petep

Firs big trip with no family visiting involved (yay!). We'll be in Hawaii for 2 weeks on our honeymoon and im considering travel insurance. With this being our first extended trip anywhere I'd like to know if it's worth being covered with insurance. Anyone have any recommendations?
Also my wife is pregnant and although I know it wont be covered(pre-existing condition) has anyone had success in buying a waiver/add-on for it?

Thanks in advance!

Maui Time

No experience with the prenancy side of your question. We have been to Hawaii many times and only once encountered a significant delay (and that was on the return flight back to DFW because of weather at DFW). Never any issues with flights being canceled or things of that nature.

The only other reasons for the insurance would be of a personal nature...the possibility that you would have to cancel for some reason.

RollerGirl

As a travel agent, I recommend that you purchase travel insurance through a reputable company such as Travel Insured or Travel Guard. You can download brochures from each co's web site that will explain what is covered.

Out of pocket losses in the event you have to cancel your trip is just one of the types of coverages included. (Even if you think there is NO WAY that you will not go on this trip, you need insurance. There are so many situations that can arise that would prevent you from traveling.)

If your luggage is lost, insurance will allow you to spend x amount of money on clothing after the luggage is missing for x number of hours (depends on the plan you buy).

If you are injured and need to be medivac'd back to the mainland, you will be very unhappy if you do not have insurance (as you will be out tens of thousands of dollars, if not more).

There are lots of other things included, as well. It is money well spent.

Enjoy your honeymoon!

kathy

sbedelman

Most travel insurance is a terrible deal because much of what you want or think you are insured against is excluded. Some companies have so much fine print and such a bad record on claims they are pretty close to being scams. Check out the Consumer Reports review for more info.

That said what are you trying to insure against exactly? My biggest concern isn't any losses if I can't take the plane ride because cancellation fees aren't really that much (generally less than the premium on any travel insurance). Its prepaid non refundable costs for hotel or worse cruises that can kill you. But most hotels have generous cancellation policies. Many allow one to cancel up to 5 pm day of arrival without penalty. Auto rentals almost never have penalties even if you no show (not polite however).

I'd worry more about what happens if you get sick or need to be evacuated. That's less of a concern if you are in the US though it still can happen and its easy to run up a $50,000-100,000 bill if it does. Luckily the cost to insure against this is almost nothing. Just join DAN, Divers Alert Network. No you don't have to Scuba. Its just that your policy pool is mostly young, healthy men so the cost of the insurance is low. I think my whole family is less than $80/yr and it covers all of us whenever we are more than 50 miles or something from home. The best bargain out there. Every travelers should have it in my opinion and hope never to need it.

squeakr

you may be out of luck on the pre existing condition, but if you haven't, many policies allow for pre existing if you buy the insurance within a certain mumber of days of paying for the trip.

I have used AAA website, Insuremytrip.com, and bootsnall website for buying travel insurance in the past and they've all been fine. Insuremytrip allows you to compare policies and so is a bit easier to see what's covered and not.

Xyzzy

Unless yu've got a bunch of prepaid things other than airline tickets you likely don't need travel insurance. For airline tickets, the standard rules apply so if you can't go you're likely only out $150 each. Baggage insurance is generally pretty well covered by the airline -- particularly if you're elite.

What exactly are you trying to insure yourself for?

WoodE

Hi Petep,
In my trips I usually use Globelink Travel Insurance. They provide cover for many pre-existing medical conditions.
You can try this company.

svenskaflicka

I know you are excited and want to cross your T's and dot your I's, but, I really don't think you need trip insurance for Hawaii. About the most you can lose is non-refundable airline tickets and maybe the deposits on your first night's hotel reservation. If the trip insurance you pick doesn't cover these things then, to me, it's not worth the cost.

I have been to Hawaii from the east coast almost thirty times in the past eleven years. I think I have had two delays that didn't even cost me any vacation days lost. Remember, the plane you are on is goig over to Hawaii to pick people up to bring back to the mainland, so it's really important that they get the plane there. The same works on the way back to the mainland. You may have a delay, but the chances are very slim that your flight will be totally cancelled unless there's a huge snowstorm or violently bad weather. Again, this would cause a delay, which trp insurance may not cover anyway.

Congrats on your marriage, baby and honeymoon!

Often1

Before you buy one-off policies, check: 1) your own existing policies for homeowners, renters, medical, auto & umbrella; 2) what your employer(s) provide (many have policies which cover more than work-related travel); 3) credit cards (some have comprehensive coverage).

Also, consider whether you or your fiance will be traveling going forward and how much. You may well be able to purchase annual stand-alone coverage or a rider for your homeowners, renters, auto or medical coverage for not much more than the one-shot coverage.

mulieri

Keep in mind that your medical insurance may work in Hawaii. Most insurance plans are part of a network that include affiliated doctors and hospitals. In this case, there may be no need for additional insurance simply to cover medical care.

svenskaflicka

My health insurance covered me for the two times I had to seek emergency medical advice in Hawaii. The only problem was that the urgent care clinic I went to made me pay up front and then they tried to double dip by billing my insurance. It took me two years to get them to understand that I paid cash to them, so my insurance was reimbursing me. They kept trying to rebill me when my insurance told them they sent the check to me.