I've always self insured trips. I have good medical group coverage that even includes medical evacuation (but there is a decent sized deductible), and if I had to cancel a trip it's not like I'd be able to go another time, and next year I'll have a new vacation budget. Most of my trips too are usually in the US and fairly modest (Colorado, Disney offsite, etc.)
I was, though, for the first time considering a comprehensive travel insurance policy for my son and a friend of his (19 and 20 year olds) who will be taking a college class in a study abroad program in Florence for 4 1/2 weeks and then doing a little extension in London (just five nights). They have medical insurance ($100,000) and evacuation insurance ($250,000) included in course fees, but just for the Florence portion. I'm covering expenses for both boys. I was so discouraged, though, to read so many negative reviews from people with claims about the hoops they had to jump though and the extremely slow claims payment and appeals for various comprehensive travel insurance policies (three that I looked at from three different companies). In the end I just decided to pay an extra $70 to extend the medical coverage/evacuation medical and other provided with course fees to include the time in London. And I actually read tons of positive reviews about the health provider, HTH Worldwide// The other stuff I'm just going to self insure, but I would hate to have to pay a last minute airfare for my son's friend if there was an emergency in his family or something and he had to come back to the states. His family really wouldn't be in a good position to cover something like this. I've decided though that I'll risk that and that will have to come out of emergency funds I have if something comes up. And I'll just be prepared to couch up the money if I have to.
My three different options were priced at $240, $440, and around $800 and were for trip cancellation, trip interruption, theft, and medical and evacuation with nice high limits on the medical, but every claim review I read for the $240 policy were dismal (April), 60% of the claims reviews for the $440 policy (TravelSafe) were dismal, and 30% of the claims reviews for the almost $800 policy (MH Ross) were dismal. TravelSafe and MH Ross even made the Frommer list of top eight travel insurance companies. And I will say MH Ross did have it's share of glowing reviews. But boy the negative reviews I read sure scared me off (There were just way too many of these for all three). Who wants insurance if you have to go through tons of hoops just to file a claim when you qualify to be reimbursed? These three choices were the ones that would cover school fees and student apartment and had the higher medical limits I was looking for.
Anyway it's a relief to have completed my research and made a decision, but "How do these companies get away with such poor claims service?" And yes I do realize this isn't anything statistically accurate or scientific in my findings, just what I found looking around on the web for reviews within the last 12 months of people who filed reasonably significant claims.
Have you had positive experiences with travel insurance and significant claims??
I was, though, for the first time considering a comprehensive travel insurance policy for my son and a friend of his (19 and 20 year olds) who will be taking a college class in a study abroad program in Florence for 4 1/2 weeks and then doing a little extension in London (just five nights). They have medical insurance ($100,000) and evacuation insurance ($250,000) included in course fees, but just for the Florence portion. I'm covering expenses for both boys. I was so discouraged, though, to read so many negative reviews from people with claims about the hoops they had to jump though and the extremely slow claims payment and appeals for various comprehensive travel insurance policies (three that I looked at from three different companies). In the end I just decided to pay an extra $70 to extend the medical coverage/evacuation medical and other provided with course fees to include the time in London. And I actually read tons of positive reviews about the health provider, HTH Worldwide// The other stuff I'm just going to self insure, but I would hate to have to pay a last minute airfare for my son's friend if there was an emergency in his family or something and he had to come back to the states. His family really wouldn't be in a good position to cover something like this. I've decided though that I'll risk that and that will have to come out of emergency funds I have if something comes up. And I'll just be prepared to couch up the money if I have to.
My three different options were priced at $240, $440, and around $800 and were for trip cancellation, trip interruption, theft, and medical and evacuation with nice high limits on the medical, but every claim review I read for the $240 policy were dismal (April), 60% of the claims reviews for the $440 policy (TravelSafe) were dismal, and 30% of the claims reviews for the almost $800 policy (MH Ross) were dismal. TravelSafe and MH Ross even made the Frommer list of top eight travel insurance companies. And I will say MH Ross did have it's share of glowing reviews. But boy the negative reviews I read sure scared me off (There were just way too many of these for all three). Who wants insurance if you have to go through tons of hoops just to file a claim when you qualify to be reimbursed? These three choices were the ones that would cover school fees and student apartment and had the higher medical limits I was looking for.
Anyway it's a relief to have completed my research and made a decision, but "How do these companies get away with such poor claims service?" And yes I do realize this isn't anything statistically accurate or scientific in my findings, just what I found looking around on the web for reviews within the last 12 months of people who filed reasonably significant claims.
Have you had positive experiences with travel insurance and significant claims??
