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Travel insurance providers Pro's and Con

I have traveled to hunt a lot and have never used or considered travel insurance. I booked a Yukon moose hunt for this year and the outfitter is suggesting insurance. He says that way if something happens we are both covered. While I have never had to cancel a hunt or had one canceled on me with the times the way they are I am considering it. Plus I am thinking if something would happen does the outfitter have an out, saying I told you to buy Insurance. Does anyone have any experience in dealing with this?

Unless it’s in his contract with you that if the border is locked down again. Or you get sick or injured and can’t go. Have a death in your family etc.

Unless it’s in the contract he does not have to re schedule your hunt. Many do but trip insurance for a Yukon moose hunt is cheap. Vs eating the deposit.

Evac insurance should be looked at too.

But all coverage and companies aren’t the same

I take out travel insurance on every hunt and every vacation or conference. You never know when you may need it.

I’ve got it a few times on hunts and trips…The one time I actually had to use it, it became a total PIA, I said never again…My credit card also provided some protection and actually was the easiest to work with…

Be sure to read the policy to be sure what you need is covered. I found in 2020 that most of the travel insurance policies that you can purchase AFTER booking a hunt won't cover trip loss due to government-imposed travel restrictions. Some do offer so-called "no-fault" policies, that will cover such a loss, if you buy the policy around the same time you book the trip. Usually those won't pay the full value of the loss, and they cost a lot more than regular coverage. So what I'm saying is just read the policy to be sure of what you're buying.

I have only been on a handful of out of state/ country hunts booked with outfitters. I have never bought travel insurance and have been lucky and never needed it. But a question I have is, if I purchase travel insurance, how does that benefit the outfitter? If a 50% deposit is sent to the outfitter, and I have to cancel, does the travel insurance pay the outfitter the balance due? Or does it cover my non-refundable deposit and reimburse me?

Jim, my wife’s a travel agent and she just said she has vendors that will cover all your expenses. PM me and I’ll get you hooked up with her.

jstepehens: you may want to clarify these days what you mean by "hooked up with her" LOL

bent - you are paid for covered reasons to up to the amount you choose to insure.

you only insure what you have paid and if you pay in installments, and want to increase the coverage as you pay more you normally can. You may also reach the point where you choose not to cover later installments as the hunt is closer and reasons for possible cancellation are reduced or clearer than they may have been if you booked 2-3 4 years out.

Bou, so the OP said his outfitter told him they would both be covered. That’s what I’m trying to figure out is what benefit the outfitter would have?

For just about every hunt that I ever booked, the outfitter recommends cancellation insurance. Many of the recent outfitter contracts that I have signed make it clear that the deposit is not refundable for essentially any reason. In the past, I have generally not purchased it. I did purchase some form of trip cancellation from an airlines company once and tried to collect on it. Never did. I won't do that again. I do purchase evacuation insurance. Never had to use it and hope that I never do. I believe that those companies also offer cancellation insurance. As with anything, read their contracts carefully.

Thanks for the replies. Bentstick54, what I meant when I said we are both covered is, I have insurance to cover my expenses and he , the outfitter, is "covered" in that he doesn't have to worry about rebooking me or any type of refund. Evacuation Insurance is different and I really don't travel anywhere remote without it. Never had to use it but there is always a first time.

Thanks for the input . I guess it is the new normal now.

Quote: "That’s what I’m trying to figure out is what benefit the outfitter would have?"

Bentstick, I believe the outfitter doesn't want to have to give the hunter his money back in case the hunt is cancelled due to a Covid-related travel stoppage, or any other reason. No matter what the contract states, a lot of outfitters feel like they'd have to do refunds or re-books, to keep their reputation intact.

Edit: Looks like Jim & I were typing our replies at the same time.

I think this late in the game of Covid. The outfitter should not be expected to move you to another year. Initially when it caught everyone of guard. It was nice that they did.

But it’s hard to pretend we don’t know the risk of a cancellation out of our control is still out there. And if we don’t want to protect ourselves from the risk. Why should the outfitter.

If I were in that business I would start my own insurance plan. You pay a little upgrade for emergencies and the ability to postpone for agreed to circumstances

Thanks Jim, that’s what I was thinking , but figured most wanted to be sure I wasn’t missing something.

