Moondoggie Loc: Southern California

In the past five years I’ve started buying the insurance. When the pandemic broke out, we had just landed in Israel. They canceled our trip and we got all our money back!

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

It's insurance - if you win (have a great trip without problems) you lose! If you lose - and have problems - you win....

In these uncertain times there is probably more chance than ever of something going wrong - someone going out of business, etc. You could simply be out of luck in ever getting reimbursed.

In addition, the insurance will cover the plane carrying you back to Johannesburg after you get bit by the lion. If necessary, it will fly you back to the US for medical care.

I had a patient whose best friend suffered a serious back injury in Costa Rica. He asked me to help arrange medical evacuation for his friend who did not have travel insurance (I was doing a lot of travel medicine consulting back then). The medical transport company was happy to help out - one main criteria being that he had a credit card with $25,000 available credit on it.

The travel insurance companies will also help with arrangement and paperwork to get your remains returned should you die overseas.

Also - be aware that Medicare does not pay for medical care when you are out of the country. Several of the Medicare Supplement plans (Plan F, for example) will cover 80% medical care costs incurred overseas.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Previously I couldn't remember the insurance company, however . . . .
Allianz is the company.
Allianz

wakeupnfly Loc: wyandotte, Mi

Well worth it. I purchase it for every trip. It has been used twice. Once due to medical issues, and once for my mother. We stopped for dinner on the way to the airport, she tripped on a uneven sidewalk and broke her arm!

ksmmike

Check with your credit card. If I paid for my trip with my credit card, it included trip insurance. Three weeks before traveling a few years ago, I had heart surgery and Viking refused to allow me to move the trip back and kept the entire amount paid for the trip. My credit card paid me back with the trip insurance. I always use that credit card now for the insurance and for loyalty since they bailed me out in the past.
Mike

Bullfrog Bill Loc: CT

Be sure to compare the terms of the evacuation portion of the policies. If you have a serious problem, you want to be transported to Europe or US.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

That’s a decent rate, I’m thinking. My wife and I get insurance for all foreign travel. Expect to pay about 10% of the trip cost, so your quote, as long as comprehensive coverage, is quite good. Want to compare other packages? Go to www.insuremytrip.com

Nancysc

Be sure to get "all cause" trip interruption. It may be a rider on a regular policy. I was in Morocco when Covid in 2020 closed the country. I had to pay a huge amount for an Air France charter to Paris and then Delta to the US. My so-called insurance would not cover "pandemic" even though the pandemic was not declared until after I was on the trip. They also offered a rider for pandemic-caused trip interruption, but not until after I had started the trip and did not see the email. Still want to return to Morocco to finish the itinerary. The travel company is offering the one week's fee (it was a two week trip and interrupted at exactly one week) applied to any of their trips until 2023.

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

Get it. Accidents happen, and medical care costs a fortune. You’re no “spring chicken.”
Enjoy your trip!

tovie

Medicare does not cover medical costs outside of USA. Buy the insurance.

djet Loc: Burbank, CA

I agree that you should purchase travel insurance. This is the web site that I always use. tripinsurancestore dot com.
It provides plenty of information and you can easily talk to a live person willing to help you. You don't pay any more by using this web site . You're still purchasing directly from the company. The difference is you're purchasing from a company that will stand behind their product.

Larelain Loc: Myrtle Beach, SC

If you have Medicare Supplement Plan G or F it has some coverage for hospital coverage overseas, but check it out don't take my word for it. In the past I have purchased travel insurance and I am trying to decide what to do. Have not made up my mind. I am in good health and 75 years old and my wife is 76, but you never know what might happen.

hj Loc: Florida

Just saw where Egypt has moved to LEVEL 4 for Covid (high risk). You will want the insurance.

Xmsmn Loc: Minnesota

Hands down, buy it, have a fantastic trip.
Mark

GregS Loc: Central Illinois, USA

I would ABSOLUTELY buy the insurance. We live in Illinois and winter in Florida each year in a rented condo...same one each year. I always buy the insurance and have used it once. Only delayed a week, but the week was covered and was worth it.
Too many problems can occur. We had a friend that was on a cruise, had a heart attack. Had to be helo'd off the ship and stayed in a foreign hospital a week. Thousands of dollars. Thank goodness he had trip insurance.
One thing you want to check on; most will not cover in case of War or a Pandemic. So Covid delay might not be covered.
Good luck and enjoy your trip.