Originally Posted by pinniped

Historically, I've always scoffed at travel insurance. I always thought it was a sucker bet of the worst kind - worse than typical insurance products. I have always thought that between regular credit cards, elite status with airlines, and my existing insurance products from home (auto, medical) I didn't need anything else. I wasn't about to spend money just to get "extra" lost-baggage or flight delay cover.

However, we're getting ready to embark on a three-country trip (Jordan, India, Nepal) that includes a lot of different pieces that are a bit outside of our usual comfort level. A few basics about the trip:

- Routing is MCI-MKE-(stop)-ORD-AMM-(stop)-DEL-KTM-(stop)-DEL-(stop)-AMM-ORD-MCI.

- All of the long segments of the trip are on RJ in Crown Class (a J award) using BA Avios. MCI to/from the Chicago area are on $49 each-way paid segments. DEL to/from KTM is on Jet Airways (9W), also a cheap paid ticket (about $120 per person R/T).

- Two people, age 40, good health, carrying U.S. medical insurance. We both have fairly standard PPO plans.

- My main flight-related concern is that DEL-KTM connection. RJ says they will interline to 9W in DEL no problem, but I am half-expecting our bags to get completely lost. We are planning on packing to the 9W baggage limit even through the RJ Crown Class limit is a lot higher.

- The DEL-AMM-ORD-MCI return is all in a single day. None of the connections are insanely tight but this one does concern me a bit.

- Jordan will be a self-drive rental car, 2 nights in Western hotels and 1 in a Wadi Rum camp. Jordan car rentals force you to buy a ton of insurance including LDW. We're doing everything here on our own.

- Nepal will be 2 nights in Thamel city hotels and 3 trekking in smaller villages. Nontechnical, low altitude "teahouse" trek. Does not appear to be any kind of difficult trek, but if we're going to sustain some sort of illness or injury, this would seem like the highest-risk area for it. Everything in Nepal will be guided tours.

- India is Western hotels, mainly Starwoods paid with points. We plan to do a car hire (w/driver) for most of India...maybe a train or two as well. Delhi, Jaipur, Agra mainly. Not likely to do much in the way of guided tours beyond whatever "guiding" we get from the driver.

What are some of the key things I'd look for in travel insurance? Or is my earlier feeling that I shouldn't buy travel insurance at all still a valid idea? The value-adds to me seem to be insurance that provides medical benefits above what my own medical would provide and a strong "next flight out" type of benefit if my flight gets canceled and one of the airlines starts giving me crap about being on an award ticket. A decent baggage benefit if I land in KTM and our packs have disappeared never to be seen again would be nice.

Any other thoughts/advice?