Travel insurance

[spritz81]

Hi everyone,

 

I am just trying to buy some travel insurance. I have looked at Cover-more and also Travel Insurance Direct. They both seem fairly close in price but have looked at reviews of both of them and they are TERRIBLE. I don't want to have any dramas if we need to make a claim. The main things we are worried about are if we need to cancel our cruise due to illness and also medical, etc. when we are away.

 

Can anybody tell me good/bad options with travel insurance if you have tried to make a claim with any company. I'm not really sure what company to go with. Please help!!!

[johndon]

Spritz81

 

If you are paying with a credit card for your cruise some cards include travel insurance as a benefit for using their card. We use Amex goldcard which is also a generator of frequent flyer points. We haven't had to claim yet but we did have a previous claim on 1Cover and had quite a fight on our hands trying to claim for a cancellation. All the reports I have heard from people who have had claims on their credit card company travel insurance have been positive. There are past posts on this site dealing comprehensively with this subject.

 

John

[Cassicruiser]

With any policy you buy check the benefits very closely. We have used both Aami and Southern Cross many times, and had to claim from both once each when we had flight delays and minor medical claims. Both processed them quickly and easily and deposited into our account within 3 days. (As long as you have ALL the relevant documentation including boarding cards, receipts etc they were both easy and friendly to deal with.) They both have different levels of cover so you need to compare.

 

We had a flight delay which caused us to miss our connection so had to spend 2 nights in Bangkok as the next flight was only 2 days later - Aami covered us for $2000 for the family, and claiming was no issue. That said, we have bought a Southern Cross policy for our next trip as I read the benefits and they cover $5000 for flight delay expenses (luckily we wouldn't have needed that much last time as our flights were transferred, but we had a few hairy moments trying to get onto another flight that we almost had to pay for).

 

There are so many travel insurers out there - just compare cost and benefits, and also excess payments (some are $100, some $200).

[Debsta]

I've been receiving letters from my credit card folks (Amex and CBA Mastercard) advising of some pretty major changes to credit card insurance. I haven't read them in full as I take out other travel insurance but from what I skimmed I would no longer rely on them, benefits have dropped, and I "think" family members aren't covered??? (I could be wrong on that one). Check the policies as I'm starting to wonder if this is going across the board.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

I just found out that if there is a Smart Traveller warning against going to a certain country for any reason, and you do go, then you won't be covered by any insurance at all....:eek: I didn't know that....did you?

Jilly:)

[dannyr]

I use two providers for my Travel Insurance, depending on where I'm travelling to. Unfortunately, I've had to claim on both of them, however this means I can give you a bit of a run-down about claims experience.

 

Unless I'm going to North America, I take out CGU Travel Insurance as I find it the best protection for the right price (it's not as cheap as some, but it's also not as expensive). Claims service is fantastic. My wife dropped our camera in Malaysia a few years ago, and we went into the nearest Sony Centre (it was a Sony camera) and bought a new one.

 

We got a message to CGU the next business day (TIP: Nominate someone in Australia to talk on your behalf. We sent sms to our family explaining the situation and asked them to call instead of us having to call from international - saved us money!) and they basically said "replace it, and keep the receipts). We'd already done that, so when we got home we sent the receipts in, and the money was in our account (nett excss, of course) in a few days.

 

When I'm going to the USA and Canada (or on an American cruise line...because technically you're on American soil even if sailing between Brisbane and Cairns...) I use AAMI Travel Insurance. Their price can't be beaten.

 

Their claims service isn't as good. My wife (see a trend? I do!) lost an earring onboard the Diamond Princess last year and they made us jump through hoops for a $500 pair of earrings. It took me digging through our filing cabinet at home for the original purchase receipt, plus us sending in the now-mis-matched earring to them before they would authorise the replacement through Wallace Bishop.

[tickford]

We are covered by our Credit card travel insurance this time.

 

The last few times we used I Cover. Had to claim the 1st time, got virtually all our money back after jumping through hoops. They stated a 10 day turn around however getting doctors letters ect made it run to 6 months.

 

I think most companies seem to drag their feet with claims.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I just found out that if there is a Smart Traveller warning against going to a certain country for any reason, and you do go, then you won't be covered by any insurance at all....:eek: I didn't know that....did you?

