Going to Belize, do I need trip insurance?

[DougieG]

Hello everyone,

I just decided to take a dive trip to Placencia, Belize next month. This will be my first international dive trip in the COVID era. I have never gotten trip insurance in my life, but in these times I am definitely considering it. My normal health insurance will cover any medical expenses at "out of network" rates, meaning I would pay 20%-40% of the bill should I get hospitalized or need health care in Belize.

If I get trip insurance there are all sorts of options including "cancel for any reason" and MASA which will cover medical air flights back to the USA. Of course, all of this adds cost to the trip.

Any thoughts people have regarding trip insurance, what kind to get, etc. would be most appreciated!

P.S. I always have DAN dive insurance. I never dive without it.

DougieG

 

[Snoweman]

I've never bought trip insurance, but I would strongly consider it as a negative test is required to re-enter the country. People that are fully vaxxed are testing positive. I would make sure the trip insurance covers extended stay due to Covid.

 

[Bill Niester]

Personally I would. I just went in May and bought through DiveAssure and the peace of mind was well worth it.

Hello everyone,

I just decided to take a dive trip to Placencia, Belize next month. This will be my first international dive trip in the COVID era. I have never gotten trip insurance in my life, but in these times I am definitely considering it. My normal health insurance will cover any medical expenses at "out of network" rates, meaning I would pay 20%-40% of the bill should I get hospitalized or need health care in Belize.

If I get trip insurance there are all sorts of options including "cancel for any reason" and MASA which will cover medical air flights back to the USA. Of course, all of this adds cost to the trip.

Any thoughts people have regarding trip insurance, what kind to get, etc. would be most appreciated!

P.S. I always have DAN dive insurance. I never dive without it.

DougieG

 

[Ayisha]

Some airlines are offering complimentary COVID insurance on return flights, like Air Canada and Westjet here, so check if you have that available.

I prefer to have an annual comprehensive travel plan rather than buying it per trip. It sometimes costs just a little more than what travel insurance costs per trip if you have other insurance with them (house, vehicle, etc.), but it covers you for multiple or extended trips through the year. I have TD Wide Horizons, but hopefully you have options for where you are.

 

[Tom Winters]

Get the trip insurance even with DAN.

 

[DougieG]

An US olympic gymnast and women's basketball player, both vaccinated, just tested positive for COVID today which is making me nervous.

Anyone know what would happen if a traveler trying to return from Belize to the USA tested positive? I assume quarantine, but where, and for how long?

 

[ReefHound]

Trip insurance doesn't really give me any peace of mind because all insurance has exclusions and the prime objective of insurers seems to be to find a reason that your particular claim is not covered. Be sure to get it in writing that a policy actually covers what it is you're trying to protect against. Good luck with that.

We will hear it in the news every time a vaccinated person tests positive but statistically it is rare. We've returned twice in the past few months. Both times our antigen quick tests were negative. If one had been positive, the plan was to go somewhere else and take another test to rule out a false positive.

 

[Downing]

I used to routinely buy trip insurance every time I went overseas.

Stopped doing it years ago. Just decided to chance it.

Since then, I've had a couple of minor health issues, one each in Mexico, Cuba and Belize. In Mexico, I developed swimmers ear after diving in a cenote. The doctor came to my hotel's doctor examination room, checked my ear and prescribed some antibiotics. The bill was about $60. In Cuba, a suitcase fell off a cart and the corner smashed my left middle toe. Ten+ years later, the nail is still dead. The doctor was available at the hotel. She wasn't able to do much other than to confirm it wasn't broken. The bill was about $20, I think. In Belize, an ear wax buildup caused one ear to become infected. This time, I had to walk (!) to the doctor's office, which was about four minutes away. The doctor, another Cuban, blasted out the wax--yuck--then prescribed antibiotics. I missed about three days of diving but luckily was staying in Placencia so I just hit the jungle for a few days. Had to return for a follow-up with him to get cleared for diving. Total bill was $25.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Hello everyone,

I just decided to take a dive trip to Placencia, Belize next month. This will be my first international dive trip in the COVID era. I have never gotten trip insurance in my life, but in these times I am definitely considering it. My normal health insurance will cover any medical expenses at "out of network" rates, meaning I would pay 20%-40% of the bill should I get hospitalized or need health care in Belize.

If I get trip insurance there are all sorts of options including "cancel for any reason" and MASA which will cover medical air flights back to the USA. Of course, all of this adds cost to the trip.

Any thoughts people have regarding trip insurance, what kind to get, etc. would be most appreciated!

P.S. I always have DAN dive insurance. I never dive without it.

DougieG

Yes! You need to consider both medical and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.

As indicated above, make sure you actually read the fine print AND ask any questions you may have to make sure you fully understand what your coverage. If you do not read the contract, how do you know what you bought? Surprises only happen if you are unaware. Insurance companies only cover what they sell.

If you make more than a single trip each year you will most likely find it cheaper to purchase an annual policy instead of multiple per trip policies.

Don't sweat the cost of small walk-in issues. That is not why you would want insurance. Insurance is for the big issues: broken leg, heart attack or someone pokes yur eye out.

 

[jlevine]

My biggest concerns are medical and evacuation. I'm willing to absorb small expenditures. If something bad happens, I want to be airlifted. You also want DAN. Thankfully there is a chamber on the island.

On a side note, when it comes to the travel portion, the only problem I had was with a lost bag on American Airlines that went to BNE (Brisbane) rather than BZE (Belize City). I wish that they had sent me to Brisbane instead. American Airlines got the bag back to Belize in two days and Tropic Air sent it over to the island. My big challenge was finding underwear. I actually found it in Wings (which I think is no longer there).