insurance for airline tickets

[cactusflower]

I booked my upcoming cruise several months ago and purchased travel insurance for it at that time (from a separate company). I just now, however, purchased my airline tickets. I'm trying to decide whether or not to add them to my policy. While the tickets are non-refundable, they can be applied toward the purchase of future tickets if we were to not use them. So, given that, is there a reason to pay for insurance for them? And, if you buy insurance for the plane ticket and then don't use them and cash in the policy - do you have to turn in your ticket to someone? I wouldn't think you would be able to get money from the insurance policy and apply your ticket to a future purchase - that seems like double-dipping...

 

I'm sure I'm missing something in my thinking. What do all you travel experts do regarding insurance for the air travel portion of your trip?

 

Thanks!

[39august]

If you can add the ticket cost to your existing policy, I suggest you do so. For future reference, be aware that if you purchase RCI's travel insurance, the cost is based SOLELY on the price pp of the cruise. BUT, the policy also covers privately purchased airfare, regardless of when you puchase it or the cost of the air fare. I imagine that if you have to cancel your air for a covered reason, you would not be allowed to also keep your tickets as well.

[cruiseco]

I booked my upcoming cruise several months ago and purchased travel insurance for it at that time (from a separate company). I just now, however, purchased my airline tickets. I'm trying to decide whether or not to add them to my policy. While the tickets are non-refundable, they can be applied toward the purchase of future tickets if we were to not use them. So, given that, is there a reason to pay for insurance for them? And, if you buy insurance for the plane ticket and then don't use them and cash in the policy - do you have to turn in your ticket to someone? I wouldn't think you would be able to get money from the insurance policy and apply your ticket to a future purchase - that seems like double-dipping...

 

I'm sure I'm missing something in my thinking. What do all you travel experts do regarding insurance for the air travel portion of your trip?

 

Thanks!

 

It can depend on your particular circumstances and the insurer you're using. Many require you to insure the complete total of your pre-paid, non-refundable trip arrangements to be eligible for certiain benefits. For example, this is from a Travel Guard plan:

 

"PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION WAIVER

 

The Insurer will waive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion up to a maximum of the first $30,000 of Trip Cost per person if the following conditions are met:

1. This plan is purchased within 15 days of making the Initial Trip Payment;

2. The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid, non-refundable payments or deposits applicable to the Trip at the time of purchase, and the cost of any subsequent arrangement(s) added to the same Trip are insured within 15 days of the date of payment or deposit for any subsequent Trip arrangement(s);

3. All Insured’s are medically able to travel when plan cost is paid."

 

So if you bought this plan and need the waiver of the pre-ex condition exclusion you would be forfeiting that coverage if you fail to add the cost of the air tickets to your insured trip cost total.

 

The same can apply if you have chosen their Cancel For Any Reason coverage -- fail to insure those air tickets within 15 days of booking them and you've voided the Cancel For Any Reason coverage for the cruise also.

 

If in doubt, call the insurer directly. By the way, most insurers don't care if your air ticket can be used for a later flight in determining if it's "non-refundable" or not. Unless the airline is going to actually give you your money back if you have to cancel (like first-class tickets used to be) it's going to be considered "non-refundable" and in the example above would need to be insured. "Changeable" does not equal "non-refundable".

[sirwired]

If you get paid for an air cancellation and you have a credit, I imagine they'll ask you to sign a paper stating that you promise not to use the airfare credit.

 

Do they have a way of checking? Who knows? I'd hate to find out the hard way.

[6rugrats]

If you get paid for an air cancellation and you have a credit, I imagine they'll ask you to sign a paper stating that you promise not to use the airfare credit.

 

Do they have a way of checking? Who knows? I'd hate to find out the hard way.

This depends on the company/policy. I specifically asked Travelguard about this, and they stated I would be refunded the change fee and they had no interest in knowing about the credit I would retain with the airline.

[hal2008]

It can depend on your particular circumstances and the insurer you're using. Many require you to insure the complete total of your pre-paid, non-refundable trip arrangements to be eligible for certiain benefits. For example, this is from a Travel Guard plan:

 

"PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION WAIVER

 

The Insurer will waive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion up to a maximum of the first $30,000 of Trip Cost per person if the following conditions are met:

1. This plan is purchased within 15 days of making the Initial Trip Payment;

2. The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid, non-refundable payments or deposits applicable to the Trip at the time of purchase, and the cost of any subsequent arrangement(s) added to the same Trip are insured within 15 days of the date of payment or deposit for any subsequent Trip arrangement(s);

3. All Insured’s are medically able to travel when plan cost is paid."

 

So if you bought this plan and need the waiver of the pre-ex condition exclusion you would be forfeiting that coverage if you fail to add the cost of the air tickets to your insured trip cost total.

 

The same can apply if you have chosen their Cancel For Any Reason coverage -- fail to insure those air tickets within 15 days of booking them and you've voided the Cancel For Any Reason coverage for the cruise also.

 

If in doubt, call the insurer directly. By the way, most insurers don't care if your air ticket can be used for a later flight in determining if it's "non-refundable" or not. Unless the airline is going to actually give you your money back if you have to cancel (like first-class tickets used to be) it's going to be considered "non-refundable" and in the example above would need to be insured. "Changeable" does not equal "non-refundable".

 

 

Thank you for your bolded alert.

 

This is applicable to some of the insurerers and it differs even within similar looking policy. For example, Travelex, (TravelSelect and TravelLite differ on this)

 

I agree with the other posts on this forum that trip cancellation for normally healthy people may not be needed as it is already "sunk cost". You are out of that much money any way. However, evac benefits and medical where not otherwise available is critical as it could be life changing loss. Because of its highly unlikely probability, that insurenace it pretty inexpensive.