Trip Insurance- is it worth it??

[NJPluto]

Isn't the trip insurance non-refundable? So, if you purchased it, why would you drop it?

I thought Disney was pretty good about allowing families to reschedule their trip due to a cancellation. I decided not to purchase it being we would only lose out on $200 so the difference between losing out on the $119 insurance wouldn't be that much more. Plus, we are flying Southwest Air and they give airline credit to use up to a year if we cancel our flight.

I guess you could say I was having buyers remorse. I was also curious about the necessity of it because the CM's seem to push it so much. The CM that I spoke with said that the trip insurance is refundable if you do within a certain time frame (he didn't give me details). He also said that it couldn't be added at a later time if it's taken off, which is perfectly understandable.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I had trip insurance and never though a thing about it. (it wasn't optional for a long time when booked thru disney)
THEN we were staying at the Poly club level in Sept 2004. A hurricane Hit!!
the trip insurance paid for the two extra days we had to stay at club level, the (small) charge for changing our airline tickets. and meals. all in all the little over $120.00 paid back about $900.00! As the saying goes, you do the math!

Also during the first part of the trip, my wife took ill after a meal and we were told that the trip insurance would have paid for a in-room doctor visit (above what our health insurance allowed) (and before anyone asks, it wasn't the food!)

Pirate Translation:
Arrrhhh arrgghh. The fee we be a'payin fer 'ta bonefides 'o glee be worth the small purse o'gold. Depite a gale, the cabin and tucker and grog were backed by word and gold by 'ta gov'ner O' ta bonfides of glee. O'l Grump even got me fee fer "ta silver birrrd which took him and wench back to the land O' sunshine. We be happy 'wit 'ta fee for bonifides, not even 'ha 'ta pull cutless from scabbard 'ta get back 'ta gold! Fer landlubbers, they be a shipmate there. Arrrhh arghhh.

 

[DJT]

I have been pondering the insurance question as well. I called today to make changes to my reservation, which actually turned out that my original one was canceled and a new one was made. The CM added insurance without even asking me about it. When the total figure was about $120 more than I was quoted yesterday, I asked him to break it down for me. I am on a Visa package this time with room and tickets. Part of that breakdown was the insurance. I told him I didn't want it. Our trip is 12/8 - 12/15. He said I have until 10/24 to cancel with a full refund of the $200 deposit and until 10/24 to add insurance.

My parents are not in good health. I never know when the phone rings during the night if it's going to be the call I dread. I really don't want to add that $120 but I may end up doing it just to be safe.

Donna

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I have been pondering the insurance question as well. I called today to make changes to my reservation, which actually turned out that my original one was canceled and a new one was made. The CM added insurance without even asking me about it. When the total figure was about $120 more than I was quoted yesterday, I asked him to break it down for me. I am on a Visa package this time with room and tickets. Part of that breakdown was the insurance. I told him I didn't want it. Our trip is 12/8 - 12/15. He said I have until 10/24 to cancel with a full refund of the $200 deposit and until 10/24 to add insurance.

My parents are not in good health. I never know when the phone rings during the night if it's going to be the call I dread. I really don't want to add that $120 but I may end up doing it just to be safe.

Donna

O.k. I have to ask, what is the VISA program? (I know this is off post) I have seen several people mention it. I make the assumption you are talking about a Disney Visa card? What do you get for having the card? Discounts or "special programs/packages? thanks in advance.

Pirate Translation:

Arrhhh Arrghh. Gar what be 'ta program that 'ta inkeeps give ya fer a'showing yer card o'credit marked 'wit the Mouse? Be it a special voyage or special cabin? Or be it less gold and silver fer the inkeep 'ta provide cabin and tucker and grog? Ye be a shipmate to "ol Grumpy if ye shar yer knowledge 'O the treasure chest. Aeeehhh arrghh!

 

[DJT]

Grumpy, I don't have a lot of knowledge about it myself yet because I just signed up for it and just received it on Friday. What I do know is that Visa cardholders get a special rate at certain times on packages. For example, our package (DH and myself) is for seven nights at the ASSports and a three day base ticket each for a total of $798.78. That is about the same amount as my niece is being charged for the same time frame with a postcard pin code she received, which I believe figures out to be about $49 a night for the Values.

I picked up the Disney Visa Card information leaflet from our room at ASSports the first of this month. After the first charge on the card, I will recieve a free $25 gift card to be used at WDW. Also they give Disney Rewards on card purchases.

We usually charge all of our gas and then pay our credit card off each month anyway, as well as our plane tickets for our Disney trip, so I decided might as well get some Disney rewards for our trips. You can probably check online for Disney Visa and find out more information.

Donna

 

[cookleitz]

We have had to use trip insurance to come home from a vacation early due to a death in the family. The $120 we spent on the insurance was well worth it, since not only did we lose 2 days of vacation, but the airline tickets to get us home on short notice were thousands of dollars. We are firm believers in trip insurance.

Chris

 

[Goofymommaof2]

What happens if you don't have a package deal? I bought airline tix from jetblue online, got my park tickets seprately before the prices went up and hotel rooms using the AAA discount through 407-wdisney. I called to ask about adding trip insurance and the CM said I couldn't purchase it because I didn't get a package. I am going to WDW in Feb. from NJ and I am concerned about the weather.

 

[nolagirl]

What happens if you don't have a package deal? I bought airline tix from jetblue online, got my park tickets seprately before the prices went up and hotel rooms using the AAA discount through 407-wdisney. I called to ask about adding trip insurance and the CM said I couldn't purchase it because I didn't get a package. I am going to WDW in Feb. from NJ and I am concerned about the weather.

Check out insuremytrip.com You can get quotes from various companies and compare.

