Trip Insurance...is this a loophole?

[mediumone]

Thank you. Have you ever used the insurance?

Fortunately, no.

 

[morecowbells]

I buy trip insurance mainly to cover weather delays or other events that the airline may not be responsible for covering. I use Insuremytrip.com. It is an aggregate source which allows you to compare multiple plans. Generali is one of the many plans listed, which is also the carrier that DAN uses. I like Travelex since it will cover a hotel if there is a 6+ hour delay. They also include medical coverage, although usually as a 2nd insurance source.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Like others, I would like to insure only a portion of my trip, but it's my understanding that the policies require you to enter the value of the "entire trip" (or something to that effect). I have never understood how to interpret that. I mean, I might pay for the flight with airmiles (or I might fly for free), I might not care about delays and cancellations, and my accommodations might not be payable in advance or might be a pittance in some third-world country. It sure feels like the insurers include the requirement to state the value of the entire trip--whatever that may mean--as a way to deny a claim for, say, medical costs. It feels like they're leaving themselves room to maneuver. "Aha, you didn't include the fair market value of all those weeks you stayed in your friend's house!"

Instead of relying on a broader "travel insurance" for travel medical coverage, I just buy medical coverage by itself. GeoBlue has been my go-to in recent years. That way, I know what I'm buying.

I wish it were easier to buy travel-related insurance a la carte, based on only the bits of a trip you want to insure: injury/illness, lost baggage, cancellation, delay/interruption, missed-connection, etc.

 

[mcpowell]

Okie dokie,
I just called DAN and spoke with a representative (Wayne) who assured me I can insure my trip for $1 and receive all the other benefits at their stated value. Of course the portion of the insurance which is influenced by the stated value of the trip, will only be eligible for $1 worth of coverage. He did say the minimum amount was $1, and was familiar with what I was asking.

I feel confident moving forward.

 

[BRT]

Okie dokie,
I just called DAN and spoke with a representative (Wayne) who assured me I can insure my trip for $1 and receive all the other benefits at their stated value. Of course the portion of the insurance which is influenced by the stated value of the trip, will only be eligible for $1 worth of coverage. He did say the minimum amount was $1, and was familiar with what I was asking.

I feel confident moving forward.

Thanks

 

[ReefHound]

Yes.
I purchase trip insurance from one of several aggregators, although my first choice is Squaremouth. They all offer essentially the same products at the same cost, but I prefer the format of Squaremouth, finding them the most user friendly.
A few years ago I spoke with a representative about the very issue of assigning the cost of the trip at zero, as any other expences would be covered through other means; e.g. airline tickets through VISA, etc.
They assured me that that would be perfectly acceptable. Costs associated with travel would not be reimbursable. Medical costs would be covered.

That's good to hear but I'm not convinced. Representatives do not approve claims. They have no power over the claims adjusters. They are sales persons.

 

[gmerick]

What cost difference do you see in declaring a travel cost of $1 vs the entire package (parking, flight, hotel, shuttle, charter). I have two trips coming up, I have DAN for a 7 day December LOB $2826 trip cost insured for $326 (elite). My 11 day January Royal Caribbean $3082 travel cost insured for $189 (RCI Travel protection). For me, the rates for the two are OK for what I'm getting.

 

[mediumone]

That's good to hear but I'm not convinced. Representatives do not approve claims. They have no power over the claims adjusters. They are sales persons.

The underwriters can be contacted. Their phone numbers are readily available.
I would encourage you to do so.

 

[ReefHound]

If you go with annual policy then trip cost is not even a factor.

 

[Lorenzoid]

If you go with annual policy then trip cost is not even a factor.

Interesting observation.

One might deduce that those annual policies are a lucrative enough business for the insurers that trip cost doesn't make a difference. My guess is that travel insurance in general is pretty profitable.