Tsunami Trip? Buy Extra Insurance
Senior tourists Should Buy Add-ons to Basic Policy
The tsunami that hit the Solomons shows why mature travelers need extra coverage for medical costs and evacuations when buying trip insurance on adventures and vacations
The disaster that hit the Solomon Islands should be a warning to baby boomers and senior tourists of AARP age (over 50) that it's a good idea to buy more than trip cancellation insurance when planning adventure travel to exotic places that could experience weather disasters.
Trip cancellation insurance, according to a broker who deals with Chubb and other insurance companies, only covers the cost of trips themselves, and may include deductibles. Those who have comprehensive homeowners insurance may be automatically covered for some baggage. However, everyone, especially mature travelers, should ask for quotes on stand-alone travel insurance policies or riders from an insurance company that cover such elements as replacement medications, emergency evacuations, emergency medical costs, and even accidental death.
One Website that offers quotes on stand-alone additions to trip insurance is travelinsured.com. For a couple ages 66 and 60, the "Worldwide Trip Protector Comprehensive T3000" policy offered by Arch Insurance Group quotes a price of $222 per person to cover up to 150 percent of the cost of a trip that is interrupted, plus $1,000 for baggage and personal effects, plus $500,000 for emergency evacuation and reparation of remains. It would cost an additional $25 per person for $50,000 in optional emergency accident and sickness medical costs, and $10,000 for accidental death.
Many travelers simply buy the least expensive trip insurance, which might only come into play if your trip is cancelled by the booking company. Some comprehensive trip insurance policies even cover baggage that is delayed for 24 hours in reaching you, as well as lost medication. In some cases, if your passport or medications are lost, special trip insurance might reimburse your costs to replace the medication and provides assistance in getting prescription replacements and in retrieving lost baggage.
Even people who are not embarking on adventure travel should investigate the cost of comprehensive trip insurance. "Worldwide Trip Protector's" trip delay benefits can provide an insured up to $150 per day in meal or lodging expenses, or prepaid, unused land or water accommodations, if the trip is delayed for six or more hours due to a carrier-caused delay including bad weather," according to Travelinsured.com. It cited the hundreds of cancelled flights and more than 1,000 passengers stranded overnight at O'Hare International Airport during the storm of February 25th and 26th.
Before departing, it is wise to consult a trusted insurance professional about what to buy and what coverage might be needed. Ask if the policy offered covers natural disasters that occur while you are visiting a remote area, find out what the deductible is, and get a list of what aspects of your trip are included in comprehensive plans.
