Business History Books » Business Consultant » Idea for travel insurance
Idea for travel insurance
Question:
Hello. everybody: Here is idea for travel insurance – Missed Connection Flight insurance. The risk this insurance will cover is when an independent connection flight is late or cancelled and traveler misses next flight. If this insurance was available, we would be free to travel on separate tickets, choose best itinerary and best prices, stop or change planes where we wanted. Now, however, we have to travel on "one" ticket that includes all flights and transfers. Advantage of this is that if a flight is late, airline is responsible to take care of traveler. Missed Connection Flight insurance will provide same advantage if traveling on separate tickets. What is general opinion about this? P.S. I came with this idea after I was offered the best and cheepest flight schedule YVR to Vienna with transfer in Amsterdam, but I had to use two separate tickets. Two problems. First, I had to collect and transfer own luggage in Amsterdam – I could live with that. Second, if plane Vienna to Ams is late, I loose my Ams-YVR ticket and money. With only 3 hours between planned arr. and dep. – I did not want to take this risk.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello. everybody: > Here is idea for travel insurance – Missed Connection Flight insurance. The > risk this insurance will cover is when an independent connection flight is > late or cancelled and traveler misses next flight. > If this insurance was available, we would be free to travel on separate > tickets, choose best itinerary and best prices, stop or change planes where > we wanted. > Now, however, we have to travel on "one" ticket that includes all flights > and transfers. Advantage of this is that if a flight is late, airline is > responsible to take care of traveler. Missed Connection Flight insurance > will provide same advantage if traveling on separate tickets. > What is general opinion about this?
[snip] I believe much of the travel insurance sold already would essentially cover this already. My suspicion is that the price of the current insurance, and the price of "missed connection only" insurance wouldn’t be much different.
Response:
> Here is idea for travel insurance – Missed Connection Flight insurance. The > risk this insurance will cover is when an independent connection flight is > late or cancelled and traveler misses next flight.
It is a great idea, and it already exists: http://www.alltripinsurance.com/ http://www.insuremytrip.com/ Note – I am *not* an insurance agent or representative, and I am *not* recommending this insurance company or any other. The link is just to show you that such things do exist. Trip insurance in general is a good idea for those who are not road warriors, for example, folks taking a cruise or a vacation involving flying somewhere. Imagine missing the cruise of a lifetime because you missed a flight connection to get to the docks! The ship does NOT wait on you, and there is generally NO refund, and the airline is NOT liable! I would also add a personal favorite of mine, and one which I purchase quite often – health insurance combined with medical repatriation insurance. I sometimes travel overseas on business. Most health care systems outside of the US (with some exceptions) are sub-standard. Not only that, while your ‘normal’ health insurance may technically cover you while you’re out of the USA (you have to check with them), most of them do NOT have any method of arranging payment with an overseas doctor or hospital, and many countries have laws REQUIRING you to settle your medical bills before you leave the country. If I get hurt overseas (no one thinks it will happen to them, but it does), I want the option of having my fat carcass flown back to the USA for medical treatment if I can get better care in the USA. If there is a medical bill pending, I don’t want them grabbing all my credit cards and emptying my checking account before I can leave the country. Just put me on a plane and send me home – and if there is no plane available, CHARTER ONE! That’s what repatriation insurance does. People go on vacation and become active after leading sedentary lives. Vacations are stressful, then you’re in a strange climate, eating strange food, and maybe worried about prices, crime, and if you remembered to turn off the burner on your stove at home or feed the cat. To calm down, you drink about a dozen beach drinks with umbrellas in them and jump on a jet-ski to relax in the ocean. Bam, you have a heart attack. The locals drag you off to a thatch-covered hut where a local witch-doctor sprinkles you with demon-powder and begins spanking you with a palm frond as a sure-cure. Would you rather see a doctor in the USA? You’d better have a) a large box of cash or b) medical repatriation insurance. So, if you travel and you are risking having your vacation (or your health/life) lost, you should strongly consider getting travel insurance. Most vacationers outside the USA don’t have it. Most need it. Best Regards, Bill Mattocks
Response:
Excellent reply. Should check the websites for my next trip. P.S. If someone misses cruise, it is not a total loss. Notify cruise line, jump on the plane and catch the ship in next port, if possible.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Here is idea for travel insurance – Missed Connection Flight insurance. The > risk this insurance will cover is when an independent connection flight is > late or cancelled and traveler misses next flight. > It is a great idea, and it already exists: > http://www.alltripinsurance.com/ > http://www.insuremytrip.com/ > Note – I am *not* an insurance agent or representative, and I am *not* > recommending this insurance company or any other. The link is just to > show you that such things do exist. > Trip insurance in general is a good idea for those who are not road > warriors, for example, folks taking a cruise or a vacation involving > flying somewhere. Imagine missing the cruise of a lifetime because > you missed a flight connection to get to the docks! The ship does NOT > wait on you, and there is generally NO refund, and the airline is NOT > liable! > I would also add a personal favorite of mine, and one which I purchase > quite often – health insurance combined with medical repatriation > insurance. I sometimes travel overseas on business. Most health care > systems outside of the US (with some exceptions) are sub-standard. > Not only that, while your ‘normal’ health insurance may technically > cover you while you’re out of the USA (you have to check with them), > most of them do NOT have any method of arranging payment with an > overseas doctor or hospital, and many countries have laws REQUIRING > you to settle your medical bills before you leave the country. > If I get hurt overseas (no one thinks it will happen to them, but it > does), I want the option of having my fat carcass flown back to the > USA for medical treatment if I can get better care in the USA. If > there is a medical bill pending, I don’t want them grabbing all my > credit cards and emptying my checking account before I can leave the > country. Just put me on a plane and send me home – and if there is no > plane available, CHARTER ONE! That’s what repatriation insurance > does. > People go on vacation and become active after leading sedentary lives. > Vacations are stressful, then you’re in a strange climate, eating > strange food, and maybe worried about prices, crime, and if you > remembered to turn off the burner on your stove at home or feed the > cat. To calm down, you drink about a dozen beach drinks with > umbrellas in them and jump on a jet-ski to relax in the ocean. Bam, > you have a heart attack. The locals drag you off to a thatch-covered > hut where a local witch-doctor sprinkles you with demon-powder and > begins spanking you with a palm frond as a sure-cure. Would you > rather see a doctor in the USA? You’d better have a) a large box of > cash or b) medical repatriation insurance. > So, if you travel and you are risking having your vacation (or your > health/life) lost, you should strongly consider getting travel > insurance. Most vacationers outside the USA don’t have it. Most need > it. > Best Regards, > Bill Mattocks
Response:
>I would also add a personal favorite of mine, and one which I purchase >quite often – health insurance combined with medical repatriation >insurance.
Does your company provide this for you when you’re on overseas business trips? — Simon Elliott http://www.ctsn.co.uk/
Response:
> >I would also add a personal favorite of mine, and one which I purchase >quite often – health insurance combined with medical repatriation >insurance. > Does your company provide this for you when you’re on overseas business > trips?
Not automatically, although I have recommended it on several occasions. Their position is that I *have* health insurance which covers me when I am out of the country. But the prospect of paying out-of-pocket for God knows how much money if I get hit by a bus or something, and then praying the insurance company will deign to reimburse me, leaves me cold. However, they have agreed to let me put my ‘extra paranoid’ trip/medical/repatriation insurance on my expense report. It typically does not cost very much, maybe $70 USD. I’d do it even if my company chose NOT to reimburse me for the cost. Best Regards, Bill Mattocks
Response:
>Not automatically, although I have recommended it on several >occasions. Their position is that I *have* health insurance which >covers me when I am out of the country. But the prospect of paying >out-of-pocket for God knows how much money if I get hit by a bus or >something, and then praying the insurance company will deign to >reimburse me, leaves me cold. >However, they have agreed to let me put my ‘extra paranoid’ >trip/medical/repatriation insurance on my expense report. It >typically does not cost very much, maybe $70 USD.
Interesting that they choose to do it that way rather than getting a package from their own insurers. The companies I’ve worked for have all undertaken to medevac at their own expense. I was a bit concerned about some of Schlumberger’s terms and conditions when they bought my previous employer, but to be fair they always seemed to come across with the business whenever anyone got into bother. Actually now that I recall, they did better than the people they bought out. There was a case where someone in Yemen, out in the empty quarter, got a head injury. Rather than commit the company to the expense of a medevac, the party manager decided to "wait and see if the man started to feel better". The end result of this decision was that he very much didn’t get better and someone had to land a Twin Otter at night on a rough desert airstrip lit only by vehicle headlights. >I’d do it even if my company chose NOT to reimburse me for the cost.
If your company didn’t reimburse, I wonder if you could claim the cost against tax? — Simon Elliott http://www.ctsn.co.uk/
Response:
> Interesting that they choose to do it that way rather than getting a > package from their own insurers.
I suspect because we’re rather a much smaller company. We have offices overseas (we’re based in Sweden) and offices in the US, but usually there is little need for consultants such as myself to travel internationally – as we have them where we need them already. I’m a bit of an anomaly – I am sometimes required overseas. > The companies I’ve worked for have all undertaken to medevac at their > own expense. I was a bit concerned about some of Schlumberger’s terms > and conditions when they bought my previous employer, but to be fair > they always seemed to come across with the business whenever anyone got > into bother.
