"Trip Protection"

Old Feb 27, 2020, 10:26 am
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"Trip Protection"

Given the current global situation, any thoughts on paying for the "highly recommended" optional trip insurance? Heading to the caribbean and wondering if out of an abundance of caution, it is prudent to purchase. That said, I worry that, as with any insurance, they will find a way to not cover anything. I, typically, never go for the optional travel insurance as my credit card has offered at least "some" protections. Delta Amex Reserve has some, but not medical.

Thoughts?
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 10:29 am
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You might want to consider a "cancel for any reason" policy for your trip, but it will be expensive. Read any policy carefully.

BTW, doesn't the policy that DL pushes just cover plane tickets and perhaps associated costs, not nonrefundable hotel rates, etc.?
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 10:38 am
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I've been told to look for the "any reason", but that is not what DL offers:

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Old Feb 27, 2020, 10:44 am
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Originally Posted by DL Platinum
Heading to the caribbean and wondering if out of an abundance of caution, it is prudent to purchase.
The insurance industry lives on "an abundance of caution." If that is the overriding factor, insurance is always prudent. I am more of a measured risk-reward guy.
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 11:07 am
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I'm no agent, but from my reading the insurance they sell is not very different than the ones afforded by Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire cards. If you want insurance, you are better off buying it independently even if from Allianz, because you can include other trip expenses to be covered. If the airline cancels your flight due to the virus, then an independent policy would be more likely to cover nonrefundable hotel costs. If you change your mind due to the virus, that's "cancel for any reason" which, as said, is expensive.
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 11:24 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
You might want to consider a "cancel for any reason" policy for your trip, but it will be expensive. Read any policy carefully.

BTW, doesn't the policy that DL pushes just cover plane tickets and perhaps associated costs, not nonrefundable hotel rates, etc.?
Can't stress "read any policy carefully" enough! About 5-10 years ago, if you read the fine print, policies that DL sold were not available to WA residents. I was a WA resident. You could still buy a policy from DL if you were a WA resident, but you couldn't make a claim on that policy. What a great scam that was! After reading the fine print, I would never trust any travel insurance policy. I self-insure and if something does go wrong, I would make a claim with my VISA card which comes with travel insurance, but at the same time I am not counting on that insurance.
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 11:34 am
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Originally Posted by DL Platinum
I've been told to look for the "any reason", but that is not what DL offers:

Then no buy what DL offers. Bear in mind that DL isn't offering anything, it simply sold the right to an insurer to sell its product on DL's website and to link all of the information.

Before you purchase insurance, think about what you have invested in the trip and what is important. Prepaid hotels, cruises, ground packages and so on. Then start looking for the product which best suits your needs and covers the specific things you care about.
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 11:48 am
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Originally Posted by DL Platinum
Given the current global situation, any thoughts on paying for the "highly recommended" optional trip insurance? Heading to the caribbean and wondering if out of an abundance of caution, it is prudent to purchase. That said, I worry that, as with any insurance, they will find a way to not cover anything. I, typically, never go for the optional travel insurance as my credit card has offered at least "some" protections. Delta Amex Reserve has some, but not medical.

Thoughts?
I'm having a hard time thinking of a covid19 related reason for cancelling the trip where a DL travel waiver would not already be in effect. In other words, in what scenario does the insurance actually help where you wouldn't otherwise have some recourse?
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 11:56 am
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I looked at this as well, I would only be covered if I got sick, cancelation because I'm afraid to go on the trip wouldn't be covered.
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 12:09 pm
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Originally Posted by DL Platinum
Given the current global situation, any thoughts on paying for the "highly recommended" optional trip insurance? Heading to the caribbean and wondering if out of an abundance of caution, it is prudent to purchase. That said, I worry that, as with any insurance, they will find a way to not cover anything. I, typically, never go for the optional travel insurance as my credit card has offered at least "some" protections. Delta Amex Reserve has some, but not medical.

Thoughts?
Don’t fall into that trap! I used to buy this insurance, (and I’ve asked about this on several threads here in the past). Upon checkout at DL.com, the premium for the trip is cheaper that if you protect retroactively. However, if you buy direct from Allianz, it would end up being cheaper and more cost effective.

Case in point, for a D1 ticket, the price upon checkout at DL would be thereabouts of 275+. If you buy retroactively, it would cost about 386+. Either of those would only protect you for one trip. If you buy direct from Allianz, 275+ would already get you an ANNUAL plan!!!

