Purchasing travel insurance for US trip, for the first time...

ProudDUB

Am doing a multi city trip to the US for 2 weeks over Xmas/New Year. I've decided to get insurance, in case Mother Nature (or anything else) decides to throw a spanner in the works. Am flying in via JFK ( :mad: ) and we all know what a hell hole that can be at normal times, never mind Xmas.

Anyone got suggestions of the best travel insurance companies to go with? I've never purchased travel insurance before, on this side to the pond.

Tour America (who I am booking the trip with) are offering a years worth of insurance for 79 quid, with Blue Insurance. Anyone ever used them? My car insurance company (Allianz) offer some pretty good deals too, but I've never had to claim with them, so have no idea what they are like to deal with.

The travel agent swears blind that the airline are responsible for paying for hotel rooms, if any flights are canceled due to bad weather. I know that EU based airlines must do that due to EU regulations, but I don't think that US ones are under the same obligations. When I lived there & had flights canceled due to bad weather, I was sometimes offered a $50 voucher towards accommodation, as a good will gesture, but they were not obliged to do so. That was eff all use if a)all the hotels are booked up due to so many flight being canceled b) hotels costing A LOT more than $50 due to it being Xmas. Hence my wanting my own insurance.

Thoughts?

BuffyBot

In the US, it's basically tough luck when it comes to hotel rooms.

My last travel insurance claim with via a policy I took out with AIG. The claim was pretty hassle free in the end.

That said many of the insurers outsource the claims handing to the same 3rd party company

ProudDUB

Yeah, that's what I was thinking re the canceled flights & hotels. You are pretty much on your own. It been years and years since I had one canceled due to weather, but that's deffo what I remember.

Do you mind my asking what the claim was for? Was it for a hotel room you had to book due to weather?

salmocab

Not positive on this but don't think travel insurance will cover anything that someone else is liable to cover e.g. airline or travel company. Also think that if you book with a travel agent for a trip then they are liable for any mishaps or extras incurred on things booked by them if they are members of the IATA. This was my understanding of these things but I could be way off and somebody may well correct me.

BuffyBot

ProudDUB wrote: »

Yeah, that's what I was thinking re the canceled flights & hotels. You are pretty much on your own. It been years and years since I had one canceled due to weather, but that's deffo what I remember.

Do you mind my asking what the claim was for? Was it for a hotel room you had to book due to weather?

In this case it was actually a medical expense.

ProudDUB

salmocab wrote: »

Not positive on this but don't think travel insurance will cover anything that someone else is liable to cover e.g. airline or travel company. Also think that if you book with a travel agent for a trip then they are liable for any mishaps or extras incurred on things booked by them if they are members of the IATA. This was my understanding of these things but I could be way off and somebody may well correct me.

Interesting. Thanks. This is my first time ever book a trip via a travel agent, so I'm a bit clueless as to what you do and don't get for your money. Four of the five US cities that I am going to are prone to very heavy snow falls, of the airport closing variety. I don't want to be the one on the hook for huge hotel bills, if I wind up being stuck somewhere unexpectidly.

InTheTrees

ProudDUB wrote: »

Four of the five US cities that I am going to are prone to very heavy snow falls, of the airport closing variety.

Exciting. Where are you going?

Usually with Hotels you pay when you leave and they dont charge you if you dont show up.

Juts dont pay in advance. And a travel agent shouldnt require you to do that. Although I haven't used one in many years.

Just a thought (and I get that you dont want the hassle or responsibility of booking it yourself) but give www.kayak.com a try and go to the "Multi city" option and you can put in complex trips and dates etc, it'll give you a good idea of price.