Jilly:)

 

Is that if they advise...Do Not Travel?

...as they currently have a warning re Christchurch and Lyttleton.

 

 

 

[cjm66]

I just found out that if there is a Smart Traveller warning against going to a certain country for any reason, and you do go, then you won't be covered by any insurance at all....:eek: I didn't know that....did you?

 

 

Jilly:)

 

There is a dot point under the General exclusions section in my most recent product disclosure statement, that reads.

 

We will not cover any loss or damage as a result of or caused by:

 

• You not following advice in the mass media or any government or other official body's warning and you did not take appropriate action to avoid or minimise any potential claim under your policy (including delay of travel to the counry or part of the counry referred to in the warning)
  

Never noticed that bit before. Few countries are listed as Do Not Travel on the DeFAT site. I suspect you are right and that there would be problems claiming for events in one of the DNT countries and possibly even for the Reconsider your need to travel group. :confused:

[cjm66]

Is that if they advise...Do Not Travel?

...as they currently have a warning re Christchurch and Lyttleton.

 

 

 

 

Both are in the "Exercise a high degree of caution group" so you could probably argue for claims that were not caused by aftershocks or going into hazardous areas - but who knows with insurance assessors.

[Fletch1]

I use TID and have for many years now. I have made 3 claims with them....one for a damaged camera and 2 for flying home to attend a funeral and then rejoining the cruise. No problems on each occasion. TID paid everything, including taxi fares.

 

I don't go with anybody else and would highly recommend them.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Is that if they advise...Do Not Travel?

...as they currently have a warning re Christchurch and Lyttleton.

I know, and it makes me wonder now as it seems to be the rule across all the Travel Insurance companies. But on the other hand, where in the world is it 100% safe????

Jilly:)

[Tara Jane]

I had to make a claim on southern cross last year, had to cancel my trip due to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment that followed. They gave me a very hard time took several months to sort out and I think I only won the battle thanks to a wonderful GP. They tried to say it was a pre existing condition.

Now I do have pre exisiting issues due to the cancer. No credit card insurance will cover me. I have taken an annual policy with covermore who are kinder to those who have had cancer treatment than any other policy I checked.

My advise stay away from southern cross as the last thing anyone needs when going thru surgery and chemo etc is to be having a battle with insurance companies for the cancellation of a trip.

However someone here was happy with them, so guess to each his own, we can only go by our own experience.

[Guest012]

so guess to each his own, we can only go by our own experience.

 

True statement there Tara Jane......

 

SCTI is the only company I use as they cover my pre existing no treatment or meds required for years heart problem for a meagre $50.00 extra with the excess remaining at $100 whilst the others punish me by charging up to $300 extra on the premium and setting the excess anywhere between $1700 to $3500+ ......:confused::confused:

My John is uninsurable for his pre existing as he had a triple bypass, no heart attack involved thankgoodness, yet had he only had stents different story ......:eek::eek:

I do insure him, wouldn't not do so.....but i bet if we needed to make a claim even for a broken bone no matter what insurance coy they would try and blame it on his uninsurable but declared pre exisiting.....:rolleyes::D

[Cassicruiser]

I had to make a claim on southern cross last year, had to cancel my trip due to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment that followed. They gave me a very hard time took several months to sort out and I think I only won the battle thanks to a wonderful GP. They tried to say it was a pre existing condition.

Now I do have pre exisiting issues due to the cancer. No credit card insurance will cover me. I have taken an annual policy with covermore who are kinder to those who have had cancer treatment than any other policy I checked.

My advise stay away from southern cross as the last thing anyone needs when going thru surgery and chemo etc is to be having a battle with insurance companies for the cancellation of a trip.

However someone here was happy with them, so guess to each his own, we can only go by our own experience.

I completely agree - and am so sorry to hear they made you jump through hoops to get your claim sorted. I am the one who has used SCTI previously and only had a small medical claim which was paid quickly with no hassles. I guess it depends on the circumstances and different people will have different experiences with different companies.

