Monday, August 5, 2013

"P" Help #2: Travel Insurance

Do you really need Travel Insurance?  It is not cheap!

I usually bite the bullet and buy travel insurance, offered by the airlines, for every flight.

The first time I had to use it was when my mother passed away in 2002. I had to cancel my first trip to Ireland.  Getting my money back was a big hassle!  I had to get documentation that my mother died, a death certificate from the State of Texas.  Then I actually had to get a statement from her physician that her death was 'unexpected.'   This took a period of more than six months. (I was able to go to Ireland the following year.)

The second time I had to cash in on the travel insurance policy was when my nephew, Justin, was killed in the Afghanistan war in 2008. I forget where I had planned to go at that time. The airline (different one) was very kind, consoling me on his loss.  All I had to get was a death certificate from Great Britain which the British Royal Army readily supplied by e-mail.  I received a refund from the airline within several weeks.

Last summer, 2012, I had tickets to Seattle to visit daughter #8, my son-in-law and youngest grandchild in late July. On June 9th, I fell and broke my left upper arm clear through.   I thought that, once again, I would have to submit cancellation papers.  However, I waited until my last doctor's visit and x-ray before the scheduled trip.  I asked if I could go as planned.  The doctor said, "You not only can go, I insist that you go!"  My arm had not healed sufficiently to undergo physical therapy so a 10-day trip wouldn't interfere with my treatment.  Yay!

I plan to continue getting Travel Insurance as I consider: I would regret losing the ticket cost if any other unforeseen adverse circumstances occur!  

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