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Old Jun 10, 09, 9:17 pm   #1
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: Studio City, CA, USA
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Travel Insurance For Botswana Safari

I'm planning a Botswana safari for next year (August 12, 2010 through August 24), and I'm looking for advice regarding the kind of travel insurance I should purchase for this trip. Here are a few key facts:

I will be using frequent flyer miles for the bulk of the flying (LAX-LHR-JNB and return), but I will have purchased tickets for JNB to Livingstone, Zambia and Maun, Botswana to JNB.

I know I need medical evacuation coverage for sure.

I don't require "cancellation for any reason" coverage, but I would like to have coverage that would cover me in the event of my own sickness or the death of a family member.

I'm sure I need trip interruption coverage as well.

I'm beginning to go through the available coverages on the Insure My Trip website, but there are lots of companies and lots of coverage options.

Any recommendations regarding insurance companies and additional coverages? Thanks very much for the help.

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Old Jul 3, 09, 2:46 pm   #2
 
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Well, I'll take a stab at a response, although it's been three weeks since your post ....

I've used AIG Travel Guard a couple of times. (yeah, one of the "too big to fail" bailouts...). Bought policy off Insure My Trip website. It is a little overwhelming with all the choices.

Last policy was for a 12 Day trip to Botswana on a camping safari (including 2 days in Zimbabwe), and similar intra-Africa flights as you describe. It was in October 2008.

One of the most important things probably is the evacuation insurance. I have decent health insurance that covers me around the world (although I'd have to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed), but from what I've read, evacuation costs can easily get into the $100K's and I think that would be more burdensome for my health care plan to deal with.

I bought a policy with all the typical trip cancellation, trip interruption, bankruptcy, etc... with a $100,000 limit for evacuation.

It was not a "cancel for any reason" policy, but it did allow for my cancellation of the trip if either I, my travel partner, or any family member (not traveling) got ill or died.

It cost about $250. It will depend on your age and price of trip. I don't buy insurance for every trip, but think it was good for this one. The trip was expensive and I was in remote areas. Glad I didn't have to use it.
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Old Jul 4, 09, 11:22 am   #3
 
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I also used Travel Guard for my previous trip to Botswana and actually had to file a claim since my H got sick and had to be flown to Maun for some extra medical attention. They were very quick to reimburse so I am now using them again for an upcoming Africa trip but I do like the cancel for any reason clause too.
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Old Jul 5, 09, 2:40 pm   #4
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Thanks for the responses. Yes, I too found the Insure My Trip website somewhat overwhelming!
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