So I ended up buying an annual plan from Allianz. They did clarify that “epidemics” is not a covered reason. I bought insurance anyway for reasons other than coved. (I’ve lost items or had damaged baggage in the past during some trips and Allianz seems pretty hassle-free so far in terms of claims). Some of the benefits of their plans reset after each trip, even after a claim. I’ve been doing a lot of travel by land lately, so I figured I’d just go ahead and buy the annual plan.

Maybe someone here could recommend an insurance provider that covers cancelation “for any reason”?
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 12:34 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
You might want to consider a "cancel for any reason" policy for your trip, but it will be expensive. Read any policy carefully.

BTW, doesn't the policy that DL pushes just cover plane tickets and perhaps associated costs, not nonrefundable hotel rates, etc.?
I contacted Covermore insurance about their cancel at any cost insurance as not on their website . They could not give me any information. Said I had to deal with Flight Centre or one or two orher agencies for info. I said I don't fly with them and dont want to deal with them. Tough luck. I couldn't find out anything. Sounds so dodgy.
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 1:05 pm
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Would trip coverage pay if one got sick on the trip due to Corona and re-patriate the patient?
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 1:12 pm
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Originally Posted by hikouki
Dont fall into that trap! I used to buy this insurance, (and Ive asked about this on several threads here in the past). Upon checkout at DL.com, the premium for the trip is cheaper that if you protect retroactively. However, if you buy direct from Allianz, it would end up being cheaper and more cost effective.

Case in point, for a D1 ticket, the price upon checkout at DL would be thereabouts of 275+. If you buy retroactively, it would cost about 386+. Either of those would only protect you for one trip. If you buy direct from Allianz, 275+ would already get you an ANNUAL plan!!!

So I ended up buying an annual plan from Allianz. They did clarify that epidemics is not a covered reason. I bought insurance anyway for reasons other than coved. (Ive lost items or had damaged baggage in the past during some trips and Allianz seems pretty hassle-free so far in terms of claims). Some of the benefits of their plans reset after each trip, even after a claim. Ive been doing a lot of travel by land lately, so I figured Id just go ahead and buy the annual plan.

Maybe someone here could recommend an insurance provider that covers cancelation for any reason?
Put together a package on Expedia and look at that insurance they offer; I've bought it a few times and used it 3 times I think and I thought it was reasonably priced and when I used it I thought it provided value.
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Old Feb 27, 2020, 7:14 pm
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Originally Posted by hikouki
Dont fall into that trap! I used to buy this insurance, (and Ive asked about this on several threads here in the past). Upon checkout at DL.com, the premium for the trip is cheaper that if you protect retroactively. However, if you buy direct from Allianz, it would end up being cheaper and more cost effective.

Case in point, for a D1 ticket, the price upon checkout at DL would be thereabouts of 275+. If you buy retroactively, it would cost about 386+. Either of those would only protect you for one trip. If you buy direct from Allianz, 275+ would already get you an ANNUAL plan!!!

So I ended up buying an annual plan from Allianz. They did clarify that epidemics is not a covered reason. I bought insurance anyway for reasons other than coved. (Ive lost items or had damaged baggage in the past during some trips and Allianz seems pretty hassle-free so far in terms of claims). Some of the benefits of their plans reset after each trip, even after a claim. Ive been doing a lot of travel by land lately, so I figured Id just go ahead and buy the annual plan.

Maybe someone here could recommend an insurance provider that covers cancelation for any reason?
I agree with this post. I bought a DL vacations package last summer for a trip this June. At checkout I looked at the insurance price and coverage and I decided against it. My better half said we are buying insurance. Went back to the DL website to purchase it and it would not let me. Called in and was told that after seven days insurance cannot be purchased anymore thru DL. So I went to Allianz website and bought insurance thru them directly. It was a lot cheaper and included more coverage that what was being offered directly by DL.
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Old Feb 28, 2020, 11:03 am
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Originally Posted by Often1
Then no buy what DL offers. Bear in mind that DL isn't offering anything, it simply sold the right to an insurer to sell its product on DL's website and to link all of the information.

Before you purchase insurance, think about what you have invested in the trip and what is important. Prepaid hotels, cruises, ground packages and so on. Then start looking for the product which best suits your needs and covers the specific things you care about.
Also make sure there is no out clause for things like a global pandemic. Some policies exclude coverage for things like that. Ie acts of war, major disasters, nuclear explosions, global pandemics, etc...
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