Travelguard Travel Insurance?

[robinlynn]

Am getting ready to purchase Platinum Plus Travelguard with the cancel for any reason inclusion extra.( We have a 93 year old mother and other health issues in the family) Anyone have any personal experience they would like to share who actually filed a claim with them?

Thanks!

Robin

[vvnh16a]

If the 93 year old family member is travelling with you, you may be better off with the cruise lines insurance package.

[virginialucy]

Here is a link to the Travel Insurance board. You might find some helpful information there.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=635

[DrivesLikeMario]

There's no way the cruise line insurance is better than TravelGuard's Platinum Plus. It is much more comprehensive than anything a cruise line can offer.

 

My experience with TG has only been terrific. I have used it for years and have never been disappointed. They are always there to answer questions and are a top-notch company IMO.

[ghstudio]

If someone passes away or is hospitalizd and it's an expected type of event, your insurance, even with pre existing conditions waived,may not cover you. You have to be careful with anyone who has a probable deteriorization in their health.

[baby]

that is strange

 

so if you have an elderly mother who could pass at any time - the insurance would not cover it if she got really sick and went to hospital or even worse died - right before the cruise or during the cruise?

 

then why get insurance for this purpose?

 

carol

[CABINET]

that is strange

 

so if you have an elderly mother who could pass at any time - the insurance would not cover it if she got really sick and went to hospital or even worse died - right before the cruise or during the cruise?

 

then why get insurance for this purpose?

 

carol

 

Maybe things are very different in the US but over here it would be almost impossible to get insurance that would cover cancellation in the event of the illness/death of a very elderly relative with many health issues.

 

Both my father and my father-in-law have so many things wrong with them that we would just have to take the hit if they died or became seriously ill before a holiday. Years ago when they were in better health we couldn't get cover so we have just given up trying. In fact the whole thing seems to be getting increasingly worrysome. Many insurers here want you to keep them informed of everything to do with your health and that of anybody whose ill health might cause you to want to cancel or curtail your vacation, particularly in the case of annual travel insurance.

 

After all insurance is really meant for something that is unlikely to happen not something that is actually statistically quite likely to occur.

[Turtles06]

If someone passes away or is hospitalizd and it's an expected type of event, your insurance, even with pre existing conditions waived,may not cover you. You have to be careful with anyone who has a probable deteriorization in their health.

 

???? The whole purpose of buying insurance with the exception for pre-existing conditions waived is exactly to cover you in the event that something caused by a pre-existing condition happens to you, someone traveling with you, or someone who is NOT traveling with you who fits within the group of people you can cancel the trip over. In the Travel Guard policies I've purchased, the caveat is that YOU must be able to travel at the time you book the trip and buy the policy.

 

Cancel for any reason coverage is totally different and requires no reason to cancel, BUT you usually don't get as much back as if you have to cancel for a "covered reason" (like a medical problem).

 

OP: I've unfortunately had to file several claims over the years with Travel Guard, and they were processed quickly and w/o any hassle. I have always found TG easy to deal with by phone and on the web.

 

Be sure to read the policy in advance before you buy (all the TG policies can be read on line, click on "DOC" -- document of coverage) and be sure it will cover what you want it to cover.

 

Best wishes to your Mom, and to all of you. Have a great trip.

[dreamer976]

I, too, did file a claim with Travelguard for a cruise that was cancelled far before final payment, so no issues getting the deposit back from the cruise line; however, we had also purchased our non-refundable roundtrip air.

 

Travelguard reps couldn't have been nicer/more sympathetic. We did have some straightforward forms to fill out, as well as the physician involved, but received a check in a very timely manner once the paperwork was submitted.

 

Travelguard was recommended to us quite a few years ago and I continue to use them today and will in the future.

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise! The planning/waiting is half the fun:D

[Baseball fan]

To cover pre-existing conditions, the general rule is to buy the insurance within 14 days of first payment (down payment generally). My parents buy insurance everytime and they have had to cancel twice due to illness and never had a problem. Make sure you read the coverage carefully to ensure it will cover what you need. I shop for insurance on insuremytrip dot com to compare all of the coverage of all the different companies. I always buy insurance since my parents are older as it gives me peace of mind.

