For the First Time I'm Considering Trip Insurance

[CluelessDisFan]

If you've purchased trip insurance through Disney what was your experience if you had to use it? Did it cost more to purchase it closer to your vacation?

Have any of you purchased trip insurance through a third party? If so, is it cheaper, what are the pros or cons of doing so?

TIA Disers!

 

[ajwolfe]

I've only purchased trip insurance once directly thru Disney. My father was pretty sick and hospitalized for an extended period of time, so we knew it was better to pay for the insurance just in case. Ended up we didn't need, unfortunately my father passed away about a month before our trip was planned.
It was a crazy time, but for some reason I want to say there was a specific time period that you had to buy the insurance. You just couldn't wait until right before the trip, if memory serves me.

 

[CluelessDisFan]

Yes, that's correct. I just got off the phone with Disney. The CM said I have until the 45 day mark. Which for us is at the end of the month. So I'm pricing out different options, and trying to see the benefits. The cheap part of my brain does not want to do buy it. But I'm trying real hard to look at the benefits it could potentially have.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I do buy trip insurance, but do so through travelguard.com.

It's useful to check insuremytrip dot com to compare different policies. You can probably get a better deal on your own, rather than buying through Disney.

 

[CluelessDisFan]

Anyone else, have opinion or experience with trip insurance?

 

[stsomewhere]

I do buy trip insurance, but do so through travelguard.com.

It's useful to check insuremytrip dot com to compare different policies. You can probably get a better deal on your own, rather than buying through Disney.

This.

I am not sure bout WDW. But, if you book a Disney cruise, Dinsey insurance does not cover airfare unless you book it through Disney.

We noramlly drive. We purchase through insuremytrip . We are able to get a policy that coers the car breaking down, accident,etc. It is cheaper than Disney insurance for better coverage.

 

[platamama]

Check out squaremouth. It can pull up quotes from many different providers and you can choose from there what fits your needs the best.

Also, depending on the credit card you use (assuming you're using a credit card to pay for your trip) some Visas and Mastercards have built-in trip insurance benefits. You will need to look up the benefits on the card you're using.

 

[3princes+1princess]

I price it out from insure my trip .com However I always go with travelguard. I have had to use the insurance for medical expenses and they were great!

 

[jerseygirl81]

We also use ***************** you can compare policies side by side. My DH was injured in an accident last year and we needed to cancel our trip I was glad we had the insurance we were able to take it months later. Our neighbor had a trip booked to Aruba years ago and her hubby fell off a high deck while building it he was badly injured they cancelled their trip and lost a lot of money. Sometimes it's better to pay a little now rather than a lot later on. We've also had trip insurance for many trips and have not use it but it's peace of mind. Linda

 

[Jeff_G]

On our first DW trip we purchased the insurance through Disney which is through Travel Guard.
We did end up using it for a medical issue. They were very easy to deal with, helped me with the forms to fill out and were prompt with payment.

I would purchase it again, as it is not a whole lot of money in comparison to the cost of your DW trip.

 

[julieanddanny]

Another vote for Travelguard. We had a snow storm delay/needed to purchase new tickets from a different airport to make our cruise. They covered it with no questions.

And it was def the cheapest option with kids covered free

 

[My3Princez]

We have purchased trip insurance through Travelguard a few times, and placed a claim twice.
If we are flying and traveling with family members from multiple households, it makes sense to us to purchase it. If it's just our immediate family and we're driving, we skip it. With a Disney trip, you can cancel at the last minute and reschedule for some date way off in the future and it only costs a $50 change fee. Of course, if something happens DURING your trip, trip insurance can be beneficial.
One time we put in a claim because my Dad had a detatched retina 2 days before our scheduled trip. It was nice to have the insurance, but honestly, we didn't need it. We were flying Southwest, where you get the price of your airfare back as a credit that is good for 12 months, and we could have simply rescheduled our Disney stay for $50. It was nice to get the cash back for the airfare portion, but we would have been okay with the 12-month credit for travel directly from SW. Disney refunded our full package cost, minus $200 for canceling at the last minute. The insurance paid us that $200. But we had paid somewhere around $150 for the insurance in the first place. We came out ahead, but barely. HOWEVER - if Dad's retina had detached a few days later while we were already ON VACATION - it would have been a whole other story. He would have had to be treated in FL and stayed put unable to travel for a few weeks. THEN the insurance would have been INVALUABLE.

