Is travel insurance worth the money?

[bukosluvswdw]

I called Disney on a vacation package and they told me about travel insurance - is it worht the $133.90 price or is it just another wasy for them to make money? We have gone to Disney alot and never had it - just wondering if it is something we should look at.

Thanks

 

[aceswild]

I got it because we're traveling during hurricane season.

 

[Pakey]

It's worth the money if you feel you can't afford to throw away the money spent if something happens last minute.

We don't generally buy insurance for our WDW trips but we always do for our big vacations to Europe/Africa/Asia, etc. I actually have an annual policy with another company that covers all of my travel within that period; it's much more reasonable (and better coverage) than the one time policy Disney offers.

 

[tallen429]

I called Disney on a vacation package and they told me about travel insurance - is it worht the $133.90 price or is it just another wasy for them to make money? We have gone to Disney alot and never had it - just wondering if it is something we should look at.

Thanks

often times if you pay with a credit card, you will have insurance through the card. I know Visa does. Check on that first if you are concerned...

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

I always buy travel insurance and we've luckily never had to use it. With my luck the one time I don't buy it we'll need it. For me, it's better safe than sorry. We have used travel benefits with our Gold VISA. Just minor expenses though, like one time we were stuck in Ottawa for 4 extra days due to bad weather in Iqaluit . VISA paid for our hotel, car rental and meal expenses. The airline doesn't pay anything when it's delay due to weather. We had paid for our airline tickets with our VISA gold so we were so happy with VISA that trip.

 

[jsilvers]

I called Disney on a vacation package and they told me about travel insurance - is it worht the $133.90 price or is it just another wasy for them to make money? We have gone to Disney alot and never had it - just wondering if it is something we should look at.

You're actually asking two questions - (1) whether travel insurance in general is worthwhile, and (2) whether Disney's travel insurance is worthwhile.

For #2, my impression is that you can get the same coverage from other sources for much less. Websites such as insuremytrip.com allow you to compare prices from different insurers.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I got it because we're traveling during hurricane season.

Disney has a very relaxed cancellation policy during hurricaine season. No fees charged for cancellations and changes on multiple trips for us. My parents cancelled one year the day before arrival no fees charged at all, the rest of us kept on trekking thru and arrived a day late, they didn't charged us and changed our reservations no problems at all.

 

[GovieMom]

We never purchase the insurance. On our last trip we were staying at the Polynesian and cut our trip short by a day, because the weather was freezing cold and we were ready to go home. The Poly gladly refunded the
money for the night we didn't use; all we did was ask, and they complied.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

We never purchase the insurance. On our last trip we were staying at the Polynesian and cut our trip short by a day, because the weather was freezing cold and we were ready to go home. The Poly gladly refunded the
money for the night we didn't use; all we did was ask, and they complied.

That reminds me in 2005 I got extremly sick and we had to leave 3 days early, POFQ didn't give me any issues gladly refunded my remaining days (and DDP charges which I fully didn't expect, but that was the first year of it), showed empathy out the wazoog for my sickness and arranged transport to the airport.

 

[sissy_42]

I was under the impression travel insurance doesn't cover very much. What all does it cover? I just fell that the added cost over years of buying it is probably more then the one or two times I may need it over a life time. I guess that is just my way of looking at it. If there is a natural disaster don't hotels and air lines still do their best to accommodate you? And it doesn't cover things like a change in travel plans for personal reasons right?

While on a recent trip an uncle died and I had to go back home to be with my mom. I guess travel insurance would have helped then, but seeing as I was on vacation in Texas and I had to fly back to my moms in Mass then home to Nebraska, I would have been buying an extra ticket anyhow, so it would have only saved me about $150.

 

[MHSweb79]

I got it because we're traveling during hurricane season.

So did I, last year, and then my travel agent (AAA) said the insurance doesn't cover weather-related cancellations!

So if you do decide to purchase it, make sure you know what your specific policy covers. Generally it covers cancellations for a last minute illness or a death in the family, stuff like that.

If you don't decide to purchase it, make sure you know and understand your airline's cancellation/ refund policies and also those of your hotel. That way, if something comes up, you'll know what you can expect to lose.

 

[wdwishes1990]

It is just like any other insurance --- it's not worth it, until you need it.

