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Old 08-19-2008, 09:57 PM   #1
LaurieL622
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Default Travelers insurance for Americans???

Hi Tpunks,

I am planning a several-month trip to India and a short stay in China. Was wondering if any tpunks from the USA can recommend a good travelers insurance company to go with, and a good package to buy.

I have been all over, but never bought travelers insurance before (i guess ignorance is bliss), but I'm thinking it's a smart idea if I'm going to India for several months.

I've met many aussies and europeans on my trips who had insurance policies, but I wasn't aware of this being a trend for American travelers overseas? I am absolutely clueless on this topic...................

Thoughts?
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Old 08-19-2008, 10:19 PM   #2
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i second this topic, how many of you guys have gotten so sick that you needed insurance? or does travelers insurance cover more than just health?
i would imagine it would be easy to get sick with the jet lag, long train rides, insufficient sleep, and gnarly hostel rooms lol
whats the word bird?
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Old 08-19-2008, 11:25 PM   #3
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I need a schooling on coverage/rates/companies. I googled it and the amt of crap that comes up is just too overwhelming.

I've backpacked through about 15ish countries and haven't ever been sick enough to need to see the docs.

But i am getting older........
(and hopefully wiser)
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Old 08-20-2008, 03:54 AM   #4
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get it from the tpunk main page.
http://www.travelpunk.com/cheap-back...vel-insurance/

I bought it for my trip a few years back and while thankfully I never used it, I was glad I had it.
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Old 08-21-2008, 07:06 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by polarbear View Post
i second this topic, how many of you guys have gotten so sick that you needed insurance? or does travelers insurance cover more than just health?
Actually I just got back from a trip where I got a bad flu while in Hong Kong (not bird flu, thank god)... and I used my travel insurance to claim the doctors fees and drugs.

In Cuba, my girlfriend got 89 mosquito bites on her first night, and had to get this big ass needle... it was nearly 100 bucks, covered by travel insurance.

So in my experience... travel insurance = good.
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Old 08-22-2008, 10:47 PM   #6
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As I said in my PM to you, don't leave home without it!!

For the most part, I get travel insurance primarily for potential trip disasters of a non-heal-related kind. Theft, safety issues of a large-scale, political nature (this has been a potentially sticky point for me in the past ), needing to come home early because of a family emergency, etc. Health care has always taken a back seat, but I guess that's just because lately I've only been in countries where health care is cheap anyway. *shrug*
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Old 08-24-2008, 06:46 AM   #7
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I bought AIG Travel guard...they're pretty cheap and cover you for pretty much everything....didnt have to make a claim though so I cant recommend them that way...seemed good. I asked a LOT of questions and they came out the vbest
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Old 08-24-2008, 06:48 AM   #8
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I wouldn't leave home without it.

The cost of breaking a leg in a foreign country would be astronomical.
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Old 08-24-2008, 11:22 AM   #9
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I have comtemplated this stuff before and just never got around to it. I guess I have been lucky and neither my wife or I have gotten gravely ill or injured. Thanks for the input.
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Old 08-24-2008, 04:52 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by simply_angelic View Post
I bought AIG Travel guard...they're pretty cheap and cover you for pretty much everything....didnt have to make a claim though so I cant recommend them that way...seemed good. I asked a LOT of questions and they came out the vbest
Is travelguard the one that is super cheap? Because it just doesn't seem clear on everything to me.

I wont have insurance back here in the States to supplement travel insurance, so I'm lost in the language of the fine print.
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Old 11-30-2008, 04:25 PM   #11
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Has anyone here ever used World Nomad? I have heard good things about it. Also, what about coverage (lord forbid) for transport of remains should anything happen to us overseas? do most policies cover that?
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Old 12-01-2008, 11:29 PM   #12
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I could be crazy, but I think that if you have an HI membership it comes with travel insurance? Mine's well expired now, so I don't remember, but I'm pretty sure you could get free travel insurance through being a member with them.
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Old 01-06-2009, 07:53 AM   #13
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Rusty, did you ever end up getting travel insurance? I'm looking at different options now for my trip to South Africa and wanted your opinion of World Nomands coverage.
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Old 01-07-2009, 05:29 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mbo108 View Post
Rusty, did you ever end up getting travel insurance? I'm looking at different options now for my trip to South Africa and wanted your opinion of World Nomands coverage.
My mate went with AIG Travel Guard for his 8 month trip in South America. Seems to be sufficient and is only $180 for a year. I'll be signing up for it ASAP for my trip.
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Old 01-07-2009, 06:45 AM   #15
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Any Europeans traveling within the European Union should sign up for the European medical insurance card, formally called the E111 (in this country anyway). It's completely free and means you'll get the same treatment as the locals. Cover varies in each country. Some may only pay for half the treatment but some country's cover everything including any medicine the doctor prescribes.

You'd be an absolute fool to leave home without it considering it's free.
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Old 07-30-2009, 10:12 PM   #16
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Huh....I just checked on a year policy from AIG TravelGuard and it's quoting me over $1300!

WorldNomads would be about $500. I don't know how people were scoring $180 policies... Andrew was your friend an American? Did he have other insurance? These policies are all secondary coverage so I wonder if it's cheaper for people who have insurance through their family or national health care.

In general their policies seem pretty vague. Like WorldNomad says it covers medical costs if:

"you have a sudden, unexpected illness or injury during your trip that's either life threatening or could cause serious and irreparable harm if it isn't treated "

Well serious harm is pretty vague. Obviously if you broke an ankle that would qualify. If you needed stitches I'd say that's likely too. What if you've got the flu or something? I guess I'm wondering where the line is before something isn't considered serious.

CanadianBacon, who did you use on your trip? Since you're the only one I see that actually used it and had claims paid that's definitely a vote for that company. And Jeanie what about you, who do you use?

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Last edited by maracle; 07-30-2009 at 10:17 PM.
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Old 08-04-2009, 05:30 AM   #17
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I normally dont use travel insurance since my health insurance covers health matters and I never take anything too precious. But when I have used it, I found STA Travel to have a nice package for students and young adults. And I actually felt better when I have used it, because in the back of my mind, I imagine some countries will look at my health insurance card and laugh at it.
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