Trip insurance - pros and cons

[Flatbush Flyer]

Yes.l But what Rally Dave was talking about is "stacking" which is not

allowed. Eg. If you both have a Sapphire Reserve Card (multiple accounts),

your trip is 40K, you can not get the 20K benefit PER CARD. You get 20K per

trip max with Chase.

 

Here is the text of an email from the benefits manager at Chase:

 

The benefits do not stack. If a Covered Loss results in Benefit Amounts

becoming payable, which when totaled, exceed the applicable Trip

Cancellation & Trip Interruption Maximum Limit of Insurance per Occurrence,

then the Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Maximum Limit of Insurance

per Occurrence will be divided proportionally among the Insured Persons,

based on each applicable Benefit Amount. If a person is eligible for

insurance under multiple Accounts, then such person will only be insured

once, under the Account which provides the Insured Person the largest

Benefit Amount for the loss that has occurred.

 

 

 

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Okay- I'll dig up the e-mail.

 

 

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[DOJO466]

I will NEVER leave home again without trip cancel/med/evac insurance. For many trips we paid it and began to think ,oh we wasted our money, but then we were invited to "the dance". In the past 3 years we have been plagued. Although both of us have pre-e siting conditions NONE of our claims have been due to these.

Trip 1. DH arrived in FLL to board TA MIa to BCN. Admitted to FLL hospital for bacterial pneumonia. Trip cancelled 5 day admission..all iPad by Ins.

Trip 2. Disembarked in MIA DH diagnosed with a Rhinovirus which caused him to go into Atrial Fib. Admitted to hospital and had to have a medical escort home ..all paid by Ins.

Trip 3. TA NYC to LIS had to be cancelled as Md not comfortable with TA. Trip covered in full

Trip 4 ready to leave for MIA to Mia DH contracts. Severe sepsis due to UTI. Need to cancel trip 1 day prior again covered in full.

All these were in the past 2-3 years.

Do we espouse travel insurance..by all means. To be honest I am surprised they still cover us.

[cargo13]

Credit cards coverages for travel insurance vary widely. Go direct to a travel insurance provider for comprehensive coverages. https://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/travel-resources/why-credit-cards-not-good-for-travel-insurance.html

 

 

IF you dont need the cancellation coverages then buy close to when you depart for the medical, medical evac, and trip interruption coverages. Generali gave us very good advice. Call them 800-874-2442.

[JVilleGal]

I will NEVER leave home again without trip cancel/med/evac insurance. For many trips we paid it and began to think ,oh we wasted our money, but then we were invited to "the dance". In the past 3 years we have been plagued. Although both of us have pre-e siting conditions NONE of our claims have been due to these.

 

Trip 1. DH arrived in FLL to board TA MIa to BCN. Admitted to FLL hospital for bacterial pneumonia. Trip cancelled 5 day admission..all iPad by Ins.

 

Trip 2. Disembarked in MIA DH diagnosed with a Rhinovirus which caused him to go into Atrial Fib. Admitted to hospital and had to have a medical escort home ..all paid by Ins.

 

Trip 3. TA NYC to LIS had to be cancelled as Md not comfortable with TA. Trip covered in full

 

Trip 4 ready to leave for MIA to Mia DH contracts. Severe sepsis due to UTI. Need to cancel trip 1 day prior again covered in full.

 

All these were in the past 2-3 years.

 

Do we espouse travel insurance..by all means. To be honest I am surprised they still cover us.

 

 

Oh my!! You may need to trade DH in ;)

 

 

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[Louby-Lou]

you need to analize your risk:confused:

where will you be going,,,,africa, mongolia, south america? where treatment is abysmal or nor existent or will you be cruising New Zealand, Australia Singapore UK, Denmark, Norway, . where visitors, are given free medical care till discharged. ..why evacuate to the USA if all is fine?

 

Anyone travelling to the UK should verify this statement :rolleyes:.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Okay- I'll dig up the e-mail.

 

 

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And here it is (the e-mail regarding united explorer visa (chase bank):

 

Thank you for your call yesterday about the Trip Cancellation benefit.

 

Although I am a Senior Associate, I double checked with Management here about your question.

 

Based on you and your wife each having a Chase Card with $10k coverage for Trip Cancellation on them:

 

The cruise fare for you is $10,000 and the fare for your wife is $10,000 (total of $20,000).

