Travel Insurance

[MEL_Traveller]

Travel insurance and reward booking.

Does TI cover you for reward bookings. For example. If your connecting flight ( example QF Syd - Mel) was severely delayed/cancelled and as a result, you couldn't make it to your international flight ( Mel - DXB) does TI cover you for the loss of points ( for the Mel-DXB). ???

(PLEASE NOTE) Syd -Mel trip is not part of the international reward booking. It is me travelling to Mel ( using a commercial airlfare) for the purpose of redeeming my reward booking

This is one you’d want to check with the TI company.

Most TI’s *don’t* cover missed connections, unless for an ‘important event’ (such as you being a keynote speaker at a conference, or your attendance at some other event is required or that event couldn’t proceed… for example a family member’s wedding).

Some TIs do cover missed connections, but they usually have restrictions… such as you must be scheduled to arrive at the connecting airport no later than when check-in opens for the inward connecting flight. So SYD-MEL-SIN and check-in for the MEL-SYD opens four hours prior to departure, you’d need a flight scheduled to arrive in MEL four hours prior to the SIN departure.

In general I’d say it would be risky if flying with separate tickets to rely on TI in this instance to cover you, unless your policy explicitly states it does, and you meet the requirements.

(Of course if all on one ticket, it’s a moot point as the carrier would protect you with an onward flight, which would negate any insurance compensation.)

 

[RooFlyer]

Does TI cover you for reward bookings.

Agree with what MT said above, but, looking more broadly than your example, the TI polices I look at do have provision for compensation for a forfeited/missed Reward journey via a formula, same as for a revenue fare.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Agree with what MT said above, but, looking more broadly than your example, the TI polices I look at do have provision for compensation for a forfeited/missed Reward journey via a formula, same as for a revenue fare.

Agree. There’s a calculation for lost points… but you’d still have to have an eligible claim.

If the TI doesn’t cover missed connections it might not cover the loss of points for the onward flight. Although it might provide cover under some other section.

 

[JayTee]

This is one you’d want to check with the TI company.

Most TI’s *don’t* cover missed connections, unless for an ‘important event’ (such as you being a keynote speaker at a conference, or your attendance at some other event is required or that event couldn’t proceed… for example a family member’s wedding).

Some TIs do cover missed connections, but they usually have restrictions… such as you must be scheduled to arrive at the connecting airport no later than when check-in opens for the inward connecting flight. So SYD-MEL-SIN and check-in for the MEL-SYD opens four hours prior to departure, you’d need a flight scheduled to arrive in MEL four hours prior to the SIN departure.

In general I’d say it would be risky if flying with separate tickets to rely on TI in this instance to cover you, unless your policy explicitly states it does, and you meet the requirements.

(Of course if all on one ticket, it’s a moot point as the carrier would protect you with an onward flight, which would negate any insurance compensation.)

Thank you. Very good info you've provided!!!!.. It just sux that there is almost zero availability on reward redemption out of Sydney, yet other states have a few leftover and therefore, we have to make our our way to that state, separate to the award booking.. Do you know what I mean? Do you have any tips/suggestions to avoid the possible missed connection ( Our local airlines are obsessed with cancelling flights and I don't want their screw up to jeopardise my big flight)

 

[TheRealTMA]

Travel insurance and reward booking.

Does TI cover you for reward bookings. For example. If your connecting flight ( example QF Syd - Mel) was severely delayed/cancelled and as a result, you couldn't make it to your international flight ( Mel - DXB) does TI cover you for the loss of points ( for the Mel-DXB). ???

(PLEASE NOTE) Syd -Mel trip is not part of the international reward booking. It is me travelling to Mel ( using a commercial airlfare) for the purpose of redeeming my reward booking

Yes it “can” but depends on the company. Read the TI T&Cs.

 

[Gold Member]

Which TI’s offer coverage for missed connections (on separate tickets) whether both paid or by using points? I‘m keen to compare them for some upcoming travel plans which would otherwise require an overnight stay and add another day to the trip.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Which TI’s offer coverage for missed connections (on separate tickets) whether both paid or by using points? I‘m keen to compare them for some upcoming travel plans which would otherwise require an overnight stay and add another day to the trip.

Insure4less used to offer it… I have an email from them in 2015 confirming missed connections. They had the requirement to be at the connecting point in advance of checkin:

As you are aware we state that you must:​

a. plan to arrive at your departure point in advance of the carrier’s earliest scheduled check-in time​

​

Dunno if they still offer if. Worldnomads was another one.

There may be one or two others that have offer it now… that’s going back a while now since I bought the Insure4less policy! But it’s not common.

Insure4less also stated a claim for the missed connection must be due to an ‘insurable’ reason (covered under the policy).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thank you. Very good info you've provided!!!!.. It just sux that there is almost zero availability on reward redemption out of Sydney, yet other states have a few leftover and therefore, we have to make our our way to that state, separate to the award booking.. Do you know what I mean? Do you have any tips/suggestions to avoid the possible missed connection ( Our local airlines are obsessed with cancelling flights and I don't want their screw up to jeopardise my big flight)

Yup.Fly the night before if you think you need to. Or early in the day for an evening departure of the connecting flight. And have a back up plan (Rex is pretty good here usually having cheap fares right up until departure.)

 

[Oscarq]

Wondering if anyone has found any travel insurance policies further to those stated in this thread? Travelling this year to USA and Europe for 70 days, youthful 60 year olds in good health (a little hypertension). Currently looking at "Insure4less" and "Southern Cross". Amex CC is good but doesn't tick all the boxes for us.

 

[VPS]

Wondering if anyone has found any travel insurance policies further to those stated in this thread? Travelling this year to USA and Europe for 70 days, youthful 60 year olds in good health (a little hypertension). Currently looking at "Insure4less" and "Southern Cross". Amex CC is good but doesn't tick all the boxes for us.

I may have posted this earlier but I used COTA for a 4 month trip to USA and Europe starting last October

 

[Oscarq]

I may have posted this earlier but I used COTA for a 4 month trip to USA and Europe starting last October

Thank you @VPS will look closely at COTA

 

[karen blancfield]

If using points you have to have paid the taxes/fees on your Amex.



It vaires by state but in some US states now you wont be covered by insurance (even if purchased from the rental car company) unless you are driving on an interantional not an Aussie license. A fairly recent chnage and I believe Florida is one state enforcing this.

Oh thanks for that heads up. I need to check that out. Any idea where that info is, specific to Florida?

 

[karen blancfield]

There is nothing substandard about CC insurance per se. Its cover can sometimes be better than any paid policy.

The main thing is to read the PDS to see what you will be covered for, and how to activate the cover.

I use ANZ CC cover, it’s perfectly fine for the USA and covers hire car liability and excess, covers the loss of frequent flyer points, has unlimited medical, and if they agree to cover you pre-existing medical conditions the charge is just $75. (The standard ‘pre-existing’ conditions are covered for free, just like most policies).

I had to claim on ANZ insurance and the process couldn’t have been simpler, rapid response by the underwriter to the hospital, frequent check ups by the underwriter with the hospital and me to make sure everything was ok, and they even prepared the claim forms for me.

The only time I have needed to buy a policy was for my first trip after covid restrictions were lifted. ANZ wasn’t covering covid claims. They have since changed that.

I have no idea why people say CC insurance is not acceptable as a blanket rule.

Agree, brought home business class years ago on ANZ CC insurance, from USA, after a snapped Achilles required surgery. They were excellent.