[Aussieflyer]

The other piece of small print to read is the bit about family members who are not travelling - any pre-existing illness in them, claims as a result of this are not covered by most insurers. That means in effect if a close family member has a heart condition and then suffers an heart attack or worse you will not be able to claim for having to come home (if already travelling) or cancelling (if not having left). Also psychiatric illness in family members is not covered at all. We had the situation last year where we had to cancel our European trip after full payment when our adult son who has a mental illness was hospitalised. Although we were not travelling for a couple of months we did not want to take the risk as last time he had spent 6 weeks in hospital. I estimate that overall we lost about $3500, by the time you take into account the cancellation fees for flights, cruise, apartment etc. Interestingly the best company to return our money was Turkish Airlines - only a very small cancellation fee. As it was we do think it was the correct course of action to take.

[musicorn]

I recently had to claim through 1Cover as our cruise returned late and we missed our flights. We claimed the taxi to the motel, the motel stay, dinner, breakfast and new airfares. They say they will pay within 10 working days once they receive all of the information required. Once I had this it went very quickly. I got text messages telling me when each stage was completed. Very happy with this.

[Tara Jane]

Musicorn, that is interesting re claiming for missing flights. I have often wondered about this but we have always preferred to fly to the departing city the day before and book a very late flight at the end of the cruise to avoid any problems. Just out of interest is there a time period where we as travellers are expected to allow between arrival and flight booked? I have been through the fine print of so many policies and honestly can not recall seeing any mention to time period.

[musicorn]

Musicorn, that is interesting re claiming for missing flights. I have often wondered about this but we have always preferred to fly to the departing city the day before and book a very late flight at the end of the cruise to avoid any problems. Just out of interest is there a time period where we as travellers are expected to allow between arrival and flight booked? I have been through the fine print of so many policies and honestly can not recall seeing any mention to time period.

 

Our flights were booked for 12-30 the same day we got in. You must be delayed more than 6 hours to claim, I think it was and as we got in at 3-15 in the afternoon we met this.

[Tara Jane]

Thanks for that, better go check my policy and keep it in mind. Once going to USA my flight was delayed a few hours, cant remember how many exactly and I therefore missed my flight on to Las Vegas. As it was a different airline that I had booked totally seperately to my international flight. Wasnt a big deal, we had to queue up and if the queue hadnt been as long could have caught an earlier flight but it was out and around and around, LAX of course. when we got to the counter no big deal they just put us on the next flight no questions at all and no extra $$.

[yatchet]

I have always used Covermore and never worried about cover for pre existing

( Stent in one of those tube things that go to the heart, decade ago).

 

However next cruise decided to get full cover (18 days Bangkok/Sydney). No luck with covermore,TID, aami etc, ended up with full cover from Medibank Private.

 

Comprehensive International.

$198 after 10% discount for being a member, with $250 excess, unlimited cancellation amount.

 

Hoping I don't have to worry about how they pay out.:)

[Kinkacruiser]

I have always used Covermore and never worried about cover for pre existing

( Stent in one of those tube things that go to the heart, decade ago).

 

However next cruise decided to get full cover (18 days Bangkok/Sydney). No luck with covermore,TID, aami etc, ended up with full cover from Medibank Private.

 

Comprehensive International.

$198 after 10% discount for being a member, with $250 excess, unlimited cancellation amount.

 

Hoping I don't have to worry about how they pay out.:)

 

Similar situation Yatchet. So will take a note for the next cruise.

[Aussieflyer]

We have had Medibank travel insurance but never had to claim do not sure what they are like.

[Tara Jane]

Travel insurance is such a complicated thing, there doesn't seem to be any sense to it at all. I couldn;t get cover with any of the health insurance companies for the pre exsting and yet covermore accepted me.

 

Good luck to all those travelers out there trying to find suitable travel insurance and lets just hope none of us have to make a claim!!!!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Travel insurance is such a complicated thing, there doesn't seem to be any sense to it at all.

 

 

It sure is. I get the feeling all insurance is intertwined and they have had some pretty big hits lately.

The Christchurch earthquake was the 4th biggest ever insurance event and you also had the tsunami in Japan..

Insurance co's are tightening up on conditions , and increasing prices to compensate.