As far as I know, no one in my company has ever required medical care while overseas. Just be being cautious/paranoid. > Actually now that I recall, they did better than the people they bought > out. There was a case where someone in Yemen, out in the empty quarter, > got a head injury. Rather than commit the company to the expense of a > medevac, the party manager decided to "wait and see if the man started > to feel better". The end result of this decision was that he very much > didn’t get better and someone had to land a Twin Otter at night on a > rough desert airstrip lit only by vehicle headlights.
Mine would be more along the lines of falling off a barstool in downtown Beijing. Nowhere near as romantic-sounding as deserts, "Twin Otters" and rough airstrips. Sounds like ‘company’ business… >I’d do it even if my company chose NOT to reimburse me for the cost. > If your company didn’t reimburse, I wonder if you could claim the cost > against tax?
I have no real property, no medical bills to speak of. My wife and I take the standard deduction, there is next to nothing to itemize. Best Regards, Bill Mattocks
Response:
> The companies I’ve worked for have all undertaken to medevac > at their own expense. I was a bit concerned about some of > Schlumberger’s terms and conditions when they bought my > previous employer, but to be fair they always seemed to come > across with the business whenever anyone got into bother.
I should have realized (given some of your area destinations) who your employer had been. Years ago I knew some of the connected family well, and even then their company’s policies included all sorts of "rescues" of employees. The world of the 50s/60s was no less dangerous (and likely more so in some aprts) than today’s. TMO
Response:
>As far as I know, no one in my company has ever required medical care >while overseas. Just be being cautious/paranoid.
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you 
A lot of people travel without serious medical insurance. Some of them end up regretting this! >Mine would be more along the lines of falling off a barstool in >downtown Beijing. Nowhere near as romantic-sounding as deserts, "Twin >Otters" and rough airstrips. Sounds like ‘company’ business…
Nowhere near as dodgy. Just oil exploration. Falling off bar stools is probably more of a risk than more "dramatic" events. When I worked for SSL we had more people killed through vehicle accidents than all the other causes put together. I haven’t seen any numbers but I’d suspect that this extends to most business and leisure travel. >I have no real property, no medical bills to speak of. My wife and I >take the standard deduction, there is next to nothing to itemize.
Ah yes. I recall someone here described how the standard deduction works. — Simon Elliott http://www.ctsn.co.uk/
Response:
>> The companies I’ve worked for have all undertaken to medevac > at their own expense. I was a bit concerned about some of > Schlumberger’s terms and conditions when they bought my > previous employer, but to be fair they always seemed to come > across with the business whenever anyone got into bother. >I should have realized (given some of your area destinations) >who your employer had been. Years ago I knew some of the >connected family well,
Who did you know? IIRC Marcel Schlumberger lived in your neck of the woods and died in 1953. >and even then their company’s policies >included all sorts of "rescues" of employees. The world of the >50s/60s was no less dangerous (and likely more so in some aprts) >than today’s.
In the 50s and 60s people were making the mistakes that people like me were learning from. But it seems that most of the risk in geophysical exploration is due to inattention to the basics. Always assuming that you already have a healthy dose of common sense and a sense of self preservation. — Simon Elliott http://www.ctsn.co.uk/
Response:
>>I should have realized (given some of your area >destinations) who your employer had been. Years ago I knew >some of the connected family well, > Who did you know? IIRC Marcel Schlumberger lived in your > neck of the woods and died in 1953.
There was another Houston family related (by marriage IIRC), the Senoulliets (sp?, after half a century its hard to recall) who had a son who was in my "cabin" when I was a young camp couselor and horse wrangler up in the Hill Country. During my time in college in the city, members of the family were regulars in the city’s social scene to which I had modest access – own dinnere jacket, tall enough to escort gawky debs(and certainly the company’s profile in the area was high). I think one of my cousins worked for’em. > > In the 50s and 60s people were making the mistakes that > people like me were learning from.
We just did not realize they were mistakes…the "White Man’s Burden" and all that and the crumbling remains of colonialism made us fairly arrogant travelers. > But it seems that most of the risk in geophysical > exploration is due to inattention to the basics. Always > assuming that you already have a healthy dose of common > sense and a sense of self preservation.
"Don’t drink the water." as a maxim had been replaced by a classic book of the late 50s/early 60s (I disremember its original publication date), "Europe on $5 a Day", and while much business travel involved "roughing it", much of the roughing it was quite civilized in the sense of substantial servants. I went to SAmerica with my Dad for a 30 day jaunt as he was teaching a new surgical technique for the relief of intestinal obstructions in newborns. Those who had retained him provided a car, driver, bodyguard, valet and all the amenities including hand-washed and ironed clothes every day. I’ll never forget the morning ritual with the valet’s straight razor, or the casual manner in which wine appeared in the glass of a 12 year old, me. TMO