 

[GinaDice]

YES, Yes, and Yes when the time comes that you need it. We all think we never will --- but truth is we all will at some time or another.

Speaking from experience. I always grumbled at the extra cost to the bottom line of our vacation total until the year that we needed to change our cruise dates due my DH emergency heart surgery. Insurance allowed us to do this withour loosing the entire trip.

 

[Avonlady1001]

My entire family went last Jan for my DD 1st bday (my mom, hubby, dd, 2 sis and both their hubbies.)

We ALL got sick when we got there - ended up calling ambulance to take my mom to the ER the first night. She got a bill when we got home for over $1000 for the ambulance ride alone - the travel insurance covered it.

We're pretty sure we caught something on the plane...thank goodess for the travel insurance. I was against spending the money when we booked, but I caved in. Who knew we would use it??

The point is, you just never know. It's a small expense for the peace of mind.

 

[mr.alec]

Only a fool would buy rental car insurance..A bigger fool would buy trip insurance.

 

[byoung]

We never buy it!

 

[NancyIL]

Only a fool would buy rental car insurance..A bigger fool would buy trip insurance.

May you never have to cancel a prepaid trip at the last minute!

I don't buy WDW packages, so I don't insure land trips. I DO insure cruises, because those cost a lot more money.

 

[goodferry]

We did buy the insurance for our last trip, December of 2005. Given we were flying out of Pittsburgh, weather can be sketchy that time of year, so I added it. The first day we were there DD (7) was bitten by something. The next day, she and my other DD (2) were in the MK and she started crying her leg hurt. It was huge and red. We went back to the room, I had no idea what to do. We didn't have a rental car and I had my younger daughter with me. We were staying on the Club Level at the Poly, the CM there suggested DOCS, they would send a pediatrician to our room that morning. It cost us about $400, plus antibiotics (they did not take insurance), plus a wheel chair rental for a few days because she had to keep her leg elevated. It also cost us a day in the parks.
The trip insurance reimbursed us for the Doctor call, the medication, the wheel chair, one day park hoppers for each of us, plus one day of meal plan for each of us. I didn't ask for any of this. I simply called the 800 number, told them what happened and faxed them the receipt from DOCS, and they sent us a check right away.
So, I guess it's like ANY insurance, expensive until you need it.

 

[leanan]

It is only a bad idea till you need it. My parents did not buy the insurance on one trip to China. My mom fell and broke her leg. My Grandma had to wire them money to pay the hospital for treatment. Never again will anyone travel in my family without appropriate insurance for the situation. That means all out of the country trips include health/accident insurance for the trip. All in country trips have emergency incident type insurance.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Only a fool would buy rental car insurance..A bigger fool would buy trip insurance.

I've had a lot of patients who said things like, "I was supposed to go to Jamaica on Friday." I've had a lot of family members who mentioned that they were supposed to be leaving on trips or couldn't come to the hospital when someone died because they were in Europe or whatever.

And, like I said, I once had to cancel a trip less than 24 hours before I was supposed to leave because we had a medical emergency in the family.

Medical crap comes when it comes. You never know when you'll be going about your business and answer the phone to hear, "Mom had a heart attack" or "Dad is in the hospital, the doctors are giving him a 50/50 shot at living."

I'd say that if you've sunk thousands of non-refundable dollars into a vacation and would be put out if you lost it...only a fool would not buy the insurance.

 

[Ilovestitch]

I'd say that if you've sunk thousands of non-refundable dollars into a vacation and would be put out if you lost it...only a fool would not buy the insurance.

But that's the thing-- with Disney if you had to cancel the most you'd be out is $200. It doesn't make sense to buy $119 in non refundable insurance when the most you'd lose is $200- even if you can the night before your trip.

People keep saying if the trip is worth thousands of dollars they get the insurance. It doesn't matter if the package is $400 or $4000 -- if you cancel and don't have insurance, they will refund your entire package minus a $200 fee.

Trip insurance really is not worth it on a Disney package b/c of their cancellation policy.

 

[Cool-Beans]

But that's the thing-- with Disney if you had to cancel the most you'd be out is $200. It doesn't make sense to buy $119 in non refundable insurance when the most you'd lose is $200- even if you can the night before your trip.

People keep saying if the trip is worth thousands of dollars they get the insurance. It doesn't matter if the package is $400 or $4000 -- if you cancel and don't have insurance, they will refund your entire package minus a $200 fee.

Trip insurance really is not worth it on a Disney package b/c of their cancellation policy.

Unless you're cruising, too. Or you're flying 6 people down and want to cover that, as well.

Everyone's case is different.

Like I said, if all I was losing was a night's room and tax, I wouldn't get it. But different people have different circumstances and what works for one may not work for another. Doesn't make them fools.

 

[thymed]

Only a fool would buy rental car insurance..A bigger fool would buy trip insurance.

I felt that way on our last cruise. It was one I booked while on a previous Disney cruise, so I could get our deposit back and did not have to pay the final balance until close to cruise time (end of jan for Beginning of April) We drove so I did not have to worry about planes etc. The thing we did NOT take into consideartion was my son getting a stomach flu and being quarantined. He was 7 so we all stayed in the room, luckily it was the last day of the cruise or he would have been quarantined for three days. If we had had insurance. We would have been reimbursed for each person for each day of the quarantine. So now insurance does not look like such a bad deal to me. Hope this helps someone

 

[Scorpio1112]

Granted I'm skimming this but I understood it to cover delayed flights, luggage, etc. as well? I always pay for trip insurance am I really that much of a fool? For $119 dollars there are 4 of us going for 10 days... to me thats like $30 a piece for peace of mind? Too late to get my $ back now but am going to go back and read through this to make sure I understand what everyone is saying!