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Travel Insured International vs Travel Guard


SusieKay
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Trying to compare Travel Insured World Wide Trip Protector Plus with Travel Guard Platinum. We are within the window for both for the pre-existing condition waiver.

 

Minimal price difference, though TI appears to offer slightly better coverage.

 

Comments please from anyone who has used either company re: ease of phone response and/or filing a claim.

How would you rate your level of satisfaction?

 

Thank you

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Forums mobile app

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Trying to compare Travel Insured World Wide Trip Protector Plus with Travel Guard Platinum. We are within the window for both for the pre-existing condition waiver.

 

Minimal price difference, though TI appears to offer slightly better coverage.

 

Comments please from anyone who has used either company re: ease of phone response and/or filing a claim.

How would you rate your level of satisfaction?

 

Thank you

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Forums mobile app

 

We have no experience with Travel Guard, so we can't "compare" the two companies.

 

However, we have considerable experience with Travel Insured, and we have nothing but very positive comments.

 

We've had quite a few policies, and also several claims, two of them large.

Each claim was paid, without any untoward delays or excuses.

They do require all of the proper documentation, which is certainly fair enough. They should indeed verify that the claims are legit, etc.

 

In each case, we found out rather quickly that the claim was approved, and we received the check promptly.

 

Because we always make sure that we get that important waiver of the exclusion of pre-existing conditions, we suspect this might speed up the process for medical-related claims, which most of ours were. (One other was when a flight was just "cancelled" and we had to take a flight home the next day.)

We suspect (don't know with any certainty) that having that waiver could speed up the claims process, as there is no need for the insurer to comb through recent medical records to determine if there was any related pre-existing condition, etc. It just wouldn't matter, with the waiver.

 

By the way, we also get MedJetAssist. And one time, when I was in hospital overseas, and seemingly getting worse, not better, we came VERY close to calling them to "take us home to *our* hospital". Fortunately, at just about that time, I turned the corner, and several days later, we were able to continue on the very last part of our trip, albeit in a very modified, "easy" fashion.

 

ETA: We found it much better to communicate by email than phone. (That also leaves a "record", just in case it might be needed...)

 

GC

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I have used Travel Guard for several cruises, have a few claims, and all were paid quickly without hassles. I have purchased Travel Insured International for the first time to cover my next 3 cruises. My reason for doing so was because of my frustration in trying to contact them on the 3 1-800 numbers I have for them. (My longest hold time was 45 minutes! Yes, I am a patient person.) I needed to buy my insurance in order to have the waiver for pre-existing conditions and was running out of time to do so. I e-mailed their Customer Service Center and did receive a reply but only after I had purchased Travel Insured. Their excuse was that the Company was expanding and more agents were in training but not yet ready to take calls. We exchanged a few e-mails and I did receive a personal call from one of the Supervisors who apologized.

 

My comparison between the two Companies's policies made me satisfied in buying Travel Insured. Plus, before doing so, I posted on this Message Board a query about others experiences and was quite pleased with what I read.

 

For my next travel policy, I will again try to use Travel Guard, but I will expect prompt answering and completion of my phone calls. If that does not happen, they will loose my business again.

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I have used Travel Guard for several cruises, have a few claims, and all were paid quickly without hassles. I have purchased Travel Insured International for the first time to cover my next 3 cruises. My reason for doing so was because of my frustration in trying to contact them on the 3 1-800 numbers I have for them. (My longest hold time was 45 minutes! Yes, I am a patient person.) I needed to buy my insurance in order to have the waiver for pre-existing conditions and was running out of time to do so. I e-mailed their Customer Service Center and did receive a reply but only after I had purchased Travel Insured. Their excuse was that the Company was expanding and more agents were in training but not yet ready to take calls. We exchanged a few e-mails and I did receive a personal call from one of the Supervisors who apologized.

 

My comparison between the two Companies's policies made me satisfied in buying Travel Insured. Plus, before doing so, I posted on this Message Board a query about others experiences and was quite pleased with what I read.

 

For my next travel policy, I will again try to use Travel Guard, but I will expect prompt answering and completion of my phone calls. If that does not happen, they will loose my business again.

 

I wouldn't put up with that, while trying to *purchase* something.

Think what the so-called "[non]response time" would be when instead of trying to give them money, you might be trying to collect from them while they are "expanding".

 

Also, you might try using a travel insurance broker such as

www.TripInsuranceStore.com (at least they answer the phone,, almost always,*or* call back very promptly). The insurer pays the commission, not the traveler.

Also, they can discuss other insurance options, in case that might be relevant.

 

GC

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I wouldn't put up with that, while trying to *purchase* something.

Think what the so-called "[non]response time" would be when instead of trying to give them money, you might be trying to collect from them while they are "expanding".

 

Also, you might try using a travel insurance broker such as

www.TripInsuranceStore.com (at least they answer the phone,, almost always,*or* call back very promptly). The insurer pays the commission, not the traveler.

Also, they can discuss other insurance options, in case that might be relevant.