 

You pay a deposit of $2k on your card to apply to your fare and your wife's fare.

 

She pays the balance of both your fares on her Chase card.

 

If your trip is cancelled, you would file a claim using both card numbers. Between the two cards, you would be eligible for the entire fare amount of $20k to reimbursed.

 

(Please note that all the terms and conditions of the benefit must be met for the coverage to apply).

 

Feel free to call us if you have any other questions.

 

Regards,

Alison

Card Benefit Services

 

 

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[bitob]

Yes. That is self evident.

 

It's the stacking that is not permitted

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

Yes. That is self evident.

 

It's the stacking that is not permitted

 

 

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Reread your post #25. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean by "stacking."

If you've got two accounts, each with a $10k cancel limit and each of your fares is $10k (I.e., $20k total), it's all covered.

Likewise (in the earlier example you cited), if the limit is $20k cancel per card and each fare is $20k (total $40k), its all covered (as long as you used both cards to pay for the trip).

 

 

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[bitob]

Reread your post #25. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean by "stacking."

If you've got two accounts, each with a $10k cancel limit and each of your fares is $10k (I.e., $20k total), it's all covered.

Likewise (in the earlier example you cited), if the limit is $20k cancel per card and each fare is $20k (total $40k), its all covered (as long as you used both cards to pay for the trip).

 

 

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You are correct about the 20k per trip. That is the max chase will pay. And you don't need two cards to do it. Chase covers u and your travel partner for 10k each per trip

 

You are incorrect about the 40k. See the email I posted. You may not stack the benefits from different chase cards. That is the reference to "multiple accounts." Means multiple cards

 

 

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[azam71209]

The question is which crisis are you planning to have? Are you going to get sick, break a leg by falling in a hole in a sidewalk in some small town in a third world country? Is your sister going to have a stroke and you need to return home immediately because she may not survive? Is your travel companion going to cancel at the last minute? Is a volcano in Iceland going to explode and close down airports all over Europe and your ship sails without you?

 

Cheap/free airline and credit card insurance will cover some things but not many of the most serious ones. And in most cases that wonderful health insurance that you have back home will reimburse you EVENTUALLY, provided you get a proper bill that you have paid to get translated into English and your insurance company later decides whether the care was medically necessary and whether the providers had the proper license, used the correct codes to describe the condition. Be sure you have enough available credit for a five figure bill because you will pay the hospital before you leave. And will that credit card insurance or your home health insurance pay for the first class ticket you will need to safely get home?

 

The older we get, the more expensive travel insurance gets-because we are more likely to need it sooner or later.

 

Mary

[bitob]

Unfortunately I was quite ill in 2015. We had to cancel 4 very expensive trips. The insurance from the credit card covered it all. The underwriter is Chubb. The policy is very similar to those you pay thousands for.

 

There is no reason I can see nowadays to pay for trip cancellation or interruption insurance. Add an annual medical travel policy and medjet assist and you are fully covered at a fraction of what it costs to buy insurance from an online store

 

 

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[RachelG]

I have never bought travel insurance. At this point, the amount I have saved would be probably over $20,000, probably closer to $50,000. So I can afford to self insure.

[findacruise]

We paid about $161 total for me and DH for medical evacuation 500K and it came with 50k medical for 55 days, 50 days of it cruise. At the time he was 75 and I, 67. It also included some for travel delay etc. I had one ship's doctor visit and my husband 2 - one each on 2 different ships. Total for all 3 was $880.65. The claim was paid promptly by Tin Leg (purchased through Squaremouth.) Yes, we could self insure that amount, but if it had been something really serious, then the cost could have been much higher. Money well spent from my point of view. Again, each person has to decide.

[Paulchili]

I have never bought travel insurance. At this point, the amount I have saved would be probably over $20,000, probably closer to $50,000. So I can afford to self insure.

 

All is well until it isn't. None of us want to get sick or have accidents but we still do.

You are playing a lottery game and winning so far - good for you (for now). One single unfortunate medical "incident" on the next trip can easily change your balance to being $50,000 behind instead of being that much ahead.

Just saying...your money and your risk.

