General question for the board, because I've been curious myself: how is this type of travel insurance regulated? Or is there no oversight at all, meaning you're just hosed with no recourse if you disagree with the company about a claim?

Arizona resident buys travel insurance marketed by a Texas-based airline, with the underlying insurance company itself no doubt domiciled somewhere else, for a trip between the U.S. and Brazil. Who has oversight? Some state insurance commission? Federal law?

I considered buying travel insurance last year for a trip spanning 7 countries and 6 airlines but never could figure out whether I was buying a regulated product at all. I did a lot of digging on the Kansas state government site and came to the conclusion that their insurance commission didn't cover it.

I've read so many horror stories about people buying travel insurance, having what they think is a legitimate issue with their trip, but then trying unsuccessfully to get any claims paid.