I have used both Global Rescue and Ripcord for yearly family travel insurance and Evan coverage as well as individual trips. Had to use the insurance when I cancelled a NWT moose caribou hunt last second due to a ruptured disc and later spine surgery. My record were well documented and they paid me the 20k policy. That did not cover the total cost but I hedged my bets and only bought to a level I would be willing to eat the lost balance. It was Ripcord policy, they were fine. My last two hunts ( including upcoming hunt in Wyoming) I booked they Ripcord as their quote a bit more than Half of GR. One issue is there are many variables and easy to get lost in the weeds. You can book all costs, some of costs ( I leave out common carrier us flight costs as they will give vouchers). If you book within 2 weeks of scheduling the hunt ( I was told contract starts day they cash check) you can avoid some pre existing clause issues. Where you live, age etc also comes into play. Note: if I am on a hunt and a CAT 5 hurricane is about to hit my home and I need to leave that is NOT covered. Only covered if weather keeps you from leaving home or from entering hunt area. Look closely at all details , they change. Also, I know Glibal Rescue has consultants available for international security/travel updates for yearly policies. Had a child in Europe on a trip and there was some terrorist activity in Germany close to him. Called them about it and they said not to go to a music fest. Got Bombed that weekend and he didn’t go. I am 66, used to buy only for real adventure travel, now I buy for expensive trips and make sure Covid covered. Read the fine print and ask a lot of questions. Redpoint has three levels of coverage as well. I just bought the cheaper version and not full coverage for Wyoming as I feel risks low to cancel but not low enough for an old man to take full risk Good luck

I have used both Global Rescue and Ripcord for yearly family travel insurance and Evan coverage as well as individual trips. Had to use the insurance when I cancelled a NWT moose caribou hunt last second due to a ruptured disc and later spine surgery. My record were well documented and they paid me the 20k policy. That did not cover the total cost but I hedged my bets and only bought to a level I would be willing to eat the lost balance. It was Ripcord policy, they were fine. My last two hunts ( including upcoming hunt in Wyoming) I booked they Ripcord as their quote a bit more than Half of GR. One issue is there are many variables and easy to get lost in the weeds. You can book all costs, some of costs ( I leave out common carrier us flight costs as they will give vouchers). If you book within 2 weeks of scheduling the hunt ( I was told contract starts day they cash check) you can avoid some pre existing clause issues. Where you live, age etc also comes into play. Note: if I am on a hunt and a CAT 5 hurricane is about to hit my home and I need to leave that is NOT covered. Only covered if weather keeps you from leaving home or from entering hunt area. Look closely at all details , they change. Also, I know Glibal Rescue has consultants available for international security/travel updates for yearly policies. Had a child in Europe on a trip and there was some terrorist activity in Germany close to him. Called them about it and they said not to go to a music fest. Got Bombed that weekend and he didn’t go. I am 66, used to buy only for real adventure travel, now I buy for expensive trips and make sure Covid covered. Read the fine print and ask a lot of questions. Redpoint has three levels of coverage as well. I just bought the cheaper version and not full coverage for Wyoming as I feel risks low to cancel but not low enough for an old man to take full risk Good luck

I would for that expensive of trip,we did for africa also and the medical to fly out

I have used both Global Rescue and Ripcord for yearly family travel insurance and Evan coverage as well as individual trips. Had to use the insurance when I cancelled a NWT moose caribou hunt last second due to a ruptured disc and later spine surgery. My record were well documented and they paid me the 20k policy. That did not cover the total cost but I hedged my bets and only bought to a level I would be willing to eat the lost balance. It was Ripcord policy, they were fine. My last two hunts ( including upcoming hunt in Wyoming) I booked they Ripcord as their quote a bit more than Half of GR. One issue is there are many variables and easy to get lost in the weeds. You can book all costs, some of costs ( I leave out common carrier us flight costs as they will give vouchers). If you book within 2 weeks of scheduling the hunt ( I was told contract starts day they cash check) you can avoid some pre existing clause issues. Where you live, age etc also comes into play. Note: if I am on a hunt and a CAT 5 hurricane is about to hit my home and I need to leave that is NOT covered. Only covered if weather keeps you from leaving home or from entering hunt area. Look closely at all details , they change. Also, I know Glibal Rescue has consultants available for international security/travel updates for yearly policies. Had a child in Europe on a trip and there was some terrorist activity in Germany close to him. Called them about it and they said not to go to a music fest. Got Bombed that weekend and he didn’t go. I am 66, used to buy only for real adventure travel, now I buy for expensive trips and make sure Covid covered. Read the fine print and ask a lot of questions. Redpoint has three levels of coverage as well. I just bought the cheaper version and not full coverage for Wyoming as I feel risks low to cancel but not low enough for an old man to take full risk Good luck

