Travel Insured though USAA

[MeridianSkipper]

Having enjoyed USAA coverage since the early 1960s, I am considering using Travel Insured to cover a Holland American Alaska cruise-tour beginning in September 2011.

Comments on product quality, comparative cost etc., would be most appreciated.

[Bill S]

We have used Travel Insured International through USAA for the last 7 years.

The first time we insured through them, I fell ill on the cruise and had two infirmary visits during which the ship's physician ran blood and urine tests, and gave me a 10 day supply of an antibiotic. We were billed over $500. I asked for and received a copy of the infirmary documents, and filed a claim upon returning home. TII sent a check reimbursing us in full within two weeks with no hassle whatsoever.

Suggestion: go to TII's website without using the USAA portal and get a quote. Then get a quote using the USAA portal and you should see the savings. I have not compared their premiums with other trip insurers, but based on how they processed my claim, (that is where the rubber meets the road in my book), their coverage and customer service, I have been pleased. Hope this helps! :)

[clear2cruise]

We have used Travel Insured International through USAA for the last 7 years.

 

The first time we insured through them, I fell ill on the cruise and had two infirmary visits during which the ship's physician ran blood and urine tests, and gave me a 10 day supply of an antibiotic. We were billed over $500. I asked for and received a copy of the infirmary documents, and filed a claim upon returning home. TII sent a check reimbursing us in full within two weeks with no hassle whatsoever.

 

Suggestion: go to TII's website without using the USAA portal and get a quote. Then get a quote using the USAA portal and you should see the savings. I have not compared their premiums with other trip insurers, but based on how they processed my claim, (that is where the rubber meets the road in my book), their coverage and customer service, I have been pleased. Hope this helps! :)

 

Like most companies, guess we won't know how good their service/product is until we need to file a claim. Thanks for the recommendation! Have 3 questions...and thanks in advance

 

Is the premium per person or per cruise (total amount) since we tend to travel together?

 

How soon do we have to purchase (30, 60, or 90 days after deposit)?

 

Can we purchase prior to final payment is due?

[klfrodo]

Like most companies, guess we won't know how good their service/product is until we need to file a claim. Thanks for the recommendation! Have 3 questions...and thanks in advance

 

Is the premium per person or per cruise (total amount) since we tend to travel together? Per person for amount wanting coverage. Such as cruise per person is $600. Airfare per person is $600. Total NON REFUNDABLE cost to traveller is $1200. However much a policy is to cover a person for this trip.

 

How soon do we have to purchase (30, 60, or 90 days after deposit)? You want to cover pre-existing medical conditions? Usually you MUST purchase the policy within 14 days of making initial deposit for travel.

 

Can we purchase prior to final payment is due?Yes, you may

 

Hope some of this helps. Important to read YOUR policy. Each and every policy differes. There are some basic generalities, but no one policy is exactly the same. All cars are not the same. All Fords are not the same. All Ford trucks are not the same.

[Len2006]

We've used Travel Insured Int'l through USAA for a few trips. The first trip was a HUGE disaster when we forfieted cruise fares for five people out of Rome when my mother in law came down with cancer just before we left. Travel insured reimbursed us and we came out unscathed. That was a success story.

 

two years ago we were effected by the volcano erupting in Europe when all of the airlines were grounded. We missed our plane because we could NOT get through the throng at the airport to check in for our flight, stranding us. Lufthansa, subsequently apologized and refunded our ticket. We ended up having to rent cars, beg borrow and steal our way to the port of departure in order to get back to the US. Every mode of transport was swamped, trains, buses rental cars.

 

Our additional expense suffered as a result of that volcano erupting (including missed airline flights, prepaid hotels we couldn't get to, a rental car from Nice to Torino to catch a fiight home - (and a $700 "drop off fee") came to nearly $6,000. Travel insured refused to pay our claim saying the flight we were booked on actually took off (the first flight to FLY in ten days) and it was our fault for missing it. We fought them for a year. I finally gave up. I won't use them again and have made my displeasure known to USAA.