It's not a risk that I am willing to take - YMMV.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Paulchili

[DeanoNorthPerth]

you need to analize your risk:confused:

 

Sounds painful.

[JimandStan]

All is well until it isn't. None of us want to get sick or have accidents but we still do.

You are playing a lottery game and winning so far - good for you (for now). One single unfortunate medical "incident" on the next trip can easily change your balance to being $50,000 behind instead of being that much ahead.

Just saying...your money and your risk.

It's not a risk that I am willing to take - YMMV.

 

+1 Paul

I was once required to buy an entire row of seats on an after accident plane trip from St. Maarten to New York at Easter time (the cast would not bend).

[ronrick1943]

+2, We've used it 2 times now-like I said once on the ship you wonder why did you pay it. But the 2 times we needed it - it was a great move to purchase the policy. Saved us a lot and didn't need to worry.

Rick

[RachelG]

All is well until it isn't. None of us want to get sick or have accidents but we still do.

You are playing a lottery game and winning so far - good for you (for now). One single unfortunate medical "incident" on the next trip can easily change your balance to being $50,000 behind instead of being that much ahead.

Just saying...your money and your risk.

It's not a risk that I am willing to take - YMMV.

Definitely willing to take the risk. We pay the cruise fare with chase card and have medical insurance that covers out of network.

[JimandStan]

Definitely willing to take the risk. We pay the cruise fare with chase card and have medical insurance that covers out of network.

 

Out of Country as well as out of Network?

That is the key, and those policies are few, far between and EXPENSIVE.

Most insurers take their cues from Medicare.

[RachelG]

Out of Country as well as out of Network?

That is the key, and those policies are few, far between and EXPENSIVE.

Most insurers take their cues from Medicare.

Well, my husband had to go to the ER in Canada once. We had not fulfilled our deductible yet, but if we had, they would have covered it. But the cost was so much less than in the US that it was really a non issue. He had a migraine and I had forgotten to pack his med. the whole visit was less than $200 compared to the US where he would have not gotten out for less than $5000 because they would have for sure done a CT scan.

[RachelG]

Just rechecked the plan benefits. They cover 80/20 outside the US after you have fulfilled the deductible.

[buggins0402]

Just rechecked the plan benefits. They cover 80/20 outside the US after you have fulfilled the deductible.

 

An annual travel medical only policy, which would cover the 20%, isn't that costly. It would also have evac benefits. As a couple, we spent less than $400 for an annual plan. Since we'll be out of the country over 30 days this year it seemed a very reasonable expense.

 

For our last trip, I added a separate, better Medjet evac policy, since we were going to SE Asia.

[rallydave]

Have had several discussions with Chase and Chubb, the insurer for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, and United Explorer card and confirmed that Flatbush was correct and have contacted Bitbob with my findings which differ from their reporting. Have to be careful with this information. Must have two different cards with different primary owners and the maximum pp is the same as what the plan states. For CSR and CSP that is $20K and for United Explorer $10K

 

So with CSR and CSP by paying at least a portion of the cruise with each card coverage is $29K pp, with CSR or CSP and United, $20K for the person with CSR or CSP and $10K for the one with United or $10K each for both with United. Have this in writing and am posting the final confirmation of this issue below for everyone.

 

 

• Benefit Inquiry <BenefitInquiry@chubb.com>
  
• 
  
• Today at 7:33 AM
  

To

 

 

 

 

Message body

 

Correct. If you each have your account and charge eligible expenses to your respective account, you would be eligible for the benefits tied to that account.

 

 

Regards,

 

Benefit Assistance Center

Federal Insurance Company

202 Halls Mill road

Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889

 

Insurance is underwritten by Federal Insurance Company, a member insurer of the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. The information that has been provided is general in nature, is descriptive only and is not intended to be a guarantee or determination of coverage or benefits. Whether or to what extent a particular loss is covered depends on the facts and circumstances of the loss and the actual coverage of the policy as issued. Limitations and exclusions apply. For the particular benefits, exclusions, limitations, and conditions of your coverage, please refer to the specific insurance Description of Coverage document that was provided to you by your financial institution with your credit card. You may also obtain a copy of your specific insurance Description of Coverage document by calling the number on the back of your card.