 

[Disneyluv111]

For a family of 3, going for 10 days in February, would you recommend it?

 

[tinibee]

Maybe check for discounts through your bank and such. I bought my travel insurance through usaa and got a pretty good discount to cover my family of four for our international trip. I didn't need to use it, but after forking over a whole lotta cash just for airline tickets alone, it was a small price to pay for piece of mind.

 

[MillauFr]

For a family of 3, going for 10 days in February, would you recommend it?

I wouldn't recommend buying it. I think it is a waste of money.

 

[DebbieB]

We have purchased trip insurance through Travelguard a few times, and placed a claim twice.
If we are flying and traveling with family members from multiple households, it makes sense to us to purchase it. If it's just our immediate family and we're driving, we skip it. With a Disney trip, you can cancel at the last minute and reschedule for some date way off in the future and it only costs a $50 change fee. Of course, if something happens DURING your trip, trip insurance can be beneficial.
One time we put in a claim because my Dad had a detatched retina 2 days before our scheduled trip. It was nice to have the insurance, but honestly, we didn't need it. We were flying Southwest, where you get the price of your airfare back as a credit that is good for 12 months, and we could have simply rescheduled our Disney stay for $50. It was nice to get the cash back for the airfare portion, but we would have been okay with the 12-month credit for travel directly from SW. Disney refunded our full package cost, minus $200 for canceling at the last minute. The insurance paid us that $200. But we had paid somewhere around $150 for the insurance in the first place. We came out ahead, but barely. HOWEVER - if Dad's retina had detached a few days later while we were already ON VACATION - it would have been a whole other story. He would have had to be treated in FL and stayed put unable to travel for a few weeks. THEN the insurance would have been INVALUABLE.

Just to be clear, with SW the credit is 12 months from purchase date. So if you purchased the ticket 6 months prior to your trip, you would only have 6 months left to use it.

I read a post the other day where the posters son was hospitalized in Florida and had to get his appendix out. They had to stay a few days longer in the hotel. The insurance paid for the hotel plus other expenses.

 

[eliza61]

Anyone else, have opinion or experience with trip insurance?

I've never gotten trip insurance through Disney. generally I can find it cheaper.

generally I use global travel shield which is a subsidiary of American express. since I use my Amex for all my travel.

Now as to whether it's a waste of money or not? LOL, it's like any other insurance product, it's money down the drain UNTIL you need it.

A few years back I had a trip to Italy planned. three days prior my dad passed away. One call to American express and I was refunded the entire trip cost minus the 230 for the insurance.

the second time I had a trip to Disney planned, 9 nights/10 days length of stay passes etc etc. two days prior dh came down with a burst appendix and needed emergency surgery. once again full trip cost refunded.

Once I cross over the 1000 dollar mark I generally get the insurance. Now many times in emergencies you can get coupons and such from the airlines but you know what, I don't want the hassle. I don't want a 12 month credit and then if I, would I, can I use it before it's expires.

 

[mkymouse40]

I started getting the insurance about 8 years ago when my father-in-law became ill with Alzheimer's Disease. After he passed away, I continued buying it because my mother-in-law now has Alzheimer's and my father is 90. It's peace of mind that if something happens last minute, I won't have to worry about anything.

Unfortunately, the only time I have needed to use the insurance was when my dog passed away, and of course, that is not covered.

 

[Badamon]

Throwing this out for discussion:
What total amount does your trip need to hit for you to purchase trip insurance? Someone posted that they purchase when they hit the $1,000 mark. What's your "magic number"?

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

My mom is my frequent cruise companion.
We have a 10 day cruise covered for trip insurance and medical for the first time.
The policy was $108 for me and my daughter, $259 for my Mom who is 83.