 

[BigKid45]

The 2007 Valentine's Day (Wednesday) snow storm in the NE showed us the value of insurance. Disney was great about refunding the cost of tickets, but we were staying offsite and booked hotel and airline through Expedia. Expedia was no help. The best Delta could do was get us out the following Saturday evening to MCO. No refund or accommodation for "weather" delays. The hotel insisted on charging us for the 3 days (Wed, Thur, Fri) we could not use....DW worked up the chain and got 2 days (Thur, FR) removed, but we were still on the hook for the first night charge. What a nightmare!

If I'm spending $3 to $5K on a Disney vacation, $134 is a small price to pay for piece of mind...especially in hurricane season.

 

[sissy_42]

The 2007 Valentine's Day (Wednesday) snow storm in the NE showed us the value of insurance. Disney was great about refunding the cost of tickets, but we were staying offsite and booked hotel and airline through Expedia. Expedia was no help. The best Delta could do was get us out the following Saturday evening to MCO. No refund or accommodation for "weather" delays. The hotel insisted on charging us for the 3 days (Wed, Thur, Fri) we could not use....DW worked up the chain and got 2 days (Thur, FR) removed, but we were still on the hook for the first night charge. What a nightmare!

If I'm spending $3 to $5K on a Disney vacation, $134 is a small price to pay for piece of mind...especially in hurricane season.

So you did NOT have travel insurance? Because that is what I am confused about. Does travel insurance even cover nature? I though no. So it would not have helped you anyhow I thought.

 

[njanimalkingdom]

We have used insurance twice in the last 4 years. Both times we had to change flights and extend hotels stays. Travel insurance paid for changes to airfare, hotel room, rental car, dr bill & meds and food.
The Disney one is a little pricey. I went with Access America. All I had to do was have the Dr fill out a paper & send in the receipts.
I think the kids were free and it was $80.00 for the 2 adults.

 

[rwdavis2]

The first time we bought insurance we ended up using it. My wife got admitted to the hospital (Celelbration Hosptital) and the insurance covered the $2000 copay plus additional travel expenses for hotel and atirfare. The insurance cost us $63 through the home rental company. The insurance was TravelGuard. I submitted all the paperwork and got the $$ with no questions asked.
BD

 

[GovieMom]

My wife got admitted to the hospital (Celelbration Hosptital) and the insurance covered the $2000 copay plus additional travel expenses for hotel and atirfare.

A $2000 copay? Yikes!

 

[newdeal]

huge waste of money that is why insurance companies are rich. Especially true with Disney vacations because you can cancel last minute and get all your money back and you are only out the cost of the flights...spending that kind of money on the off chance you can't go, and even if you can't you only get a few hundred a back that the flight cost is a huge waste

 

[chimo2u]

I thought the Disney Insurance was very, very reasonable...only $66.95 for me, my son was free. I was most concerned about the air travel (as we are travelling in late August/hurricane season)....Disney insurance covers airfare purchased by you as well,and was much cheaper..... so that's why I chose to go with them rather than AMA. I think $67.00 is worth peace of mind

 

[BigKid45]

So you did NOT have travel insurance? Because that is what I am confused about. Does travel insurance even cover nature? I though no. So it would not have helped you anyhow I thought.

Nope, we didn't have insurance on that trip. If we had insurance I think we would have received the per diem trip delay ($200/diem) at the very least. I hope it never comes to this, but..............

Schedule of Benefits
Trip Cost [for] Trip Cancellation & Interruption, $600 Trip Delay ($200 maximum per day), $2,000 Baggage & Personal Effects, $500 Baggage Delay, $10,000 Sickness Medical Expense, $10,000 Accident Medical Expense, $20,000 Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains, $25,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Travel Medical Assistance, Worldwide Travel Assistance, LiveTravel Emergency Assistance

If the Insured is prevented from taking the Trip due to any of the Covered Reasons listed below, the Insurer will reimburse the Insured for the forfeited, non-refundable, unused prepaid payments or deposits paid to the Travel Supplier. ..........(d) the Insured and/or Traveling Companion is/are directly involved in or delayed due to an automobile accident, while en route to departure; (f) Inclement Weather or the occurrence of a Natural Disaster that causes a complete cessation of travel transportation services at the point of departure and/or Destination; …….

This coverage does not cover loss caused by: ……(b) travel arrangements cancelled or changed by an airline, cruise line, or Travel Supplier, unless the cancellation is the result of a Natural Disaster or Financial Insolvency, as listed under Covered Reasons; ……


I'm not an attorney, but I think a hurricane delay/cancellation would be covered. Regardless, the chance of hurricane is small, but my chances of worrying about what might go wrong if I didn't by the insurance is 100%. Life is a gamble. $134 for my peace of mind, priceless!