Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

To buy or not to buy that is the question when it comes to travel insurance. One consideration is the cost of the policy which is generally based on the cost of the vacation. For example, in my research for this blog, I checked 24 travel insurance companies for a trip that cost $2,000 to the Caribbean. Cost of the travel insurance was $28 to $498! Quite price gap.

For many people they make the assumption that their health insurance will cover them where ever they are. This is not always the case. Your US policy is at times limited to the US. There is also medical evacuation to consider. What if you get sick and can not go on the trip? What about a sudden need for surgery, such as appendicitis?

I have been on several cruises and witnessed folks being medically evacuated. On one cruise it was a member from our group that had a heart attack and was evacuated to Texas where he had open heart by-pass surgery. He was in Texas several weeks. He lives in Maine. Not something he planned on, thankfully he did recover completely.

As for me, I booked a trip to sail on Carnival Cruise Lines over a year in advance of the trip. Thankfully, I decided to purchase the $75 insurance policy. One of the reasons I did was I had seen the member of my group medically evacuated. Little did I know that when time came for the cruise I would be unable to sail. I had bronchitis, double ear infection and a horrible sinus infection. I had been to my primary doctor and several specialists all who instructed me not to travel and agreed to complete the medical paperwork for the insurance company. I called the cruise company, Carnival, and cancelled my trip with in the specified time. I called the insurance company, Berkley Care, and notified them of my need to cancel the cruise in the specified time. The insurance company sent me the forms I completed them in the specified time. I called and followed up and I received three payments that covered my cruise and airfare.

Be sure you know what benefits are and are not included. For example, trip cancellation, medical evacuation, lost baggage, rental car coverage, accidental death benefit, cancellation for family member funeral, pregnancy or trip interruptions are some considerations. Baggage lost, delayed, or stolen. Know the time limits for notifying the insurance company which can be 24 to 72 hours generally. Read the policy before you go on your trip, and take the policy with you as it includes the phone numbers you may need. If you cancel because of illness you must be examined by a physician and he must sign the necessary paperwork

As with any type of insurance you do have to meet deadlines for timely filing and notification. However, I found the process rather easy and definitely worth having. For me travel insurance is always something I never leave home without!

Ireland

Wow, talk about Green! I always heard how green Ireland is but the shades of green are spectacular and varied! A recent visit to Ireland to Ireland included Kilkenny, Killarney and Kinsale. Ireland is rather shaped like a plate in that it is flat in the center and mountains surround the edges. Farming in the number one industry and the green pastures offer constant proof. Approximately 10% of the population is employed in farming. There is a current population of 4.6 million people, 8 million sheep and 6 million cattle.

Ireland is made up of Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland in the south. My recent visit was to The Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of Great Britain and in The Republic of Ireland where I was it is a sovereign nation of The Republic of Ireland. The monetary system is the Euro. One of the reasons that it was so easy to travel around Ireland is the vast majority of Ireland speaks English as their primary language.

Folks always ask about the weather - There is a saying, "Don't come to Ireland for the weather." ed rain in all four seasons! I found several t-shirts that commented on the weather - most involv I found Ireland to be very pleasant mild and as expected to be so green there is some rain. There was also some mist rain and sunshine. Historically it is 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. The weather can change quickly turning from mist to rain followed by bright sunshine and back to rain all in a day. The weather is due to the effects of the gulf stream on the island and as with most islands the weather changes quickly. I was there in October and found it to be quite lovely and wore a sweater most evenings and some days.

When traveling from the US stay awake the day you arrive and try to go to bed at 9 PM or later local time to help your body adjust. Just plan some light sight-seeing that first day and enjoy some of the tea and scones during your breaks, a personal favorite of mine!

More to come on specific towns visited and general travel tips for Ireland.