 

Dena

[robinlynn]

I now feel more comfortable buying this policy. I believe the extra $300 I am paying for the "cancel for any reason" clause overrules any problems that I might have had with the pre existing clause. I did go on the 'insuremytrip" site and they answered all of my questions. They were very knowledgeable and helpful and I will buy the policy through them.

Thanks again....

Robin

[Lastdance]

I now feel more comfortable buying this policy. I believe the extra $300 I am paying for the "cancel for any reason" clause overrules any problems that I might have had with the pre existing clause. I did go on the 'insuremytrip" site and they answered all of my questions. They were very knowledgeable and helpful and I will buy the policy through them.

Thanks again....

Robin

We have used them on several occasions, one of which we had a claim. They paid quickly and everything worked out great. My DH left a small backpack on the train...unfortunately, they don't cover glasses though! Those were in him backpack too...YES, read all the fine print! :)Also, they are expensive, but you get what you pay for. I also heard that CSA was good.

[ghstudio]

Let me explain my earlier comment. If your mother has cancer and is admitted to a hospice while you go off on your trip, you can't expect an insurance company to pay for you emergency trip home, etc. it was a foreseeable event. On the other hand, if your mother is healthy or suffering from Alzheimer's and has a stroke and dies, that's not foreseeable and they would pay. It is sometimes a fine line but if you have close relatives lose to death,don't expect an insurance company today for your return home, etc for a trip you should have known would likely be interrupted.

 

It's really common sense if you think about it.

[jerseygirl3]

I now feel more comfortable buying this policy. I believe the extra $300 I am paying for the "cancel for any reason" clause overrules any problems that I might have had with the pre existing clause. I did go on the 'insuremytrip" site and they answered all of my questions. They were very knowledgeable and helpful and I will buy the policy through them.

Thanks again....

Robin

 

There is no reason for you to pay an add'l $300 for "cancel for any reason." As long as you purchase the insurance within 21 days of your initial trip deposit (that would be for Travelex Insurance, which I highly recommend and always use and their customer service is outstanding), any pre-existing conditions would be covered. The only exception to that is if your family member is diagnosed with a terminal illness and death is imminent. But in the event of an elderly relative who can experience a life-threatening illness or pass away at any time, you would be covered with the pre-existing clause.

 

I believe the time period you have to purchase the insurance to have pre-existing conditions covered with Travel Guard is 14 days; with Travelex it's 21 days.

[gregjm]

I have always purchased Travel Guard. I had one occasion when filing a claim was necessary and they handled it efficiently with no hassle whatsoever.

[Ballwin Babe]

Our family booked a Baltic Cruise a couple of years ago and bought Travelex insurance. Some friends booked the same cruise and bought Travelguard insurance.

 

Weather related delays caused a domino effect of additional expenses which amounted to over $7K per family.

 

We contacted both insurance carriers for assistance and direction as we were in the middle of the mess. Travelex was useless, while the travel department at Travelguard acutally booked replacement flights for both families, even our family which wasn't even covered by Travelguard.

 

When the time came to file claims, our friends filed with Travelguard and got payment within 2 weeks. We filed our claim with EXACTLY the same facts and got rejected 3 times. (Yes, our policies were nearly identical so it wasn't a coverage issue).

 

Only after involving the Missouri Dept. of Insurance did Travelex pay our claim. We now ONLY book with Travelguard.

[jaybird from SC]

Am getting ready to purchase Platinum Plus Travelguard with the cancel for any reason inclusion extra.( We have a 93 year old mother and other health issues in the family) Anyone have any personal experience they would like to share who actually filed a claim with them?

Thanks!

Robin

 

Make sure any insurance you purchase covers "pre-existing" conditions. Cost a little mroe but worth it. But I believe it has to be purchased within so many days after purchase. Not sure about the time frame so check with your travel agent.

[Eightydays]

To cover pre-existing conditions, the general rule is to buy the insurance within 14 days of first payment (down payment generally). My parents buy insurance everytime and they have had to cancel twice due to illness and never had a problem. Make sure you read the coverage carefully to ensure it will cover what you need. I shop for insurance on insuremytrip dot com to compare all of the coverage of all the different companies. I always buy insurance since my parents are older as it gives me peace of mind.

