trip insurance for sept

[matysgrandma]

I've posted this on a different thread, but I might get more responses here. I just booked a trip sept 4-10 because of the free dining and was strongly urged by the reservationist to include trip insurance which will add an additional $170 to my total. I've never been to disney in sept. Is it advisable to add on the insurance?

 

[thelionqueen]

I was wondering this too....subscribing.

 

[cornflkgrl]

That is a personal decision to make but before you make that decision go to Disney's website and look up travel packages and read what is included in the Trip Insurance.
We didn't see any benefit to getting it and did not. I think it is kind of a gimmick. It really (from what I could understand reading the specs) is only for natural disasters like hurricanes. As far as the normal things that would keep you from going on your vacation it doesn't seem to offer much protection.
Someone correct me if this is misinformation.

 

[pepe of ohio]

since 1977 and over 30 visits and one Disney cruise, we've never purchased insurance. Feel no need, and last October visit to WDW, we encountered hurricane Wilma at the end of our stay and spent 3 extra nights since Amtrak shut down, still was no problem. To us, Orlando is in the middle of the state and not really susceptable to and damage and we feel the cost is not worth the bother.

 

[byoung]

We never buy trip insurance.

 

[sschro3]

A note from mousesavers about trip insurance
Trip Insurance
It is especially important to buy trip insurance for a vacation package, because you have to pay the entire cost in advance and you won't get a refund if you have to cancel right before your scheduled departure. With hundreds or even thousands of dollars at stake, it's worth it to protect the investment.

As events in 2004 and 2005 proved, it's super-important to buy insurance if you will be visiting Walt Disney World on a package vacation during peak hurricane season (roughly the months of August and September). While Disney World weathered the 2004-2005 hurricanes very well, guests were stuck in their rooms for up to 36 hours and many had major travel problems because airports were closed. While Disney did waive "no-show" fees for a few dates, those whose trips began before the specified dates (but whose travel plans overlapped with the hurricane) or just afterward were out of luck. Many people had similar problems with their airfares. The airlines allowed highly restrictive changes for certain dates without extra fees, but many of those who had to reschedule could not work within the airlines' narrow rules and just had to suck up the extra cost.

Perhaps the most important coverage included in a trip insurance policy is trip cancellation and interruption insurance, which can protect your investment if you have to cancel your vacation at the last minute (or come home early) due to illness or injury. Depending on the policy, you may be covered if you cancel for other reasons, such as jury duty, terrorism at your destination, or even unemployment.

Emergency medical coverage and medical evacuation insurance are very important if you become ill or injured during the trip. Otherwise you're on your own as far as booking very expensive last-minute airfare to get home. And if you're too ill to travel by commercial jet, you may have to pay for treatment in Florida (which your personal insurance may or may not cover) or for evacuation on a medically-equipped jet, which is incredibly expensive.

Delayed baggage insurance will help you pay for replacement clothing if the airline sends your suitcase to Timbuktu and you need something to wear in the meantime. Supplemental baggage insurance will pay a predetermined amount if an airline loses your luggage completely. (Some higher-end credit cards provide extra baggage insurance, so check with your card issuer before paying extra for this coverage.)

Disney sells trip insurance (which is provided by Access America), but it's expensive and it has major exclusions. For instance, it does not cover pre-existing medical conditions, most airline delays, terrorism or unemployment -- but there are many policies available from other companies that will cover these things. You can almost always get better insurance than Disney provides, and at better rates, by buying it elsewhere.

Be aware that in most cases, trip insurance will provide slightly less coverage (usually by adding exclusions on pre-existing conditions) unless you buy it within about 14 days of paying your DEPOSIT on the vacation package. So be sure to purchase it right away, once you've committed to the trip.

A great place to comparison-shop for trip insurance is InsureMyTrip.com, where you can see side-by-side policy information and rates for major, reputable insurance companies. I used InsureMyTrip.com myself to buy trip insurance. I saved about $25 and got much more comprehensive coverage than Disney's policy would have provided.

Sorry so longwinded just wanted to let you know there are other options to use if you feel that trip insurance is for you.
Enjoy your trip.

 

[bicker]

While I wouldn't be as confident as pepe is, there are many good reasons not to buy insurance, if you're the right type of person.

First, my concern about what pepe said is with respect to the Disney cruise (only). Not having cruise insurance is really risky -- not with respect to cancellations or anything like that, but rather just with respect to coverage for the cost of medical evacuation. Anything could happen, and if it happens to you, and you don't have $35,000.00 just sitting around, this could represent a significant financial hardship.

However, beyond the cost of medical evacuation from a cruise ship, there is often no financial reason to purchase trip insurance. As pepe indicated, he's taken 30 trips without ever a circumstance for receiving any benefit from the insurance. Add up all the insurance premiums he would have paid over that time, and let's say his next trip is an utter disaster: Let's say he ends up never making it to WDW, spends a night in Bodunk, has to pay $300 for a hotel room overnight, and then goes straight home, with no refunds coming from anyone, the airline, Disney, etc. He's still coming out ahead with regard to his 31 trips.

Insurance companies are in business to make money. The most cost effective insurance is the insurance you use least, which runs counter to rational thinking. The end-result is that the only insurance that is "worth" the cost is insurance for things that you cannot afford to pay out of pocket (like medical evacuation from a cruise ships). For any losses you can afford to cover from your own personal savings (if you had to) you're better off "insuring" yourself that way, i.e., if something goes wrong during your vacation, eat the loss, pay the extra costs, and rest assured that you're still making out better than if you had purchased trip insurance for every trip.

