Thinking about travel insurance? It is better to purchase from the tour operator/cruise line or obtain third party travel insurance?
1) Supplier insurance will generally cover 100% of trip interruption while most third party travel insurance (type we will generally quote) will provide 150%. What is “trip interruption” anyway? Answer, having to leave a tour or cruise half-way through an itinerary and getting forced to buy airline tickets with no advance notice along with potential hotel nights and incidental costs. (Remember one of your key benefits of working with us is to understand the entire cost of the trip.) Third party trip insurers provide up to 150% of the value of the trip for trip interruption coverage.
2) Bankruptcy protection – protect the value of your trip if your tour/cruise supplier goes bankrupt…NEED to get this from third party travel insurance. If the supplier goes out of business, who are you going to call?
3) Cancel for any reason coverage included? (If so you may be overpaying especially if provided by a tour operator!) Think about it, if not for covered medical, work, etc. reasons, would you suddenly cancel your trip? Think about it! Although cancel for any reason coverage is increasing in popularity, oftentimes it adds a lot of expense especially from escorted tour operators.
4) If you cancel your trip for a covered reason, will you get your money back or a future travel voucher? With a tour operator or cruise line , you may get money back or a future travel voucher depending on your plan. Questions: would you rather have a voucher or the money?
PLEASE ask if these coverages are included when evaluating your travel insurance.
- Hurricane Warning Coverage for Trip Cancellation or Interruption
- Medical Evacuation Home or to Hospital of Choice (YOUR choice)
- Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation – Due to formal recommendation from the appropriate local authorities, or the U.S. State Department, to leave a country
- Baggage Delay-12 hour waiting period vs. 24 hour waiting period
- Coverage for Mental and Nervous Condition which requires hospitalization
- Pre-Existing Conditions waived – policy purchased within 21 days of initial deposit, all trip costs subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions covered as long as customer is not disabled from travel at the time premium paid. Look back period is only 60 days.
- Coverage for Common Carrier delays resulting from mechanical breakdown, weather, and strike (12 hours min)
- Coverage for Airline Cancellation Fees when a travel supplier cancels your arrangements.
- Coverage for Frequent Flyer Rebanking Fees – up to $150 for the cost of airline-imposed fees to rebank frequent flyer miles.
Please Review Description of Coverage for all Terms and Details. PLUS, call or email with your questions.
