Best tavel insurance company???

[mickyyyy]

Hi All,

In your expirience who is a good travel insurance company to go with? im heading to europe if that helps...


Regards

Mickyyyy

[Shonky.]

http://www.canstar.com.au/travel-insurance/

[casabonka]

I wouldn't use travel insurance direct.
Flight back from fiji was cancelled by jet star, had to purchase a more expensive flight back with virgin expecting the difference to be covered by tid. Wrong!
It wasn't that they didn't pay up, just very rude to deal with.

The icing on the cake was an email from the customer service manager afterwards to make sure I was happy with the outcome, I responded with what happened and didn't even be a response!

/rant

[Yellow_Festiva]

I have used TID and have found their policies very good value. They also give return customers 10% off deals every now and again. Never had to make a claim with them yet.

Keep WELL AWAY from 1cover. It took months to claim $220 on a policy that cost me around $800...

I guess they are all good to take money, but crap to pay out. Having said that, when I called 1cover all I ever got were English backpackers who had nfi about the product whereas the phone manner of the tid staff is aways professional.

AAMI has pretty good policies as well and are a well known company. Used them a few times.

[Sorted]

Any company that uses Allianz as the insurer
Racv are usually very competitive and they also use Allianz as the insurer.

The word is competitive - if the word was cheap then expect cheap cover

And if you have already booked the tickets arrange Travel Insurance ASAP as if something happens to you and you can't travel then the insurance will cover your expenses

[mickyyyy]

Thanks for the promt responces guys

[scorpio39]

A friend of mine, who always obtains 3 quotes for a haircut.
Swears by Medicare or Medibank, I can't recall which.
He reckons their quality and cover can't be beaten on price.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by scorpio39

A friend of mine, who always obtains 3 quotes for a haircut.
Swears by Medicare or Medibank, I can't recall which.
He reckons their quality and cover can't be beaten on price.

I recall quoting through my health insurance and the price was more than double the online mobs....

Also, whatever company you use, search for reviews from past customers.

When I returned from my trip and got very stuffed around with 1cover I wrote a scathing review of their service and procedures... this would have been some time in late 2006 / early 07.

A few years ago, 1cover started a large advertising blitz, mostly radio. I got an email from the review site asking me to 'please explain and verify' my review. I did, and offered proof if needed (they didn't want it) and my bad review stays and is probably still there, along with countless other bad reviews that were similar to mine. Seems they were trying to clean the net of as much bad info on them as possible before expanding.

The same site has double the reviews for TID, mostly very positive....

If you travel, look into what costs they allow for cameras / laptops. The lower priced mobs will only pay a maximum of say $500... which is useless on a 2grand laptop or SLR.

Read the PDS / fineprint!

[Miss_XR6]

Covermore and Suresave are good and prob the 2 most comprehensive which cover alot of things

Shop around though depending on what you are wanting to be covered with

[Yellow_Festiva]

Covermore is the mob that Flight Centre use if I'm not mistaken. They will also price match online quotes as they have a bit of fat in the price. Most people who ask to get insurance bundled into their holiday package rarely worry or do their own investigations on what the insurance costs alone.

This thread reminded me to get travel insurance for my dads next trip in a few weeks. I hopped on TID's site to get a quote and read their PDS to get clarification on existing medical conditions.

I sent an email to their customer service people at 12:08 and got a detailed personal reply in 9 minutes from a guy in Sydney that directly answered the question and cited the relevant clauses from the PDS.

If only banks and phone companies were as prompt! Often email is the easiest / cheapest option for a traveller. Unfortunately they cannot offer the cover he needs, or would have certainly gone with them.

Don't work for them either before anyone asks.. but good wrap for outstanding customer service when it's warranted!

[mcnews]

I am away a fair bit, 99% of the time only in Australia, but still I take out yearly cover with this mob - http://www.1cover.com.au/ - I take out a full year thus when more than 150km from home at any point I am covered. They are underwritten by Allianz.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by mcnews

I am away a fair bit, 99% of the time only in Australia, but still I take out yearly cover with this mob - http://www.1cover.com.au/ - I take out a full year thus when more than 150km from home at any point I am covered. They are underwritten by Allianz.

Just curious if you have ever needed to make a claim in the past with 1cover?

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Just curious if you have ever needed to make a claim in the past with 1cover?

No I haven't. I nearly did in regards to a video camera that was damaged but they asked for repair quotes etc. and with a quote costing $100, and a $100 excess I just didn't bother. I would have expected it just to be replaced. If you have had bad dealings please explain the full story rather than tidbits. I compared their benefit limits etc. via a Choice review, but would change companies next renewal if something better out there.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by mcnews

No I haven't. I nearly did in regards to a video camera that was damaged but they asked for repair quotes etc. and with a quote costing $100, and a $100 excess I just didn't bother. I would have expected it just to be replaced. If you have had bad dealings please explain the full story rather than tidbits. I compared their benefit limits etc. via a Choice review, but would change companies next renewal if something better out there.

PM sent

[Miss_XR6]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Covermore is the mob that Flight Centre use if I'm not mistaken. They will also price match online quotes as they have a bit of fat in the price. Most people who ask to get insurance bundled into their holiday package rarely worry or do their own investigations on what the insurance costs alone.

This thread reminded me to get travel insurance for my dads next trip in a few weeks. I hopped on TID's site to get a quote and read their PDS to get clarification on existing medical conditions.

I sent an email to their customer service people at 12:08 and got a detailed personal reply in 9 minutes from a guy in Sydney that directly answered the question and cited the relevant clauses from the PDS.

If only banks and phone companies were as prompt! Often email is the easiest / cheapest option for a traveller. Unfortunately they cannot offer the cover he needs, or would have certainly gone with them.

Don't work for them either before anyone asks.. but good wrap for outstanding customer service when it's warranted!

Travel Agents use a wide variety of insurance mobs from Covermore, Suresave, QBE as trade trade insurance is sometimes cheaper then the consumer getting it themselves all depends on what sort of cover your after and any pre existing ect

TID is underwritten by Allianz

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Miss_XR6

Travel Agents use a wide variety of insurance mobs from Covermore, Suresave, QBE as trade trade insurance is sometimes cheaper then the consumer getting it themselves all depends on what sort of cover your after and any pre existing ect

TID is underwritten by Allianz

My good friend is a Flight Centre manager and only uses Covermore, she also help me with the price matching / trade discounts as well ;)

My dad is spending 2 months overseas and she has been helping me with insurance on his "pre-existing medical conditions"... I think Covermore will get our business as they have good provisions for older travellers.

[Peuty]

Worldcare.

End thread.

[sgt_doofey]

Check with your bank or health insurance provider. They usually offer discounts to their own members on travel insurance products.

[Till_Lind]

I used Nomad when I was in Germany, remember it being good value.

[mickyyyy]

Hi All,

If you end up in hospital do you pay for the bill out of your own pocket then claim with the insurance company you have cover with???

[Hally]

Micky,

The key with travel insurance is to have the emergency assistance provider details to hand, especially in terms of hospitalisation. Typically an emergency assistance provider can provide hospitals a letter of guarantee on behalf of the insurance company, which means they will bill direct. In limited circumstances you may have to pay on your credit card and claim on return.

Cheers,

Andrew

[mickyyyy]

I'll make some phone calls and find out how they work...