I have used both Global Rescue and Ripcord for yearly family travel insurance and Evan coverage as well as individual trips. Had to use the insurance when I cancelled a NWT moose caribou hunt last second due to a ruptured disc and later spine surgery. My record were well documented and they paid me the 20k policy. That did not cover the total cost but I hedged my bets and only bought to a level I would be willing to eat the lost balance. It was Ripcord policy, they were fine. My last two hunts ( including upcoming hunt in Wyoming) I booked they Ripcord as their quote a bit more than Half of GR. One issue is there are many variables and easy to get lost in the weeds. You can book all costs, some of costs ( I leave out common carrier us flight costs as they will give vouchers). If you book within 2 weeks of scheduling the hunt ( I was told contract starts day they cash check) you can avoid some pre existing clause issues. Where you live, age etc also comes into play. Note: if I am on a hunt and a CAT 5 hurricane is about to hit my home and I need to leave that is NOT covered. Only covered if weather keeps you from leaving home or from entering hunt area. Look closely at all details , they change. Also, I know Glibal Rescue has consultants available for international security/travel updates for yearly policies. Had a child in Europe on a trip and there was some terrorist activity in Germany close to him. Called them about it and they said not to go to a music fest. Got Bombed that weekend and he didn’t go. I am 66, used to buy only for real adventure travel, now I buy for expensive trips and make sure Covid covered. Read the fine print and ask a lot of questions. Redpoint has three levels of coverage as well. I just bought the cheaper version and not full coverage for Wyoming as I feel risks low to cancel but not low enough for an old man to take full risk Good luck

It's great to hear that both Global Rescue and Ripcord have been reliable options for you, especially when you had to cancel a hunt due to unforeseen circumstances. It's always wise to carefully consider the coverage level and assess the potential risks involved. By the way, have you ever looked into Sagicor Costa Rica ? They offer travel insurance options that might be worth exploring for your future adventures. It's crucial to read the fine print and ask plenty of questions to ensure you have the right coverage.

i never use to but the older i get i do all the time now, I have had so many odd things happen the last few years

We took travel insurance out on our vacation. After wife had a heart attack we contacted them and no response since.

it is a good idea to buy one, particularly with haunts that you book years in advance

You know the outfitter(s) likely get some kind of referral fee for the policy as well.....

I guess I'm different. I absolutely hate insurance of any kind. I'm not buying insurance for a hunt and never have. I think based on close to 40 trips of a lifetimes I have been fortunate enough to go on I'm ahead of the game at this point. Hopefully I never loose out on a deposit for a hunt but if I do I still believe I'm ahead. I remember looking into those policies 25 years ago and they were a lot of money back then, can't imagine what they cost these days. For me personally I just decided they weren't the right choice.

look at your age , health , cost of insurance and what you can afford to lose if you don’t get insurance or get partial coverage. I lost a pile of $ when I cancelled my NWT moose hunt in 2018 but I didn’t lose it all as I had 2/3 coverage. Only hunt I ever cancelled. Seriously doubt outfitter gets a commission, all of mine said just pick best option. Make sure they offer coverage if you cancel as well as extraction if you get hurt. I got dinged up pretty good in 2017 in NWT on archery Dalls sheep hunt and stuck it out but Ripcord didn’t hesitate and said they had a chopper ready in Norman Wells if needed. Have also used Global Rescue but never made a claim. Again, ask lots of questions like the hurricane questin I mentioned in earlier reply. ( not sure why it posted 4 times!). In 2021 one of the hunters in camp in NWT booked standard travel insurance thru travel agent. His rifle and luggage got lost in Toronto and insurance of no help. Pretty sure the adventure travel insurance guys (Global Rescue and Ripcord) have a plan for that to get luggage to you but damn sure ask them if they do! Think of every scenario and ask for an answer in writing. They are insurance companies and they don’t play.

I always get the insurance. I used AON Affinity Travel several months ago. I got sick while traveling & had a $4,500 med bill. Submitted all paper work to AON and got all the med bill money back & half the cost of the trip. If I recall, the approximately cost of the insurance was $400.

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