Travel insurance! - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

nemesis331 · 04-05-2006, 05:49 PM

Do you use travel insurance on a regular basis, some of the time, ever?

If so, what company?

**aliz** · 04-05-2006, 09:45 PM

i always use it because my dad makes me. if it wasnt for him i would forget it even existed but he's always like "did you get your insurance yet?". This time i've gone with the STA travel insurance cause there was a good discount for people who work in the same shopping centre (which is me)

astro25e · 04-05-2006, 10:43 PM

I know it might not be a good idea, but i laugh in the face of travel insurance. but if i went to a country where things arent quite up to par with certain things like health care accessability, i woud probably get it.

**tumblezweedz** · 04-06-2006, 12:20 AM

Always have, always will.

I've only had to cancel a trip once, it saved me $1300 which paid for a later trip. It was over a decade ago, so I can't remember the company - it was just whatever the package at the travel agency was.

Now we have worldwide medical coverage through our medical plan, and trip and travel insurance through our bank, so we don't have to think about getting special coverage anymore.

We had 5 ER visits on our last trip, one the trip before that, and one requiring an ambulance ride and xrays the trip before, so we've enjoyed having the peace of mind.

Funny, nothing ever happens to us at home...

**expatben** · 04-06-2006, 01:09 AM

I use direct line. Its better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Chocolaty Claire · 04-06-2006, 04:58 AM

Ive had to cancel my current trip (boo hoo!) and have just put forward a claim through Direct Backpacker.. fingers crossed i get all the cost of my flight back!!

**benna2** · 04-06-2006, 05:14 AM

I use it most times. Actually on all trips thus far. However, I let my insurance expire here in the DR because I found out how cheap it is to go to the Doctor if I do get sick. It turns out to be cheaper than the insurance actually.

Once I am here permanantly I will sign up for some kind of medical/dental plan however...

**Sabrosa** · 04-06-2006, 06:41 AM

What is a good rate, say....for someone who will be travelling around the world?

(Ahh......I can actually say it now.)

**PlayPal** · 04-06-2006, 07:02 AM

Well...If I remember right (which I probably don't) I think the rate is partly based on which countries you're going to, so you might need to be a bit more specific.

**simply_angelic** · 04-06-2006, 08:00 AM

Travel insurance is KEY! The last thing you want is to be stuck in a foreign country with heaps of problems that cost thousands of dollars. Travel insurance really isn't THAT much but it's worth it.

**BelfastFlyer** · 04-06-2006, 09:34 AM

I use http://www.coeconnections.co.uk/ they do a backpacker special.

Also if you're in the uk, check www.moneysupermarket.com they will search through 100's of companies and list the cheapest for you

nemesis331 · 04-06-2006, 02:16 PM

anybody know a good company in the US. maybe could be purchased cheaply if possible? i could always use my parents travel agent to find one but i'd rather do it myself if possible.

crybaby · 04-06-2006, 06:58 PM

world nomad..it's on this site somewhere. I'm paying 182 for 4mnths coverage, not bad. ohhh..it covers bungee jumping too if you're interested

**Esterina** · 04-06-2006, 08:53 PM

I paid $500 for health insurance and some $50 for interuption, for a one-year trip, which was a VERY wise decision : I had to be rapatried home on a $4000 plane ticket (fully reimbursed), plus the part of my original ticket that I never used was also reimbursed (about $800) !

Something to think about...

**LostFarmboy** · 04-06-2006, 09:07 PM

Yeah, i think travel insurance is pretty important, although if i was going somewhere fairly developed i probably wouldn't bother. The problem with travel insurance is it usually doesn't cover you for the things where you are most likely to need it, on my trip i wasn't covered for running with bulls, swimming with sharks, or climbing volcanos, all times when the likelyhood of me actually getting hurt, thus needing to use my insurance, was at it's highest.

Oh, Kindra, you will more than likely have to pay a fair bit for your insurance as the price is determined by the number of places you go, the amount of time you will require it for, and the number of things you want to be covered for. In your case you will probably have to buy the most expensive plan from who ever you go with. I paid $800 for mine for 4.5 months, it covered me for any country in the world though and it was at the top end of the insurance scale. You could probably get away with a similar price for cover for all the places you want to go for a year, you would just be covered for a bit less.

**bookofkels** · 04-06-2006, 09:08 PM

I used world nomad for the trip i'm on, it cost 99pounds for a 4 month policy, i also have my digial camera covered on it, you can add alot of items like cameras, mp3 players. You should be able to get it in america as when you go to the site you choose your country of origin.
I looked into a few different policy's and you can get cheaper but they won't cover extreme sports and surfing is classed as an extreme sport which i didn't know, imagine if i was surfing and broke a leg or something only to find out i wasn't covered now i'd be ticked off!!
It's really worth getting insurance especially if your doing a long trip

**tumblezweedz** · 04-06-2006, 11:57 PM

Another point to remember - while medical care in "developed countries" is excellent, widely available and you probably won't even need it, if you happen to need medical care in the US, it is fiercely expensive. Anyone used to a national health system will be

**Sabrosa** · 04-07-2006, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by atchoum@Apr 6 2006, 10:53 PM
I paid $500 for health insurance and some $50 for interuption, for a one-year trip, which was a VERY wise decision : I had to be rapatried home on a $4000 plane ticket (fully reimbursed), plus the part of my original ticket that I never used was also reimbursed (about $800) !

Something to think about...*

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What company did you use? How long ago was your trip? Did you travel to multiple continents?

**TheJake** · 04-09-2006, 03:20 PM

I use World Nomad

futboller · 04-09-2006, 07:35 PM

I just bought World Medical from TravelGuard.com. It was only $60 something for $50,000 worth of coverage and a $100 deductible. It actually covers more than you'd think something called "Medical" would, which is nice. And if I get horribly ill I think they'll fly me home.

Hopefully I won't need it, but if I do I'll let you know how bad they are!