Flyerace Loc: Mt Pleasant, WI

As a 26 year veteran travel agent, my advice always included trip insurance for International vacation packages. A relative took the family to Jamaica, little boy fell terribly ill. Little one continued to fail and needed airlift to Miami Children's Hospital. Private plane $25,000. Covered by insurance. Little boy survived. I've had older people fall over tent ropes in the middle of the night and break hips and need emergency flights to other cities for medical help. Insurance helped a ton by paying. It can sometimes cost a bit, but emergencies in third world countries can cost a life. Purchasing insurance is a personal choice. You can always say yes/no, but you should always consider the option. And for those who think we make a ton off of the insurance, we didn't make much. Just a couple of dollars.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You mean they don't intentionally operate at a loss? :D

This was in reply to trader George.

Jackdoor Loc: Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

I couldn't agree more. It's pretty simple. If you can afford the potential loss, don't insure and don't fill the insurer's coffers. If -such as with medical insurance- you can't afford the loss, get PROPERLY insured. The only other consideration is how much you value peace of mind, and there's a broad spectrum of opinion there.

mslubner Loc: Redskin Ridge, Texas

The insurance we were offered by Amtrak was for delays. Because there is a lot of traffic on the rails and freight trains have the right of way, passenger trains are hardly ever on time. The insurance was for delays of more than 6 hours (I believe it was 6...). Seems reasonable that if you arrange for a rental car or for someone to pick you up or you have an appointment at the end of your trip, and your train is 6 or more hours late getting there, or you miss a connection because of a delay, that you be compensated. After all, if you were to arrive at 7 p.m. but delays got you there at 2 a.m., are you really going to have your friend or family wake up and come get you? I've been 4 hours late before...have yet to be an entire 6 hours late. My husband just took a US train tour and at one stop his connection was 4 hours late getting there. Thankfully it was the last leg of his journey.

tradergeorge Loc: Newport, Kentucky

What happened to your parents that allowed them to collect? If you lost one or more, I am very sorry for your loss....

But, notwithstanding individual anecdotes, it is still a bad buy for the overall population. The winner of a Lotto would be convinced that his ticket was an excellent investment. However, given the odds, overall it is practically like throwing your money away.

Again, I am extremely sorry for any loss you suffered that allowed you to collect on trip insurance.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

But that is the story with insurance - you are betting you are going to get sick/die/not be able to make your trip, and they are betting you won't. If you lose, you win, and if you win, you lose.

I find the security of knowing that thousands of dollars invested in an upcoming trip is insured is well worth the $150 or so cost of the insurance - and again - if you are overseas, air evacuation can easily cost over $25,000. These folks send a private jet, often with a nurse, and if necessary with a full ICU team. They expedite all customs and immigration paperwork needed. THAT is priceless if needed.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

Read the conditions on the ticket. If it is non refundable and anything unforeseen comes up he loses the cost of the ticket if it can't be transferred or sold. Then read the coverage on the insurance and it's cost. then decide.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

I'd call you wise.

bob44044 Loc: Ohio

Hands down, YES, it is well worth it. If you have to cancel you get your money back. If you get sick on your trip, they pay.

Cost small, benefit high.

Mary Kate Loc: NYC

We always buy trip insurance. Three years ago we along with friends were in Budapest getting ready for a 10-river cruise. That night we received a call my husbands mother (98) had passed away. He made one call to AMEX.the next dy on the same plne heading back to NYC. 0ur total loss was $400.00. Total cost was close to $20,000.00. that was for business class and cabin on board. Vriety of other charges. To me it was money well spent.
Did yiu know there are TWO cities. One is called Buda and on the other side of the river is Pest.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

So what you're saying is that you had Pest insurance? :)

marmot Loc: U.S., now South America

I've never purchased trip insurance, and my wife and I have traveled for nearly 7 years in 21 third world countries in Central/South America and Asia. Also, I've never lost any significant amount of money by not getting it. Yes, something could happen to cost us money, and we're certainly not rich (I'm a retired U.S. National Park ranger, my wife is younger & from Asia, and we don't get tons of bucks). Like all insurance, it's better to self insure, as the odds are that you won't need it.
Medical insurance is, of course different, as a major med problem could destroy our finances if we had to come up with U.S. med costs via a life flight back to U.S. But even though my Blue Cross does cover overseas, third world med costs are always, from my knowledge and actual experiences, only 10% or so of U.S. prices. Rabies shots in Thailand cost my wife $70 for the series of 5 (following a dog bite). My sister is a vet, and said that in the U.S. that series costs about $2500(!). And the vaccine is exactly the same (Rabipure from Switerland). Open heart surgery is also a few tens of thousands vs $350,000 or more in U.S. We honestly get ripped off in the U.S., and I'll argue with anyone who claims differently. Major cities in 3rd world areas often have equivalent quality of care for foreigners (my wife's Mom is an anaestiseolgy nurse in Bangkok. Her pay there is $15k vs about $150k in U.S.).
So that's my take on insurance.

tradergeorge Loc: Newport, Kentucky

I think we are talking about two different types of "trip insurance". I was referring to ther life insurance sold in airport kiosks. I think you are talking about Itinerary Insurance, ensuring a trip goes off as planned....I DO agree with that type, just NOT the type that insures you against plane crashes.