[cruiseco]

We've used Travel Insured Int'l through USAA for a few trips. The first trip was a HUGE disaster when we forfieted cruise fares for five people out of Rome when my mother in law came down with cancer just before we left. Travel insured reimbursed us and we came out unscathed. That was a success story.

 

two years ago we were effected by the volcano erupting in Europe when all of the airlines were grounded. We missed our plane because we could NOT get through the throng at the airport to check in for our flight, stranding us. Lufthansa, subsequently apologized and refunded our ticket. We ended up having to rent cars, beg borrow and steal our way to the port of departure in order to get back to the US. Every mode of transport was swamped, trains, buses rental cars.

 

Our additional expense suffered as a result of that volcano erupting (including missed airline flights, prepaid hotels we couldn't get to, a rental car from Nice to Torino to catch a fiight home - (and a $700 "drop off fee") came to nearly $6,000. Travel insured refused to pay our claim saying the flight we were booked on actually took off (the first flight to FLY in ten days) and it was our fault for missing it. We fought them for a year. I finally gave up. I won't use them again and have made my displeasure known to USAA.

 

I've got to admit that I wouldn't pay that claim either but that's neither here nor there.

 

You should go here and file a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance:

 

http://www.tdi.texas.gov/consumer/complfrm.html

 

They will investigate the matter and if they agree with you you will get paid. If they don't, at least you'll know that Travel Insured made the correct decision regarding your claim according to the plan wording. There's no cost to you (other than the taxes you've already paid) and it's pretty painless if you've still got your receipts and such. For $6K I'd spend the half hour it will take to file the complaint and see what happens.

[6rugrats]

I don't know why you would be reimbursed either, as the flight took off, but I'd certainly file a complaint and try. However, if this was two years ago, it may be too late.

[cherylandtk]

I would add that many people seem to expect that trip insurance is a comprehensive insurance policy, and are so disappointed in the insurers when they discover that trip insurance is specific, NAMED perils only. If it is not named in the policy, it is not covered.

 

If anyone is reading this and does not know that, please make sure that you get the policy DOC or get someone to explain it to you before you purchase.

[PHProf]

We bought the Travel Insured policy with the USAA discount for our recent cruise. It was $20-50 less expensive than similar products and provided a but better coverage.

 

As luck would have it, my wife suffered a gallbladder attack and needed surgery just days before our scheduled Christmas departure. Needless to say, we had to cancel the cruise ("Worst Christmas - EVER!" according to my 10-year-old... and I can't say that I don't agree with him.)

 

We immediately reported the claim online and took steps to cancel and recover what we could. We then filed the claim and supporting documentation shortly after her discharge. We just received our claim check (for the full claim) two weeks to the dail we mailed off the claim.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by the speed with which the claim was processed an the lack of haggling over paperwork. - we provided what was outlined in the claims procedure and they paid promptly. Given the stress of the illness and of disappointing my son, I couldn't have asked for a better experience from Travel Insured.

[Wineart]

Took out trip insurance through USAA June 2010 for a Nile cruise scheduled for February 2011. Trip was cancelled two weeks prior to departure when Delta airlines cancelled our flight, and Uniworld cancelled the cruise. Contacted the insurance company to see if I could get a refund since there was no longer a trip to insure, and after some fussing, got a refund of the premiums!

[thirdcruiser]

We are using USAA for the first time to insure our trip to Jamaica. I was googling USAA travel insurance reviews and came upon yours. I am curious if you followed up with a greivance on this? I would think that your flight was "interupted" and would fall under that trip intruption clause due to the chaos at the airport delaying you getting to the gate.

[6rugrats]

We are using USAA for the first time to insure our trip to Jamaica. I was googling USAA travel insurance reviews and came upon yours. I am curious if you followed up with a greivance on this? I would think that your flight was "interupted" and would fall under that trip intruption clause due to the chaos at the airport delaying you getting to the gate.

This person's flight was not "interrupted". They just didn't get to the airport with enough time to make their flight. I don't think not getting to the airport with enough time to get through security is covered; I would think the insurance company would say any reasonable person would know that it would take extra time due to these circumstance.