 

Dena

 

There are at least 2 companies that will cover pre-existing condictions if you purchase within 24 hours of final payment -- not within 14 days of initial payment. We tend to use those companies because you don't have to buy insurance on a trip you will end up cancelling before final payment.

 

I don't remember which companies (possibly HTH and CSA Deluxe) but if go to "insuremytrip.com" you should be able to find them.

[jerseygirl3]

Our family booked a Baltic Cruise a couple of years ago and bought Travelex insurance. Some friends booked the same cruise and bought Travelguard insurance.

 

Weather related delays caused a domino effect of additional expenses which amounted to over $7K per family.

 

We contacted both insurance carriers for assistance and direction as we were in the middle of the mess. Travelex was useless, while the travel department at Travelguard acutally booked replacement flights for both families, even our family which wasn't even covered by Travelguard.

 

When the time came to file claims, our friends filed with Travelguard and got payment within 2 weeks. We filed our claim with EXACTLY the same facts and got rejected 3 times. (Yes, our policies were nearly identical so it wasn't a coverage issue).

 

Only after involving the Missouri Dept. of Insurance did Travelex pay our claim. We now ONLY book with Travelguard.

 

I'm shocked by your negative experience with Travelex. That is definitely NOT the norm for this company. We've only ever used Travelex. We had a situation similar to what you describe. Our ship was late getting into Tampa due to fog (along with about 4 other ships). I knew it would be a mess if we waited until we got off the ship to rebook missed flights, arrange hotel rooms, etc. I called Travelex from the ship. They were most happy to make all our arrangements for us. They gave us the option of doing them for us or if we preferred we could do them ourselves. When we got home, I simply filled out the claim for, attached our receipts for the extra expenses, and we received a check within 2 weeks.

 

We've had to put in for claims for an illness on board, a cancelled cruise, and a cancelled shore excursion (very pricey excursion in Spain when the other couple traveling with us opted to cancel due to the wife's illness). They not only reimbursed our friends for their missed excursion, but they also reimbursed us when I explained that we didn't feel comfortable leaving them with the wife sick.

 

I've never had to do more than complete the claim form and voila, a check was received pronto.

 

I think your experience is an aberration. Travelex normally gets very high marks.

[jc foster]

In July 2009 we missed a Baltic cruise after a delay flight in Newark due to a freak hail storm. We were sent back to Dallas and missed three nights precruise hotel along with our Baltic on the Eurodam out of Copenhagen. Travelguard employees were excellent. We now use their gold plan for every cruise.

[p2lockhart]

We started purchasing trip insurance as our parents got older and developed health issues. I used InsureMyTrip several times to compare products and educate myself but would call and speak to someone there first before actually making the purchase just to make sure I was getting everything I thought I needed. I have purchased several over the years and finally had to file a major claim when DH slipped on a wet deck and fractured his pelvis in 3 places while we were in Russia. Travel Guard was amazing. They handled all of the details from the week in the hospital to getting us back to our hospital of choice near home. They even flew 2 nurses from Amsterdam to accompany us from the Russian hospital all the way to the hospital near home. I do not know what I would have done without Travel Guard making all those arrangements for us so I would not have to leave DH's side to tend to those details in a foreign country where I do not speak or read the language. They spent well over $100,000 on our claim.

[robinlynn]

So sorry to hear about your husband's terrible fall. Thank goodness you had insurance!

I am calling first thing tomorrow to sign up. Glad to hear Travelguard was so efficient and helpful. Hope your husband is fully recovered!

Robin

[batoryfirst]

Love TravelGuard. They are extremely kind and professional when a problem occurs.

 

Nancy

[ghstudio]

If you are looking at travel insurance, consider buying a medjet assist policy in addition to you travel insurance. It has one very important feature. YOU request transportation and the only approval needed is that the doctor must agree that you are medically stable enough to travel. That's very important because most policies leave the decision to transport you to the doctor who has to agree that transportation is medically necessary and the insurance company has to agree. How long do you want to be in that. Foreign hospital?

 

Check medjet and buy at a discount through aarp.