Please help: Afraid I might have to use trip ins

Maryanne · Post by **Maryanne** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:50 pm

Hi everyone,

I booked a villa for 2 weeks in January, and of course have to finish paying for it (next week). We have someone with a pre-existing condition in the family and have had to cancel trips last minute in the past, so now I do always get some trip insurance. Fortunately, I've not had to use it.

This time, it's VERY expensive, to cover the 2 weeks of the villa rental, and while I'm okay with sucking it up and paying it, I AM concerned about the "what ifs" of what if I really did have to cancel the trip and get reimbursed? Is it really as easy to get your money back as the website makes it sound? It would be CSA. Has anyone had to actually use trip insurance? Thank you for any help.

Maryanne O

Marcia (Mrs. Pete) · Post by **Marcia (Mrs. Pete)** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:08 pm

Maryanne,

First of all, I hope things improve and you will not have to cancel your trip. I'm so sorry to hear this.

Hopefully this information will help. I bought trip insurance for our summer trip to Topsail Island a few years ago and had to use it because Hurricane Irene rolled through just a few days after we got there. I chose to go with Travel Guard because they had the best policy available for "trip interruption" which, not ironically, was what happened to us and they had the best "cancel for any reason" which I wanted because with so many of us traveling, you just never know what might come up.

Filing the claim was very easy, they only made us jump through one small hoop and we had everything reimbursed to us within a couple of months. It rocked. I highly recommend Travel Guard, if they have the coverage for what you think you'll need it for.

Best of luck in all of this and much love to you and your family.

PointPeeps · Post by **PointPeeps** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:13 pm

After being evacuated from the Outer Banks due to hurricanes we have learned to expect the unexpected. So now we do buy insurance......Unfortunately, yes I have had to use my trip insurance twice. Once when I ended up in the hospital and once when our home flooded. Didn't think I was covered on the second one, but low and behold I was. (What a pleasant surprise!)

Never a problem with reimbursement- just keep all your receipts. Needless to say, to spend an extra hundred or two when you have already shelled out thousands is not only piece of mind, but a wise investment. We always buy insurance!
Hope all works out for ya!

byado18 · Post by **byado18** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:17 pm

Check the policy. Some need to have been bought within a specified Tim period after booking for pre existing to be covered!

Maryanne · Post by **Maryanne** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:36 pm

Thanks so much for these responses! Marcia, I will check out TravelGuard.
If I cover the whole villa rental, it's 1K-ish, which just seems so pricey, but worth it for peace of mind, I suppose.
Or I could insure for one week and gamble.

Myheart'sinSTJ · Post by **Myheart'sinSTJ** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 8:28 pm

Just like Marcia, we have purchased Travelguard and had to use it for the OBX, not for weather, but for my mother who ended up in the hospitial, we had to get Dr. reports and such but Travelguard did reimburse us. This is my go to travel insurance now, I have purchased Travelguard for my STJ trip in January and hope I don't need to use it. I hope everything goes your way, best of luck!

Maryanne · Post by **Maryanne** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 10:05 pm

Thank you for this second thumbs-up for Travelguard! I will give them a call.

Marcia (Mrs. Pete) · Post by **Marcia (Mrs. Pete)** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 10:53 pm

Maryanne,

For ours, I always cover everything: villa, flights, transfers, etc. I over insure because once you've opened that insurance door, you might as well go all out or not go at all.

Please keep us posted on all fronts here. (When are you going in January, anyway? Will we cross over at all?)

Maryanne · Post by **Maryanne** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 8:14 am

Thanks! Are you going in January? Our rental starts the 14th.

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 9:40 am

First of all, I hope your family has brighter days ahead and you are able to enjoy your trip.

My close friend lost both of her parents, one separate occasions, while on vacation. She had trip insurance for both trips. The one thing she mentioned is that the insurance company required a lot of paperwork from the doctors, something she didn't have a problem getting but she said it take some time.

Post by **Anthony** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 9:49 am

I have used Trip Insure over the last several years many times and have had to file several claims, mostly for health issues, once for a trip cancellation, and all were covered as per the policy.

HaveToTravel · Post by **HaveToTravel** » Fri Nov 08, 2013 2:13 pm

I think the insurance is always worth it for peace of mind and the unexpected. You do have to insure the entire prepaid cost of your trip, or the policy probably won't cover pre-existing conditions, so ask the rep about that. You might not be able to only insure the villa if you paid oop for flights. Dates are also important as there is a certain window for buying a policy that covers pre-ex. conditions. Also, cancel for any reason coverage makes the easiest and most comprehensive coverage, but it often only covers 75-80% of trip costs while a "covered reason" like a medical emergency covers 100%. Sending well wishes and hope your trip goes on as planned.

Maryanne · Post by **Maryanne** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 8:55 am

Thanks again for all this input.

_M

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