Travel insurance

[jedspad]

Have 2 nights booked at GCV and 8 nights at Aulani in February., Can't wait, first time to both of these places. We have never purchased the travel insurance but was curious if anyone else has? If so, has anyone ever had to use it? Is it hard to collect if you need it? Just can't decide if it is worth it or not.

 

[JimC]

We use it for cruises and international travel. Disney has a program for its members. You can also comparison shop for policies.

 

[jerseygal]

I have had to use it twice, once for a trip that needed to be cancelled and once this past May at once for an urgent care visit when I developed an eye infection! Both times, NO PROBLEM COLLECTING!

Would NOT travel without it!

 

[davedmaine]

Have 2 nights booked at GCV and 8 nights at Aulani in February., Can't wait, first time to both of these places. We have never purchased the travel insurance but was curious if anyone else has? If so, has anyone ever had to use it? Is it hard to collect if you need it? Just can't decide if it is worth it or not.

We think it's worth it but you have to weigh your own set of risks. Nothing aggravates me more when I see people criticizing airlines for not giving them a refund when a party member turns up sick and can't travel.

 

[jerseygal]

We have elderly parents in our family and thus, "you never know"...Quite frankly, don't have to be elderly to have an "emergency" and not be able to travel unfortunately!

Airline tickets, prepaid items, AND POINTS are much TOO EXPENSIVE to take a chance imo!

 

[Song of the South]

It depends on what you want it for. If you are thinking in case if accident, illness, or weather, sure. Be aware though if you or your travel companion are of childbearing age, pregnancy and childbirth are almost universally excluded.

 

[moreisgood]

It depends on what you want it for. If you are thinking in case if accident, illness, or weather, sure. Be aware though if you or your travel companion are of childbearing age, pregnancy and childbirth are almost universally excluded.

How sick does someone have to be for the travel insurance to cover? Some real life examples would be great to hear.

 

[jerseygal]

This also covers medical problems of relatives and the travel insurance companies list all of the covered relatives. If for example, a loved one has a serious illness and the doctor "advises" against travel, this would be a "covered reason"...

A medical issue such as ear infections imo would be a covered medical exception because the doctor would probably advise against not flying.

My sister in law got the travel insurance too late though. Another words, you can't go to the doctor, then get the travel insurance.....

Something like a car accident while you are "en route" meaning going to the airport or if you are driving to your destination could be a "covered reason"..

 

[AZMermaid]

How does travel insurance work in regards to lost DVC points? Is the DVC insurance decent coverage or is it better to look elsewhere?

 

[supersnoop]

How does travel insurance work in regards to lost DVC points? Is the DVC insurance decent coverage or is it better to look elsewhere?

The DVC travel insurance will reimburse your maintenance fees for any lost points. I don't know if any other travel insurance would offer more coverage.

 

[blondietink]

We always buy travel insurance from outside companies. Much cheaper and you get better coverage.

However, only the DVC insurance will cover lost points. You also have to figure if you banked and/or borrowed plus used your current year's points for your destination, you would have to pay the yearly rate times 2 or 3 years.

So, when we figured in the cost of insuring the points, we decided not to do that and instead figured if we had to cancel, we would either eat the maintenance fees and/or use the holding rules provided we canceled in that period of 1-31 days before the trip.

 

[DebbieB]

How sick does someone have to be for the travel insurance to cover? Some real life examples would be great to hear.

You would have to have a doctor sign off that you or a traveling companion is unable to travel.

Everyone thinks of travel insurance in the case of not being able to go on a trip. Where it really can pay off is if you or a traveling companion gets sick or hurt while you are there and you have to either leave early or stay longer due to a hospitalization.

Protect your Disney Vacation Club travels and purchase travel insurance today—for only $89 for a full use-year of protection!

Disney Vacation Club offers comprehensive travel insurance through Travelex Insurance Services that is designed specifically for the needs of our Members:

Trip Cancellation or Interruption – Protects your travel investment by reimbursing you for pre-paid, non-refundable dues and other out-of-pocket expenses if you must cancel or interrupt your trip.

Emergency Medical Expenses – Ensures you receive adequate medical care when traveling and can transport you to the nearest medical facility in an emergency.

Trip Delay – Provides coverage if you are delayed while en route to or from your destination.

Primary Coverage – File your claim with Travelex first to receive reimbursement before any other collectible insurance.

Baggage & Baggage Delay – Receive reimbursement for personal articles, and clothing for lost, stolen, damaged or delayed luggage while traveling.

Security Damage Waiver – Provides coverage for accidental and unintentional damage to your unit and its contents.

Travel Assistance & Concierge Services – Includes assistance with medical emergencies, lost items such as passports and luggage, and much more through our 24/7 toll free number before or during your trip.

 

[AZMermaid]

I am going to Aulani in May 2015 using about 200 pts from 2015 and 100 pts from 2014. I read that in order to be reimbursed dues, I would need to buy coverage for UY 14 and UY 15. Is this correct?

If I am more concerned for medical and airfare reasons, can I just purchase for use year 2015 ( when the trip occurs) and those things are all covered? Would the 200 pts be covered, or is it all or nothing on the points?

 

[blondietink]

I am going to Aulani in May 2015 using about 200 pts from 2015 and 100 pts from 2014. I read that in order to be reimbursed dues, I would need to buy coverage for UY 14 and UY 15. Is this correct?

Yes, you would need to purchase for both years, so $89 x 2

If I am more concerned for medical and airfare reasons, can I just purchase for use year 2015 ( when the trip occurs) and those things are all covered? Would the 200 pts be covered, or is it all or nothing on the points?

To my understanding, the answer would be no. It is all or nothing with points.

That is why we purchase the airfare/medical from outside companies. Much cheaper in the long run for better coverage. Medical evacuation to home can be very expensive. So can hospital expenses outside of your private insurance coverage zone. Although many companies' coverage is only secondary to your own private insurance (medical or homeowners), I believe the Disney coverage is primary.

 

[jerseygal]

When you purchase insurance through DVC for points, once you purchase that insurance for that particular use year, it covers future trips for that yr. For example, if you are doing a trip and you use points from 14 and borrow points from 15, you need 2 separate years worth of insurance.

I am not aware of any other insurance company which covers points like the one through DVC. Travelex is the company that DVC uses. $89 per use year for all the points covered in that year.

Keep in mind that it covers $25,000 worth of medical expenses as well as $250,000 for medical evacuation. ESPECIALLY for a cruise, in my mind it is a ESSENTIAL. If cruising to Bahamas for example, and a serious medical situation arose, I would want to be airlifted to Florida, rather than the Bahamas for medical care.

 

[blondietink]

You would get the dues/maintenance fees you have spent on the points you have used for the particular trip you are on, but I don't believe you would actually get the points back. You would be subject to DVC's holding rules at for the points.

Also to note, the DVC insurance coverage for medical expenses, medical evacuation, airline change fees, etc. are per reservation, not per person. If you are traveling with family, these coverage limits might not be enough when you consider, 3 or more people on your reservation. If medical expenses and medical evacuation along with airplane cancellation, etc. are mostly what you are looking for, usually the straight travel insurance by other companies provide a per person benefit, instead of per reservation. Read the fine print.

 

[jekjones1558]

Your age, the number of points you own and whether or not you fly to WDW also factor into the value of Travelex. We are old (67 and 81) and DVC Travelex is the same price for us as it is for young people. We have 1150 points and DVC Travelex is the same price no matter how many points you have. We always fly so DVC Travelex is not much more than the cost of roundtrip flight insurance for one trip.