Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2013

silvercar

There are numerous posts in this forum and the insurance forum from people like yourself who were "going to get it nearer the time" then themselves or a close relative was diagnosed with a serious illness and they weren't covered which meant they lost everything.

Our experience is that when you reach a certain age, one or other always seems to have a parent with so many ailments that getting travel insurance that covers cancellation for sick parent would either be impossible or cost prohibitive. So the only choices seem to be to accept that not all eventualities will be covered or never go on holiday.

I agree that travel insurance is a must for your own medical cover abroad if nothing else.

ferf1223

silvercar wrote: »

Our experience is that when you reach a certain age, one or other always seems to have a parent with so many ailments that getting travel insurance that covers cancellation for sick parent would either be impossible or cost prohibitive. So the only choices seem to be to accept that not all eventualities will be covered or never go on holiday.

Agree on pre-existing conditions - we have opted not to declare certain relative's conditions before as the increase in premium would be significant - we know if we cannot travel as a result of something terrible happening to one of them that's our problem...but it's the ones that may come as a surprise - things that are not currently diagnosed - that travel insurance will help make a bad situation less painful.

I get confused on start dates/coverage commencement dates...we always buy an annual policy and typically have renewed our existing policy as the price has been competitive (so far - fingers crossed when I call about our renewal it will be the same)...I assumed on a single trip policy the start date of coverage would be the start date you requested when purchasing the policy and I think some people put the start date as the first day of the holiday...but now I'm not sure.

Mich81

I haven't done my travel insurance yet, we only go September 2014 - but when I try to get a quote with a pre existing illness cover, they won't let me as its over a year in advance!

Can anyone recommend a good insurers for the USA? I've always had insurance in the past but never needed to claim so unsure which insurers are the best at paying up - and which aren't!

dodger1

luci wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up on costs. Hope you are feeling better now.

Who were you insured with as it's always good to know of a company who actually pay when they should. You only know the value of insurance and the company you are with when you need to claim.

I was insured through Virgin Travel Insurance. The cost was similar to all the others and as I'd booked the holiday through Virgin I thought it might make things easier if I had to claim.

Georgiegirl256

ferf1223 wrote: »

I get confused on start dates/coverage commencement dates...we always buy an annual policy and typically have renewed our existing policy as the price has been competitive (so far - fingers crossed when I call about our renewal it will be the same)...I assumed on a single trip policy the start date of coverage would be the start date you requested when purchasing the policy and I think some people put the start date as the first day of the holiday...but now I'm not sure.

That's what I always thought, hence the reason i hadn't rushed to get it (also memory like a sieve!), but thanks to everyone on here who's told me otherwise.

silvercar

We used to start from the point where cancelling meant losing more than deposits. In this way we have often got an annual policy that overlapped 2 annual holidays.

Now we have a policy through a bank account. Rather generously it includes cover for the kids when they are travelling alone as long as they are under 25 and still in education.

Bri1

Mich81 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good insurers for the USA? I've always had insurance in the past but never needed to claim so unsure which insurers are the best at paying up - and which aren't!

I have used Columbus direct a few times, you can put in pre-existing conditions online, they were the most cost effective (along with the extra perk of topcashback) I have had for the US, their quotes were the cheapest for me, a lot of the cheap online insurers don't have the facility to add conditions & any extra's you may want, I had no problem with booking ahead.

Georgiegirl256

silvercar wrote: »

We used to start from the point where cancelling meant losing more than deposits. In this way we have often got an annual policy that overlapped 2 annual holidays.

Now we have a policy through a bank account. Rather generously it includes cover for the kids when they are travelling alone as long as they are under 25 and still in education.

We thought at first that we had cover through my husbands bank account, but it just covered European travel. Sounds like you get really good extras with yours.

luci

silvercar wrote: »

Our experience is that when you reach a certain age, one or other always seems to have a parent with so many ailments that getting travel insurance that covers cancellation for sick parent would either be impossible or cost prohibitive. So the only choices seem to be to accept that not all eventualities will be covered or never go on holiday.

I agree that travel insurance is a must for your own medical cover abroad if nothing else.

This is the main criteria I look for in a policy, cover for Close Relatives. Some won't cover if they have been on medication in the previous 90 days! Fat chance of them paying out.

There are a few companies that will cover "provide a doctor can confirm that at the time the travel was booked there was no expected deterioration in condition". Direct Travel, Portwood.co.uk / Redwood, Globelink, Post Office, Good To Go, Flexicover. However check the policy wording in case it has changed recently.

luci

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

We thought at first that we had cover through my husbands bank account, but it just covered European travel. Sounds like you get really good extras with yours.

Which bank is that with?