Now, I said earlier that these reasons not to buy insurance apply, "if you're the right type of person." What I mean by that is that some folks derive benefits from trip insurance beyond the coverage offered. It's an emotional thing: Some people simply cannot stand the thought of having laid out all this money for a vacation, and then, as I described above, having something terrible happen, and having to eat the loss and pay any extra costs from your own savings. For those folks, they're not buying the insurance because the price makes good financial sense in light of the coverage benefits, but rather because they're actually purchasing peace of mind -- the ability to book and enjoy a vacation without facing the prospect that you'll have to lose what you paid, or even pay more, if you happen to be unlucky this time.

 

[phantom728]

We never purchased trip insurance and have been to WDW twice in September, both times with Hurricane's lurking nearby.

We do however purchase it for our cruises that we've taken. We purchase it privately and found them to have better rates/coverage and they cover flights as well (many help expense for lost luggage, etc). I believe they go by the per person price to come up with coverage cost (our was just under $1000/pp total).
We just cruised in January and used TravelLite policy (can't remember the Company's specific name but you can search it on Yahoo) and the cost I believe was $70 for both myself and DH (our DD was free). This cost was worth it as we were originally scheduled to leave out of New Orleans and had already booked our flights, which had to be changed to Tampa when our cruise was changed.

Anyway, it's all a matter of personal preference/comfort, but make sure to read the stipulations/regulations to be sure what you are getting for the coverage.

 

[snickerboo]

I would research what is included in the trip insurance and what happens if you don't have trip insurance and can't go. Since I'm being affected by all this Delta nonsense, I would definitely recommend refundable airline tix!

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

I would really advice you to check out the details of the insurance offered. We had declined the trip insurance, but after reading all the posts about hurricane season, I wanted to check into it again. We booked through AAA, and I was told that the insurance DID NOT cover anything weather related.

We did get a package, so I don't know what to do. I'm thinking that, worst case scenario, we could still keep our tickets if we had to cancel everything else. I wonder if they expire 10 days after first use or the day we are supposed to get them?

I guess I have until August to decide. I was all set to buy the insurance, if hurricanes would have been covered.

 

[eblack0409]

DH and I went last September...and are going again this September, we didn't get insurance...we never do...we actually drove through Hurricane Ophelia last year!

 

[new_mouser]

I've known three people who were glad to have insurance. One friend DID have her trip to Cancun (or maybe Cozumel - I get them confused) cancelled last year because of a CHANCE there MIGHT be a hurricane. (They didn't cancel the trip, the hotel basically shut its doors.) I had another friend who got sick and had to come home from WDW after the second day. And, I have another friend whose dad got called into his office the first day they were at WDW. All were reimbursed and all planned other vacations. Sometimes things happen. If you can afford to lose your money and have the financial means to re-book a vaction if something happens, I wouldn't worry about trip insurance. If you wouldn't be able to afford another vacation, go ahead and buy the insurance. Other than life insurance (hey, we're all going to die sooner or later), all insurance is a gamble.

 

[Panna]

I purchase it just because I have children. The youngest of which has been having alot of colds and strange rashes crop up so far this year. If I end up having to cancell I am okay being out the small amount of money the insurance costs.

 

[stitchthesnitch]

The travel insurance is door to door coverage from cancelations to medical to luggage loss. If thats not worth the money then what is?

Drc cast member

 

[Pluto's Honey]

The travel insurance is door to door coverage from cancelations to medical to luggage loss. If thats not worth the money then what is?

Drc cast member

EXACTLY!! If you are flying-get the insurance, if there is a possibility of hurricane, BTW since we had such a wonderful season last year, that would probably explain the CM's asking about the insurance. I am going on my first trip but rescheduled 4 times and always they did what would be best for me. Sometimes we never use health insurance but we have it JUST IN CASE!!!

 

[bicker]

Precisely: If you can place a sufficient value on "just in case" then it is worthwhile, even if it doesn't make financial sense.

 

[ashlynn_j_m]

I never take out the insurance. We were going in March and my boyfriend got hurt at work the day before we were supposed to be there, 12 hours before our arrival time, I called disney to see if we could move our reservations, they did and saved us $400.00, so now we're going in May, with $400 extra to spend...

 

[huey578]

I would research what is included in the trip insurance and what happens if you don't have trip insurance and can't go. Since I'm being affected by all this Delta nonsense, I would definitely recommend refundable airline tix!

Last year when we went in October we did not have any travel insurance. We arrived a few days ahead of Hurricane Wilma. We got lucky Wilma did not go further north. This time around we are getting trip insurance just in case.

 

[missmun52]

I would Suggest that you opt for the insurance. You never know what will happen during those times.

If you book a room only package then no need. You will only lose the first night stay if you cancel less then like 6 days betore the trip which sometimes will work out to be less than the amount you pay for the insurance.

If you booked a vacation package you will lose your $200 deposit if you cancel 44 days before your trip and more the closer you get to the day. Now because you stand to lose more than the amount of the insurance i would suggest you get it. 45 days is a long way off when they predict the hurricans as opposed to 6.

If you have flight reservations, get the insurance!! it covers for delays and things due to hurricans affecting your flight plans. Even if it does not affect disney it might affect your flight home or there.

I am traveling during those dates i got it because i cant stand to lose the $1948.16 i am spending on this trip for 2 and 1/2 (my little baby boy )