What's your golden travel rule?

[RooFlyer]

But I tend to get my policy as soon as I have to part with any significant amount of non-refundable payments i.e. expensive airfares or tours - this is usually more than a week before departure.

Which is why of course that its more expensive to buy a long way out - more chance of a cancellable event.

I got my TA to price a policy 12mo, 6mo and a week out from a departure date. Abt 25% difference in premium. I too buy early, as my general heath makes that prudent.

 

[Aeryn]

And I save about 25% by buying separate polices for each trip. As the one trip to USA/Africa/Latin America will be disproportionately expensive compared with the other trips to NZ, Asia or Europe.

But then I dont have any preexisting conditions and have also found different insurers offer better pricing for different destinations. So it may be best to user insurer A for a weekend in NZ, but insurer B has better pricing for a month in the USA.

 

[RSD]

Amen - as long as you drop them a note from time to time.

Yes - their expectations were much lower before mobile phones and email etc came into being The occasional phone call home while doing my Cairo to Calcutta overland trip was enough back then "Hi Mum - I've just arrived in Tehran"

 

[RSD]

I usually know my travel plans 12 months ahead, but whenever i have looked at an annual policy it has always been hugely more expensive than buying separate policies for each trip.

Mostly because at least one trip each year is to USA/Africa/Latin America, so having coverage for those for a whole year drives the cost right up.

I get my annual policy through TID and the only places that require extra are the USA and either Tibet or Nepal - one of those but I can't remember which one - and I don't see myself ever visiting Tibet or Nepal - and can't see the USA happening for the next 3.5 years.

 

[AuSammy]

4) tell relatives the barest details of your travel plans so as you don't worry them

Interesting.

I produce a spreadsheet for myself and +1 which has a very detailed itinerary including all the info for our trip including all flight bookings, hotels etc which we take with us while away.

I forward a copy to my daughter who is my “nominated contact”. Its there if she needs it or I need her to help me when overseas, but as far as I am aware she has never opened them in the last 15-20yrs of travelling. It comforts her that she has it there “just in case”.

 

[RooFlyer]

My travel agent knows where I am at any day or night - I share my full TripIt itinerary with them.

 

[AuSammy]

My travel agent knows where I am at any day or night - I share my full TripIt itinerary with them.

I use Tripit for flights as well.

However very rarely use a travel agent and do all my own bookings (CR for international travel wherever possible)

 

[drron]

Amen - as long as you drop them a note from time to time.

And not have DFAT let your son know you are in Jail.

 

[RSD]

And not have DFAT let your son know you are in Jail.

Have managed to avoid jail so far - closest was when I get held in MIA about 30 years ago after I was allowed to board a flight from GCM-MIA with a connection in MIA to LHR - without a U.S. visa - I had flown LGW-GCM nonstop so had no idea that I needed a U.S. visa to transit through MIA - I would have thought that the travel agent in Grand Cayman that sold me the GCM-MIA-LHR ticket would have checked that but apparently not...

I did once have DFAT contact me after my parents hadn't heard from me for about 8 weeks which caused them to contact DFAT. I must say that DFAT's tracking me down was pretty impressive as I was on a boat in the Red Sea when they managed to contact me via someone via marine radio.