Travel Insurance

[Guest fountainhall]

Having recently taken out an annual worldwide travel policy with a company based in London, I was curious as to how it would compare with the new company which advertises at the bottom of the Message Board. 

 

With insurance I find it's always hard to compare like with like because more often than not the benefits, exclusions and deductibles are rarely identical. Also when a company advertises on a site and helps to keep the site viable, I feel members should do their best to support it.

 

So, I'm not going to go into a comparison of what's good and what may not be quite so good about the advertiser. All I'll say is when you compare policies, remember to check the wording carefully. Most travel policies have a maximum age limit. Sometimes it's 75. Sometimes is 60 or less. Secondly, it used to be the case that travel policies were offered on the basis of either worldwide cover or worldwide except North America. Most insurers now bracket S. E. Asia (sometimes including Thailand) with North America - although why this should be, when costs here are so much lower - I have zero idea.

[Guest scottishguy]

Your last point is especially interesting - I never take up the N. America option on my Annual Travel Insurance, because, in my mind, I never go there - so why pay for it?

 

You have now raised the possibility that (if the Insurance Co deems S.E. Asia to be N America) - maybe I have never actually been covered for my trips to Thailand!!

 

I will have to check that out - but I find it bizarre that Insurance Companies can re-arrange world geography.

[Rogie]

. All I'll say is when you compare policies, remember to check the wording carefully.

 

A very good point. I too use an annual multi-trip policy and I know full well I ought to do that with mine, but somehow all those pages in very small type serve to put me off doing so. Most, if not all, policies have exclusions for 'high-risk activities' or require you to pay a higher premium, but some things are borderline so I've always intended to make a list of things I might do in Thailand that might not be covered should I have an accident.

[Guest scottishguy]

Some of the exclusions can be rather unexpected too - I remember "losing" a pair of (genuine) Oakley sunglasses with blue-mirrored lenses whilst in Thailand (very fetching they were too, even if I say so myself). The value was around £300

 

Anyway, the "get-out" clause in that case was that those lovely lenses were prescription lenses.

 

Had they been the same Oakley sunglasses with the same blue-mirrored lenses but non-prescription (which you would think might represent a bigger risk - who in their right mind would steal prescription sunglasses?), then the Ins Co would have happily paid up - but they were able to point to "small print" which specifically excluded prescription sunglasses.

 

So the choice in that case is - either lose your sunglasses or lose the will to live reading multiple pages of small print!

 

[Guest thaiworthy]

I absolutely agree with everything you said. But how much time did you waste making this type readable?

[Guest fountainhall]

I was first alerted to some South East Asian countries being bracketed with North America when I renewed my health insurance last year. I noticed that in addition to North America, the restricted option (i.e. all ex-North America) had added Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. That pissed me off no end as those are the countries I visit fairly regularly. But it was a lot cheaper to take that option and get a better annual travel policy.

 

Rogie mentions accidents. Are you sure your travel policy actually covers Personal Accident - beyond death, partial or total loss of limbs or permanent disablement resulting in inability to engage in gainful employment? Mine doesn't! And the benefits for the three I've mentioned are paltry. If I fall down and break an elbow, I need yet another Personal Accident policy to cover most those costs! (Yes, I know it would be cheaper if I just didn't have a drink or two . . or three!)

[TotallyOz]

I took out the policy by World Nomads on this site. It was 140 for one month. It covers more than medical. As it also covers luggage lost, etc. I thought worthwhile since I am taking 5 planes inside Brazil. I have also been in the hospital once down and while my Blue Cross Policy covers me, I wanted this one for the Med Evac just in case.

[Guest]

One of the most inconvenient exclusions is cover for riding on a motorcycle that is not driven by the holder of a British motorcycle license.

As EVERY motorcycle taxi in SE Asia will not comply, that means I have no medical cover for riding on the damn things.

That's a problem in Cambodia, where motorcycle taxis are frequently the most convenient way to travel short distances.

[Guest thaiworthy]

For my policy in Thailand, it wouldn't matter if the motorcycle taxi driver had a license or not. That is public transportation and is excluded for coverage in my policy. Any rider for coverage on a motorcycle, either as passenger or driver would have to be privately owned. That goes for taxi cars as well.

 

I got a motorcycle rider anyway because I ride this contraption every day. Not car, perhaps more motorcycle. Not public, because it is only used for the residents of the development. Not 100% sure it would be covered, but I figured it's better than not having the rider, which added 30% more to the premium. Only goes a short distance to the BTS,  and I probably won't add to policy again next year.

 

[Moses]

For me most important who is assistance company in Thailand than who is seller of insurance since all prices here are almost the same: about $1 per day. If it will be iSOS - then it is OK, if it will be GVA - I will check next one seller.