 

Hours of operation of the Benefit Assistance Center are Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm EST

 

 

 

 

From: ]

Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2017 11:27 AM

To: Benefit Inquiry <BenefitInquiry@chubb.com>

Subject: Re: Trip Cancellation case 4751837

 

 

 

Thanks for the quick reply. To clarify and confirm what you said, I am primary on my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and my wife is primary on her Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. Two completely different cards and different accounts and two different card products so believe from what you said, we are covered for up to $20,000 on each card and I do have the benefits booklet and $20,000 is the maximum coverage per occurrence on each account.

 

 

 

As to paying with separate cards, per your T's and C's, we only need to make partial payment with the cards to have coverage so yes, we will pay part of the total payment with each card. We won't pay the total per person as with two people the company applies payments across the two people. We paid a bit over $6,000 with my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and final payment will be made in the amount of about $26,000 with my wife's Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. Providing the additional information, please confirm subject to the terms and conditions, we will be covered for up to $20,000 for myself and $20,000 for my wife.

 

 

 

Thank you,

[JVilleGal]

Rallydave can you clarify something for me? I want to make sure I understand. I have a Chase Shaphire reserve acct. in fact both my DH & I have an acct, 2 seperate accts because of recent 100,000 promos. Anyway because of when we booked our upcoming cruise the initial deposit was placed with a completely different unrelated card, but the final pmt and excursions are all paid for with DH new Chase Shaphire reserve account.

Are you saying that we did not need to pay for the entire trip (Deposit & final ) on one card and still be covered for the full pmt? And that had I paid part of the trip (even a small amount) with my 2nd Chase Saphire Card would get another $10,000 in coverage??? So paying for onboard expenses with that 2nd card could gain an additional TI coverage?

 

I'm getting pretty excited if I understand what you have discussed above and please forgive me for being so dense ;)

 

Can you clarify?

[rallydave]

Rallydave can you clarify something for me? I want to make sure I understand. I have a Chase Shaphire reserve acct. in fact both my DH & I have an acct, 2 seperate accts because of recent 100,000 promos. Anyway because of when we booked our upcoming cruise the initial deposit was placed with a completely different unrelated card, but the final pmt and excursions are all paid for with DH new Chase Shaphire reserve account.

Are you saying that we did not need to pay for the entire trip (Deposit & final ) on one card and still be covered for the full pmt? And that had I paid part of the trip (even a small amount) with my 2nd Chase Saphire Card would get another $10,000 in coverage??? So paying for onboard expenses with that 2nd card could gain an additional TI coverage?

 

I'm getting pretty excited if I understand what you have discussed above and please forgive me for being so dense ;)

 

Can you clarify?

 

Hi JVilleGal,

 

Not completely sure what you are asking so I will answer what I believe you are asking and if you have any further questions, be glad to answer to the best of my ability. First of all the limit with the CSR and CSP is $20K per occurrance, not necessarily $10K pp. You could do say $12K for one of you and $8K for the other and be fully covered. As to the cards, you have to have two different cards with a different person as primary to get the $20K pp coverage as each card covers one of you.

 

The rules for both cards state you have to pay a portion of the amount with that card thus you can pay the deposit with one and the balance with the other. Or you can pay most with one card and a small portion with the other. We paid the deposit on one card and due to credit limits will make two payments for final with the other card. There is no reason why you can't make partial payment at any time. Would no use your onboard account to cover the second card. It probably won't show up as reservation payment and would not risk it. You have to send in a copy of your statements to prove you paid with the cards.

 

Oops, now see you have made final payment so too late but, above would have worked and you would have gotten an additional $20K coverage, maximum per occurrance on each card. Remember, the $20K does not mean $10K pp as a single person would get $20K on a single card.

 

Hope this answers your questions and good luck with this plan in the future.

 

 

In your case, no problem with your deposit on a completely different card. I have made partial payments on two different cards in order to get two different promotions. In your situation and not sure if excursion payment count, simply tell your TA to make a payment before final is due with one of your new cards and then pay the balance with the other.

 

We are going to pay 1/2 of our balance about 3 weeks before final payment is due and then send in a payment on line thus getting our available credit back and just before final payment is due pay the balance. Both will be with CSR. In your case due to the tripling with CSR vs. doubling points with CSP, would recommend a small payment first with CSP and then the final payment with CSR for maximum Chase points.