 

GC

 

Don't disagree with your comments, but my previous satisfaction with Travel Guard exceeded my desire to try a new Company.

 

I'll see what my experience is when I need to purchase another travel insurance policy.

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We've purchased Travel Insured through their USAA desk a number of times. Had a medical claim a couple of years ago, in 2016. We had NOT bought it up to primary coverage. So, had to submit everything to our regular health insurance first, then submit the EOBs along with proof of paid bills to Travel Insured. Once I finally had all the bills, I scanned them in and submitted them. We had our reimbursement in about 2 weeks for the full amount.

 

This included a rental car. After visiting the doctor on board, he advised us to be seen in a Florida ER prior to flying home, to be sure we wouldn't have an issue in the air. So, we needed a way to get from the ship to the hospital, plus a place to keep our bags while in the ER. I rented a car. I submitted the receipt for the rental car along with a short letter explaining my thought process, and they included that cost in the reimbursement.

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Thanks so much everyone. Your comments and advice has been very helpful. I think we will go with Travel Insured this trip.

Happy Cruising [emoji41]

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Forums mobile app

 

You might want to get it through TripInsuranceStore.

 

On the off chance that you have a claim, and there is any confusion/difficulty, they'll run interference.

 

Our second large claim with them was when I was in hospital overseas. After I was able to stay back at the hotel (where we had *not* planned to be by then), I emailed Steve.

I was concerned that there were some unusual (to us, anyway) circumstances, and I wasn't sure it would be covered.

He contacted Travel Insured, and promptly emailed back to me to explain exactly which clauses of our policy *would* cover our expenses. That was very reassuring, and good to know right at the time.

 

In retrospect, we should have realized it would all be covered, but there was one specific reason why we weren't so sure, or at least, not about all of the expenses. We've since learned a lot more, mostly by asking questions prior to several trips, along the lines of "what if this, what if that"... add also from reading a lot here on CC, no surprise.

 

And that's where we first learned about TIS, right here on CruiseCritic, only a few months earlier. It turned out that our largest claim (to date, and hopefully forever!) was the very first time we took out travel insurance. It wouldn't have occurred to us without reading about it here, and it was our first "pricey" trip. It was incredibly nice, as we dealt with the medical problems for a few months, to know that we'd be getting our money back, and we wouldn't have to "pay again" to take that cancelled trip. (We were too stressed by the medical situation to deal with the insurance at first.)

 

The important thing is *documentation*.

AND -->> if it is for a medical reason, make SURE that you are *seen* by a physician promptly, "at the time", someone who can certify your <need, such as cancelling the trip, or changing plans once away, etc.>

 

The other optional things are primary coverage, which makes the submission for any medical costs much easier. And then the waiver of the exclusion of pre-existing conditions. We really think that helped speed up the processing, although we can't be sure.

(In both major medical situations, we don't think there were any related PEC, but we wouldn't be surprised if the insurer would want to double check, *IF* we didn't have that waiver.)

 

GC

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How does the coverage from Travel Guard or the other insurers compare to what coverage comes with the credit cards? I can use either a Chase Sapphire or the Costco Citi Visa to pay for my trips and wonder if getting extra insurance is worth it?

 

One very important thing to check is whether "pre-existing medical conditions" are included (be it for medical care while traveling, or for cancellation due to illness from such).

 

Also, will there be any traveling dates that aren't "paid for" by the charge card?

Those might not be included, such that if there is an accident driving to the airport, would any subsequent costs (including if the trip was cancelled) be covered?

 

We don't use that type of travel insurance, but others here do, so they may have more comments about pros/cons.

 

GC

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How does the coverage from Travel Guard or the other insurers compare to what coverage comes with the credit cards? I can use either a Chase Sapphire or the Costco Citi Visa to pay for my trips and wonder if getting extra insurance is worth it?

Please read the new changes associated with many Chase cards beginning June 1, 2018. For Chase Explorer (UA) card:

 

Your travel and purchase protection benefits are changing as follows:• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance is changing. You can be reimbursed for up to $1,500 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, if your trip is cancelled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations.• Price Protection and Return Protection will no longer be available.

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Please read the new changes associated with many Chase cards beginning June 1, 2018. For Chase Explorer (UA) card:

 

Your travel and purchase protection benefits are changing as follows:• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance is changing. You can be reimbursed for up to $1,500 per trip for your pre-paid, non-refundable passenger fares, if your trip is cancelled or cut short by sickness, severe weather and other covered situations.• Price Protection and Return Protection will no longer be available.

 

Didn't these charge card policies (or some of them) have *much* better coverage... higher limits?

If so, I'm guessing this means they had a lot more claims, and higher totals, than they were expecting when they first came out with this perk.

 

??

 

GC

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks to all this information I have opened up a new policy through USAA for a lot cheaper and better coverage. NCL only offered $25,000 for medical evacuation and I know it is very expensive just here in the US. NCL sells their insurance by stating that you may cancel for any reason, anytime. Thanks all and Best Regards.

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