who takes out travel insurance for trans Tasman or domestic travel

[dajop]

I’m going against the grain. The cost and nature of my travel is such that I don’t bother with comprehensive travel insurance for any of my travel.

I do however have cover for the big ticket items … good medical coverage (but wouldn’t if it was just for domestic travel but would for TT) and rental car coverage (that’s up to $80-90K for car damage).

For the rest m, if not included in a policy, we self insure as we usually have travel patterns that leave us less exposed ( we tend to book last minute, go for cheap or refundable accommodation on first night or two and don’t do tours/cruises which means we usually don’t have a huge amount of prepaid expenses.).

When we retire, whenever that might be will re-assess.

 

[singledadtravels]

My annual trip cover was only about 50% more for me and my 8 yr old than a single trip policy. We had 7 or 8 trips domestically and internationally out of it.
It was cheaper than the hire car collision damage waiver cost for 1 week.
I don't mind taking risks but I don't have circa $50k on hand if it goes bad

 

[knagelli]

I always talk to the credit card provider to activate my travel insurance mostly for international trips ; never did I activate the travel insurance for domestic.

 

[cambriamarsh]

Oh well then I guess I'm covered, 100% of my domestic spend is always on credit card which has insurance because I don't spend domestically unless I'm earning points.

Depends on the policy. In NZ my Visa is international only but AmEx is both

 

[kelvedon]

Took out TI for a weekend in QLD. It was cheaper to reduce the excess than using the hire cars company offer.

$25 instead of $74

 

[Quickstatus]

Annual TI solves that issue
But to answer your question - yes.

The Bundle of Rights just does not cut it for me

 

[Lynda2475]

As soon as you add the USA annual TI ends up being thousands. I always end up saving at least $300 over the year by insuring each international trip separately - choosing best provider for each trip.

 

[ThePointyEnd]

Very interesting response from 'Gremlin' although at $45k it must lie at the extreme end of the risk table. Personally, I would regard that as too unlikely to be worth paying domestic insurance for every trip. I mostly rely on Amex Plat cover even internationally, regarding the residual risk as self-insured. I do check insurance costs from time to time and have done so recently. But the costs do not seem commensurate with the risks. After 50 years of uninsured flying, I believe that I'm well ahead on costs.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I seem to be the odd one out here!

I’ve never considered TI for domestic trips, and while I wouldn’t travel internationally without it, it would not have crossed my mind for NZ! Especially if it was a short weekend break. Might need to reassess, although repatriation probably the only benefit that would be of use.

 

[equus]

although at $45k

Can't help thinking that there might not have been cheaper options available. Sounds like that poster's in-laws could afford it, so took convenience. Whatever the condition was, was obviously Ok to fly (hence the charter) but a risk the commercial airlines would not take. Given the 4 to 6 months off, time to get home was probably not critical. I wonder if they looked at other transport options - especially taking a Train. Unless they need to get back to PER or possibly DRW, anywhere on the East Coast should be reachable by train. May take a few days, but even for 3 people (assuming a medical escort) and having to pay for a bit more time for the escort, I would have thought there would be savings to be made. (after all, no FF points for a charter, so nothing lost there).

 

[JohnK]

Outside of AFF? Why bother with annual multi trip for domestic trips if you don't travel often? Makes little sense. You're already covered for medical? Cover yourself for what the airline should cover? Bull.

I pay months in advance for a service and expect full delivery of that service including coverage for any delays including weather and ATC. The airline should be responsible for contingencies, not the traveller.

P.S. Pre covid the airline covered delays including weather and ATC. What has changed? I'd expect the airline to cover any delays.

e.g. Weather in SIN delays Scoot aircraft until next day. My 10:00pm departure becomes a 4:00pm departure next day. I need to cover accommodation? No. The airline does. They are providing the service. Any other expectation is totally illogical.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Outside of AFF? Why bother with annual multi trip for domestic trips if you don't travel often? Makes little sense. You're already covered for medical? Cover yourself for what the airline should cover? Bull.

I pay months in advance for a service and expect full delivery of that service including coverage for any delays including weather and ATC. The airline should be responsible for contingencies, not the traveller.

P.S. Pre covid the airline covered delays including weather and ATC. What has changed? I'd expect the airline to cover any delays.

e.g. Weather in SIN delays Scoot aircraft until next day. My 10:00pm departure becomes a 4:00pm departure next day. I need to cover accommodation? No. The airline does. They are providing the service. Any other expectation is totally illogical.

You raise an interesting point, but I don’t ever recall airlines having a policy to cover pax for weather and ATC delays precovid.

The european union and uk provide the cover you mention, but I’m not familiar with it outside those regions.

 

[dajop]

e.g. Weather in SIN delays Scoot aircraft until next day. My 10:00pm departure becomes a 4:00pm departure next day. I

Weather in SIN is never going to delay your aircraft by 18 hrs! Maybe if the aircraft is coming from SYD (and misses curfew due to weather) or from NE Asia during typhoon or snowstorm.

 

[dajop]

You raise an interesting point, but I don’t ever recall airlines having a policy to cover pax for weather and ATC delays precovid.

Refer to this post here re QF pre-covid:

Post in thread 'Flight diverted, who pays hotel?'
Flight diverted, who pays hotel?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Refer to this post here re QF pre-covid:

Post in thread 'Flight diverted, who pays hotel?'
Flight diverted, who pays hotel?

IIRC the only person claiming this is JohnK. No one else has corroborated.

Weather has always been outside the control of the airlines, and not usually covered for free accommodation and meals. Even pre-covid.

 

[JohnK]

You raise an interesting point, but I don’t ever recall airlines having a policy to cover pax for weather and ATC delays precovid.

The european union and uk provide the cover you mention, but I’m not familiar with it outside those regions.

I have never paid for my own accommodation due to weather related or ATC delays. Admittedly there have not been that many. CX, QF, VA, MH are some of the ones I recall.

Now post covid the conversation has turned to airlines not covering delays and people just blindly accept it.

@dajop that was just one example. It might be any weather delay in SE Asia that causes aircraft to be delayed coming into Australia that then causes an overnight delay here going back. Why should I have cover for delays outside of my control? I don't care where the aircraft is coming from.

 

[muppet]

….Might need to reassess, although repatriation probably the only benefit that would be of use.

I agree and from what I can see, at least domestically, it’s not something that is covered. So if people are getting domestic TI for the event of needing domestic medivac or charter, I’d read the PDS carefully because I haven’t seen a policy that covers it.

 

[dajop]

IIRC the only person claiming this is JohnK. No one else has corroborated.

Weather has always been outside the control of the airlines, and not usually covered for free accommodation and meals. Even pre-covid.

Umm. did you read the link I posted? Prior to 2020 Qantas had a specific policy covering "delays outside their control" that provided delayed passengers with one night accommodation. I posted a screenshot showing their policy from the Web Archive.

 

[JohnK]

Umm. did you read the link I posted? Prior to 2020 Qantas had a specific policy covering "delays outside their control" that provided delayed passengers with one night accommodation. I posted a screenshot showing their policy from the Web Archive.

So covid changed this policy? Why? Makes little sense for airlines not to cover delays. They are providing the service.

 

[dajop]

So covid changed this policy? Why? Makes little sense for airlines not to cover delays. They are providing the service.

I wasn’t referring to “airlines” I was referring to Qantas specifically. Various airlines might well never have covered it before Covid, and some might still (for weather delays). Qantas stopped. What changed during covid? They started losing shed loads of money and some one had a KPI to find ways of cutting costs. This one was an easy one.