jennesy

I've found a couple of threads about the flight-only insurance products offered, but has anyone used the more comprehensive option (Extra Care) that they offer? Their prices seem reasonable (premium is about 3% of the total trip cost, they quoted me ~$175 for a $5000 trip between the US and Europe) but I don't know a ton about what a good premium would be.

I'm also curious about how trip insurance works when traveling on an award flight. Of course this is going to differ depending on the insurance company's policies, but if you've made a claim for an award flight, what happened? Did you get your miles back, did you get money back, etc.? Do you include the cost of the flight as part of the cost of your trip? (The agent said you'd indicate the actual cost if you were to purchase the flight.)

Kagehitokiri

thanks for posting, hadnt realized they had finally launched their non-air travel insurance

doesnt look very comprehensive, but i only looked at FAQ, and there is almost no detail

Exec_Plat

I am particularly interested in how to cover any costs that one might incur after departure where you need to buy new airfare (for a Covered Reason) and are on a Biz or F award ticket. ie in a case where they will not book you in the original cabin, say award space not available, etc. Or you need to book on a different carrier,

Very few policies cover 'same fare as originally booked'

Kagehitokiri

ive never seen something that covers non-consumed non-refundable expenses

Exec_Plat

First, that is not what I am saying.

Second, such 'non-refundable expenses' are in policies- Lets say you need to take an extra flight to 'catch up or rejoin'. Until the disruption it wasnt a 'planned trip expense'.

So under 'trip interruption' if a trip is disrupted by a covered reason, they will pay expenses to continue- to the next stop or to say return home. So in my example if an award flight is missed, due to a covered reason, it may trigger 'return home' or 'trip interruption' benefits. However there is usually a clause that describes the limits on these expenses.

interestingly many have a $ limit on the benefit like $1000, $1500 or $2500, although some allow it to range up the the 'plan limit'... however they also limit it by saying "economy ticket", although a few say "economy or the fare class originally booked".

I might excerpt the language around a few of these for discussion here. (for example: Arrangements limited to the cost of one-way economy airfare or
similar quality as the originally issued ticket by scheduled carrier.

Is a free award seat in QF F going to equate to a purchased QF F seat to get home, if QF says 'no award seats for the next 6 months'?

Would I lay down a credit card to get home, secure in my interpretation? (ie "we would have covered a seat in P class, but not in F"...knowing you cannot buy a P seat.)




Oh, is there a GOOD conversation here on FT about the nuts and bolts of travel insurance? Like a place where people discuss something other that prices and marketing terminology? my searching hasnt turned up much. Im asking you as I do seem to recall you having a specific interest in polices...

Kagehitokiri

i was just posting about what ive seen

i would be happy to pay for insurance if they told me they would cover everything, including the kind of thing you described, if i was prevented from 'arriving' in time

i have not seen discussion of insurance from that kind of perspective (specifically re your award question, there might be discussion of that on FT)

although someone did mention 'multi-trip' with 'connecting'

indeed i would agree that "or similar quality" is way too vague to pay a lot for - why do they include "economy" and "limited" for example

FreakingFlyer

I'm trying a quote over there - do they even cover air to Europe?

I'm getting:

howtofreetravel

Just cashed out 500 bucks for a suitcase delay! amazing