BootsnAll Travel Community

I know this sounds like an ignorant question, but why get travel insurance?

I know a lot of types will cover theft, trip cancellation, etc. but can anyone share an experience in which they were SO GLAD to have purchased a policy?

I'm starting out one month in Bali, then Western Australia for at least six months (unless I get that job in Antarctica in which case I'd probably just depend on the clinic they have there for free)

Also, any recommendations for where to purchase policy?

Cheers

I don't know if trip cancellation or theft is really worth it, but if you're including medical insurance in that equation then it is really necessary.

Let me state, I hate insurance. It's all a huge racket. You spend your money on something you may never need. Of course, then one day you need it and if you don't have it you're screwed. My parents are in the process of going through bankruptcy now because my dad was silly enough to have a mild heart attack during a gap in insurance between jobs. Seeing as they don't have the $50k that his two days in the hospital cost, they don't have much choice.

If you get seriously sick or wounded overseas, then you'll want it. If you are medevac'd out of a country it will easily set you back $75,000.

A man who lives in my city was injured while in Thailand. He had a brain injury and by the time he was able to come home his medical bills were over $100,000. I always get travel insurance, mostly for medical or dental coverage. I've been lucky, I've never had to use it. My bank offers travellers insurance so I buy it there.

compared to the total cost of your trip..this expense will be pretty small. So do it..you never know.

Skobb: sorry to hear about dad's troubles with the insurance stuff...bummer.

Thanks for the info. Anyone recommend a particular company to purchase a policy? I'm just overwhelmed with the choices, options, don't know where to start.

Bootsnall has an insurance section.

But yeah, I agree with the above. Trip cancellation and theft up the cost of insurance, and aren't necessarily worth it, but medical emergencies are potentially disastrous expenses, so to me, that justifies the cost.

Of course, my only experience with foreign doctors was so cheap that I figured the hassle outweighed the benefit of getting reimbursed. I think they thought they were charging me a fair bit - given that when I asked about cost their first reaction was "What cost, health care is free" - but after they'd reconsidered, the number they came up with only worked out to about $50, so I just paid out of pocket.

quote:

Originally posted by skobb:

If you get seriously sick or wounded overseas, then you'll want it. If you are medevac'd out of a country it will easily set you back $75,000.

When we lived in Ethiopia, my husband's heart went into arrythmia and they couldn't get it converted there. He had to be evacuated out of the country. We tried to fly on a commercial flight, but because it was a heart condition, all airlines denied him.

Our insurance agency ended up getting an air ambulance to fly down to Ethiopia from Israel, pick us up, and fly back - to the tune of $90,000!!!

On top of that, he ended up in the hospital for two weeks - which cost another fortune.

honestly, I don't know what we would have done if we hadn't had the insurance to cover it.

in the UK there are a few insurance companies who specialise in RTW travel. I don't know the names of similar US ones, but I'd start there as a way to narrow it down.