction I think you are talking about relates to snow sports only.

And as someone mentioned, Kathmandu is nothing remotely like 4000m up. Altitude isn't even a minor consideration there.

Just make sure there isn't much or any mountaineering involved. I only found out after a previous trip that I wasn't covered for those parts. Most tea house treks don't have any mountaineering built in but have options for summit diversions which require mountaineering.

And also, if you can avoid it, definitely don't book a tour in advance. If it costs more than $20/day, including all permits, food, drink and accommodation, or $40/day including guide too, it is a rip off.

 

[Julesmac]

The issue becomes actually getting cover for some pre-existings as you age. There comes a time when it's best to forgo travel to some destinations altogether and to make provision for a possible financial hit on any trip.

Travelled to Europe last year with Mrmac (64 at time) having a previous condition - heart attack 8 years ago. Through the knowledgable folk here on AFF I went through a specialised insurer - unfortunately I can't just recall the company right now - and was able to get him covered for the condition, albeit with a loading, which as I recall wasn't onerous (maybe $4-600?).

We had an incident a few years earlier on a trip to NZ which ended up with Mrmac a few days in hospital. The insurer was Mondial Assist, though our travel agent, and they were incredibly helpful. I don't understand how people can even contemplate a trip, even domestic, without insurance, it ranks alongside the stupids who think it's ok to drive an uninsured car....

 

[legroom]

You're correct.

The only reference from TID I could find was about snow sports where it says cover for "ice/glacier walking up to 3000m"

I assumed that should cover the son's planned trekking to Base Camp now that I came to my senses that Kathmandu is only 4,000 Ft above sea level.

Am I correct to assume that ?

EDIT: Base camps are all above 5000m so he would require something else, not TID.

Have you got the provision for that 3000m restriction? I've used TID for regular trekking trips to Nepal over the last few years. The restriction I think you are talking about relates to snow sports only.

And as someone mentioned, Kathmandu is nothing remotely like 4000m up. Altitude isn't even a minor consideration there.

Just make sure there isn't much or any mountaineering involved. I only found out after a previous trip that I wasn't covered for those parts. Most tea house treks don't have any mountaineering built in but have options for summit diversions which require mountaineering.

And also, if you can avoid it, definitely don't book a tour in advance. If it costs more than $20/day, including all permits, food, drink and accommodation, or $40/day including guide too, it is a rip off.

 

[DrA]

My son is planning to do some guided trekking (not climbing) in Nepal with an Aust-based company.

Would you know of any "specialist" insurer for that sort of trip ?

TID, for example, excludes any activity above 3000m [Kathmandu itself is 4000m above sea level].

I read of World Nomads but are there any other reliable ones?

Thanks in advance.

I have an annual policy through Cover More. It covers trekking, but not mountaineering. I'm going to Nepal on Monday (going up to around 6000m), and I made sure it covered my trip before I booked it, otherwise I would have gone and added a one off policy with a specialist insurance company that is specific to mountaineering just for this trip. There is no altitude restriction on the policy, the only exclusion is that they won't cover "altitude exhaustion". So if you get tired and want an evac, they won't cover it, but if you break a leg or something they will.

 

[footy99]

Yep. Well I assumed the same thing on my trek to Base Camp. As long as he doesn't do any mountaineering side trips, he'll be right.

Beautiful trek but I did it in mid-November and it got very cold at night. Now, it would be quite bad. Hope he's got a good sleeping bag!

And it might go without saying but if he has time and the weather is clear, it is definitely worth spending a few days in Pokhara. My favourite city anywhere in the world. The views of the Annapurna Range, especially from Raniban Retreat and the peace pagoda, are pretty special.

 

[SFSC]

Travelled to Europe last year with Mrmac (64 at time) having a previous condition - heart attack 8 years ago. Through the knowledgable folk here on AFF I went through a specialised insurer - unfortunately I can't just recall the company right now - and was able to get him covered for the condition, albeit with a loading, which as I recall wasn't onerous (maybe $4-600?).

We had an incident a few years earlier on a trip to NZ which ended up with Mrmac a few days in hospital. The insurer was Mondial Assist, though our travel agent, and they were incredibly helpful. I don't understand how people can even contemplate a trip, even domestic, without insurance, it ranks alongside the stupids who think it's ok to drive an uninsured car....

If you happen to recall the name of the company I would be very interested to know.
I have not actually been refused cover yet but I have noticed the various product disclosure statements (PDS) have become more restrictive over recent years and I want to "keep my powder dry" when answering the question about ever having been refused insurance. Perhaps it's time to just pick an insurer and have a go.

 

[prozac]

If you happen to recall the name of the company I would be very interested to know.
I have not actually been refused cover yet but I have noticed the various product disclosure statements (PDS) have become more restrictive over recent years and I want to "keep my powder dry" when answering the question about ever having been refused insurance. Perhaps it's time to just pick an insurer and have a go.

The travel insurance provided when you purchase your tickets etc using certain credit cards has no requirement to disclose age etc. There is no application because you are automatically covered by virtue of the ticket purchase. I am unsure if there is anything in the fine print but I have not noticed it.

 

[DrA]

The second post mentions scuba diving.
I'm an instructor and I go nowhere diving without DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance. I like the fact that, along with normal medical evac, these guys will put you (or anyone helping you) on the phone with a dive doctor, who will advise you and help sort out the RIGHT sort of evac (ie. low level heli evac rather than high-flying turbo-prop) etc if appropriate.
I also take out an annual policy each year. Have used varying providers of the Mondial policies and they seem ok, have claimed twice with no hassles.

Yeah, that was my post. I'm a DM and while my general annual multi-trip insurance policy does cover scuba diving (within recreational limits that you're certified for), I also keep my DAN insurance up to date. Because if something does go wrong, DAN has a 24/7 helpline with experts specifically to deal with diving related incidents, which a general travel insurer is unlikely to have on staff. Plus, my DAN policy covers me outside recreational limits in certain circumstances, not that I usually go there. Gives me peace of mind at any rate.

 

[prozac]

Yeah, that was my post. I'm a DM and while my general annual multi-trip insurance policy does cover scuba diving (within recreational limits that you're certified for), I also keep my DAN insurance up to date. Because if something does go wrong, DAN has a 24/7 helpline with experts specifically to deal with diving related incidents, which a general travel insurer is unlikely to have on staff. Plus, my DAN policy covers me outside recreational limits in certain circumstances, not that I usually go there. Gives me peace of mind at any rate.

I shudder when I think back to diving wrecks in remote Pacific island locations in the early 1980's with no insurance to speak of. The folly of youth.

 

[JohnCarrWestwood]

Seemed straight forward to me.... and I looked for catches in the small print. Seemed pretty standard stuff

 

[timster]

Not being insured could cause you to make a very bad decision about your health.

When you may be seriously ill or injured, the only decision should be "Do I need a doctor / hospital ?" .... not "Is it really worth paying $1000 or more to get an ambulance to the hospital and get treated, or should I just risk it ?".

If I was not insured I could easily afford that money. But I may not have a doctor beside me to tell me that I should spend it, and I don't want to have to make that decision in those circumstances.