Most people spend too much on travel insurance...

[rob@rar.org.uk]

... although us enlightened travellers know that already! I thought this BBC news piece was interesting confirmation of the rip-off prices we all try to avoid http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_2022000/2022531.stm

Regards

Rob

[mickg7dyd]

Hi Rob,
I think you may have commented on the Amex Platinum Travel insurance (with the option of car hire cover)before but can't find the thread,do you think this is good value and cover assuming your going to have the card anyway?

Mick.

:smooth:

[rob@rar.org.uk]

It wasn't the Amex Platinum cover I was referring to, it was the Amex Premium Annual Travel Insurance. This is a very comprehensive travel policy (including car hire in North America) which is available to anyone, even if they are not Amex cardholders. This policy is expensive, but if your travel arrangements include a 'free' car rental it might work out cheaper for you to pay a little bit more for the Amex travel policy and not have to pay the outrageous charges for collision damage waiver and supplementary liability insurance which is necessary when you hire a car.

There are alternatives to the Amex policy - Natwest do something similar but you have to be a Natwest (Gold?) cardholder to take advantage of this. For Jane and I the Amex travel insurance policy works out the best. We always book flydrives, so rather than spend £22 per day on insurance for anything up to 28 days (2 holidays) costing £616, we pay £280 for our travel insurance and pocket the difference.

An appropriate disclaimer would be YMMV (your mileage may vary!).

Regards

Rob

[UKAnnie]

Hi Rob - Interesting thread! Does that mean that you can get travel insurance which includes the car hire insurance? Did you pay the sum mentioned for a year? Plus all the cost of your car insurances? Sounds like a great deal! My DH has a handful of posh looking credit cards, I should check up what they have to offer next time we go!

Thanks for the info.

Ann.

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Just to reiterate, for the American Express Premium annual travel insurance you do not need to be an Amex cardholder. It's an expensive policy (£280 ish for a family annual policy ) but it does include CDW and SLI policies for car hire in North America.

Regards

Rob

[UKAnnie]

Thanks Rob. Will keep this in mind for our next holiday. Although expensive it still seems a good deal if you hire a car a couple of times a year for two weeks a time PLUS you have your travel insurance for any other trips/breaks. (As you can tell, we like our hols)!

Ann(ie).