Trip Insurance

[Yppej]

I've always considered flight insurance or a more expensive refundable fare a waste of money, but now that my parents are older I am thinking about it. What do those of you with elderly parents do in terms of contingency planning if anything?

I have not been on a vacation for years and would like to go away, but am worried what would happen if one of them became deathly ill and I am not there at the end. Twice my mother has almost died, but she and my dad now in their 70's are doing as well as can be expected. They could live like other relatives into their 90's, but I just don't know. The flight I'm looking at would be $150 or so extra per person if refundable.

[Gardnr]

We are headed out on an expensive cruise to celebrate my sister's 65th. her choice not ours. So....we used her travel agent as she requested. Booked cruise, air and hotel 2nights with said agent. We purchased the travel insurance.....first time ever. It was a good buy for the ton of $ we spent.

i think the insurance is about: can I afford to lose that much money if something happens. An airline ticket....yes. This package? Oh hell no!

[iris lilies]

We dont buy it, although I have thought about it. And now, all but one of our parents are dead. DH's father is alive, and if he should suddenly sicken and die, I am not so sure that DH would cut his trip short. We have several flights for our European trip, and we are also taking a tour on a predetermined route with car and driver, ut that really osnt all that expensive.

[frugal-one]

I've always considered flight insurance or a more expensive refundable fare a waste of money, but now that my parents are older I am thinking about it. What do those of you with elderly parents do in terms of contingency planning if anything?

I have not been on a vacation for years and would like to go away, but am worried what would happen if one of them became deathly ill and I am not there at the end. Twice my mother has almost died, but she and my dad now in their 70's are doing as well as can be expected. They could live like other relatives into their 90's, but I just don't know. The flight I'm looking at would be $150 or so extra per person if refundable.

Our credit card has some travel coverage. It depends on the cost of the trip to determine if you want travel insurance.

[Simplemind]

I would never travel without it. Have needed to use it twice on two spendy trips.

[Yppej]

Thank you all. This is not a spendy trip, so I probably will forego it. Trying to go to Hawaii through Expedia turned out to be a nightmare. My new plan is to book direct with an airline and travel closer to home. Motels and rental car I should be able to cancel on much shorter notice. It is only the flight cost I would lose.

[frugal-one]

Thank you all. This is not a spendy trip, so I probably will forego it. Trying to go to Hawaii through Expedia turned out to be a nightmare. My new plan is to book direct with an airline and travel closer to home. Motels and rental car I should be able to cancel on much shorter notice. It is only the flight cost I would lose.

Check google matrix to see the best deals for air.

[Teacher Terry]

I don;t buy it for flights only but do for cruises which are not that cheap when you add everything up. All our parents are dead but I buy it for us now that we are older in case we get sick and can't go.

[Yppej]

I talked to my mom and she got off a medicine she believes caused her most recent problems and is feeling really good. I went ahead and got the tickets without insurance. Because they don't charge baggage fees for what we would need for a week I went with Southwest. When I flew with them decades ago I had a good experience.

[frugal-one]

I talked to my mom and she got off a medicine she believes caused her most recent problems and is feeling really good. I went ahead and got the tickets without insurance. Because they don't charge baggage fees for what we would need for a week I went with Southwest. When I flew with them decades ago I had a good experience.

Where are you going for vacation? Sights?

[Yppej]

San Antonio. There are lots of free sights there. I would also like to see the Gulf Coast and Texas Hill Country. It looks like if my 23 year old son drives a rental car at all we will get slammed on the rates due to his age. This is the next thing I have to research.

[SteveinMN]

I have not been on a vacation for years and would like to go away, but am worried what would happen if one of them became deathly ill and I am not there at the end. Twice my mother has almost died, but she and my dad now in their 70's are doing as well as can be expected. They could live like other relatives into their 90's, but I just don't know. The flight I'm looking at would be $150 or so extra per person if refundable.
As with most insurance, trip insurance should cover the big losses. In most instances (at least the places we go), an airline ticket or two is not a big loss. We have purchased trip insurance, as others here have, for cruises or other excursion-type trips.

However, trip insurance varies widely in terms of what it covers and when it covers it. Here's an excerpt from one policy we bought for a cruise:



Hurricane & Weather
Complete cessation of common carrier for 12 hours, Accommodation at destination made uninhabitable, Must be purchased before storm is named


Terrorism
Covered for foreign and domestic


Financial Default
Covered after 14 day wait


Employment Layoff
Covered, If employed for 3 continuous years


Cancel For Medical Reasons
Included in Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption


Cancel For Work Reasons
No coverage


Cancel For Any Reason
No coverage, This benefit is separate from Trip Cancellation


Emergency Medical
$100,000 per person, Primary coverage


Pre-Existing Condition
Covered


Medical Deductible
No Medical Deductible


Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
$1,000,000 per person


Non-Medical Evacuation
$25,000 per person


Travel Delay
$750 per person, $150 daily limit, Covered after 6 hour delay


Baggage Delay
$250 per person, Covered after 12 hour delay



I know you've chosen not to get trip insurance this time. But others considering trip insurance (beyond what credit cards or affinity groups offer) should shop around for a policy before buying. I've had very good experience with SquareMouth (https://www.squaremouth.com/).