When to buy a policy?

[kinkacruiser]

We cruise and always need to fly to Australian or overseas ports. We book cruises 12-14 months ahead and flights at 10 months. I have been told by travel agents that you should buy a travel insurance policy before booking flights. Some companies will not let you buy a policy beyond a certain time frame. For pre-existing policies, the purchase time is even closer to departure time.

Does it really matter if you buy a policy 1 month or 12 months before travel, especially that the policy only covers the period of travel?

When do most people buy a travel insurance policy?

 

[Major]

If you travel several times a year have you considered an annual policy ? We use Travel Insurance from $21: Travel Insurance Direct Australia

 

[blackcat20]

You should organise your travel insurance once you've started forking out large sums of money ie. flights or cruises. That way if something happens to you between now and your trip (serious illness etc), you are covered in the event that you are not able to take your trip.

 

[Hvr]

You should organise your travel insurance once you've started forking out large sums of money ie. flights or cruises. That way if something happens to you between now and your trip (serious illness etc), you are covered in the event that you are not able to take your trip.

Agree with blackcat20, another thing to consider is that say, you're flying to an area where there is a volcanic eruption a month before you're due to fly and all flights are cancelled for two months. (Hypothetical but you get the picture).

If you have travel insurance that was purchased before the eruption then you're covered for all of those non-refundable expenses. If you wait until after the eruption then you are not covered, nor will you be covered if it causes even more delays whilst you're away.

 

[Natalie_B]

As blackcat said, you should organise your insurance as soon as you've booked. Speaking from experience, you never know what is around the corner, and the impact it may have on your plans. My parents were planning to travel overseas, and my father was diagnosed with cancer 6 weeks before they were scheduled to depart. They cancelled their trip and were reimbursed 99% of the cost of their trip. If they hadnt arranged insurance when they had booked, they wouldnt have seen any of that money back.

I booked flights on Saturday for end July, and I'm looking to have my insurance sorted in the next two days.

 

[travelislife]

We cruise and always need to fly to Australian or overseas ports. We book cruises 12-14 months ahead and flights at 10 months. I have been told by travel agents that you should buy a travel insurance policy before booking flights. Some companies will not let you buy a policy beyond a certain time frame. For pre-existing policies, the purchase time is even closer to departure time.

Does it really matter if you buy a policy 1 month or 12 months before travel, especially that the policy only covers the period of travel?

When do most people buy a travel insurance policy?

This statement (my bolding) isn't correct as people have pointed out. When you buy a travel insurance policy you are covered from the day you buy the policy for cancellation costs if there is anything unforeseen that occurs and prevents or delays you from travelling. Would be nice to get the x thousands you have spent on your holiday back if you couldn't go due to breaking a leg or getting sick.

 

[trooper]

Which is why the TID insurance I get has one feature I don't like.. One can ONLY buy the Annual policy within 30 days of departing on the first trip of the intended 12 month coverage... so much for buying it as soon as you start committing funds!!

 

[Pushka]

For our trip in a couple of months time, we purchased Insurance as soon as we made bookings. Something else to think about, if a condition develops during that period, if you haven't taken out insurance prior, then you are not covered for it. We take out annual policies. And our last one was with TID, which was 10 months before we travelled. So not sure what issue you are thinking of trooper.

And our next trip is a flight and cruise too!

 

[DeKa]

Which is why the TID insurance I get has one feature I don't like.. One can ONLY buy the Annual policy within 30 days of departing on the first trip of the intended 12 month coverage... so much for buying it as soon as you start committing funds!!

That must be something which came in when they switched to Lloyds. I must try to find my old PDS.

 

[DC3]

That must be something which came in when they switched to Lloyds. I must try to find my old PDS.

That sounds ominous. I've used TID before and was planning to do so again soon. I hope that this part hasn't changed.

 

[trooper]

Unless I'm doing something wrong! When you select the Annual option it asks when the departure date of the first trip is... if you are more than 30 days out it won't let you proceed.. Now I suppose you could put in ANY date... but then your year of cover is based on THAT date...

I have had a Annual policy with them before... some years ago.. and I don't remember this requirement back then.

I fly out in May.. and have just now been able to sign up for the annual policy...

 

[DeKa]

That must be something which came in when they switched to Lloyds. I must try to find my old PDS.

I found the old Allianz PDS. There is no reference to this 30 day thing. I am so pleased I'm covered through to Jan 2013, but I'll be looking elsewhere in 2013.