Visit Europe!

“Travel insurance did not save my life, but it did save me more than $4,000.” States Garry Marr of the Financial Post.

“Few people plan to get sick, but when I was hospitalized this past spring with an illness, I was set at ease by a decision I made after a chance conversation with an editor a few weeks before.My family and I were planning a major trip to visit my wife’s family in Europe. You can imagine the cost: Four people, four plane tickets and let me just say, kids do not fly free or get a discount these days.

“Throw in train tickets and hotel rooms that were all prepaid. Why prepay a hotel room? Ever try to book a room in Paris? It is 175 euro a night for the cockroach inn, so saving a little cash by prepaying seemed like a reasonable idea. All in all, this was one of those trips you only make every few years because of the cost. Not going would be bad enough, but losing all the cash could be devastating.”

Marr has life insurance, car insurance and home insurance. However not travel insurance. Travel agents always offer that up at the end when booking a trip, much the way they sell extended warranties at those big-box electronics shops. I don’t buy either, with the exception of extended warranties on breakable children’s toys.

When TD Meloche Monnex were enquired in regard to their Wide Horizons Solution plan, it was reported that for a little more than $100, a policy that included $5,000 for trip cancellation and extended out-of-country medical coverage for the family was on offer.

TD has been selling travel insurance for about 15 years, according to Henry Blumenthal, vice-president and chief underwriter with TD Meloche Monnex. It is offered as an add-on to customers who already have auto insurance or home insurance.

“The main reason you would buy a travel insurance policy is for medical expenses,” says Mr. Blumenthal.

Some people may think they are covered through their workplace policy, but they should read the fine print. Exclusions can include such things as pre-existing conditions.

Mr. Blumenthal’s plan does provide coverage for preexisting conditions if your condition is stable. He suggests checking first with TD Meloche Monnex to see if your particular situation is covered before you take the trip.

The main competition for companies like TD Meloche Monnex offering travel insurance, which you can buy after you book your trip, comes from policies offered by travel agents at the time of sale.

“Why would you want to take five minutes at the end of planning your trip to negotiate your insurance,” Mr. Blumenthal asks.

“[Travel agent policies] are not all bad but you have to look at the price.”

The basic rate for his company’s policy is $110 for the whole year and covers any trip under 60 days as often as you travel, while a competing travel agent offered their travel insurance cover for about $75 per person for the one trip.

So how is it so much cheaper?

“We are a group insurer and we can offer a better rate. These are our own customers [so the risk is lower],” says Mr. Blumenthal, who adds people should shop around.

‘The purchase of travel insurance was a wise one. I had to cancel my trip due to my illness.’ Warns Marr.