Ice Patrol Posted July 25, 2019 Author Posted July 25, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, hk blues said: I'm not sure, but perhaps the question was not just about flight issues, but also for other travel issues - medical being a big one. I think you are probably right as this flight ins. will likely claim to cover a multitude of things.But is it worth it? And I do have great health insurance coverage for when traveling outside the USA. Edited July 25, 2019 by Ice Patrol 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jollygoodfellow Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 18 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said: Medical Insurance? When coming to the Philippines for a month? I certainly am curious how many bother with that. I certainly never have. It is possible to be hit by a bus or a truck where the owner/operator has no license, money or insurance. Then you are hit with a huge hospital bill, but beyond that and pre-existing conditions (which are not covered) what on earth would you need medical insurance in the Philippines for? Wouldn't it be cheaper to just pay for any medical things that come up? I dont agree There are many cases where people get hit with life threatening illness or accidents which can cost a fortune. Also what about the cost of returning your body back home? 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeoffH Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 It's not always possible to fly back to your country of origin for medical treatment, sometimes the condition prohibits plane travel or even moving the patient. It is possible to self insure but where do you safely keep such a large sum of money? And how is it accessed if you're in a hospital and possibly immobile or even unconsciousness? YMMV but personally I wouldn't be in the Philippines without some form of health insurance or travel insurance. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnMyWay Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 23 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said: I dont agree There are many cases where people get hit with life threatening illness or accidents which can cost a fortune. Also what about the cost of returning your body back home? I agree. I never used to buy travel insurance but now I do, mainly due to my family of 5. What if one person gets the flu and can't board the flight home? On a cheapie ticket, you might have to buy everyone a one way ticket home, or, pay a $100 per head change fee. Also, most policies cover flying you home for treatment of major things, when possible, so you can get treatment at home. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hk blues Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 1 hour ago, Dave Hounddriver said: Medical Insurance? When coming to the Philippines for a month? I certainly am curious how many bother with that. I certainly never have. It is possible to be hit by a bus or a truck where the owner/operator has no license, money or insurance. Then you are hit with a huge hospital bill, but beyond that and pre-existing conditions (which are not covered) what on earth would you need medical insurance in the Philippines for? Wouldn't it be cheaper to just pay for any medical things that come up? I didn't specifically say medical insurance, rather travel insurance which likely would incIude a medical element. Anyhow, I am surprised that you think medical insurance is unnecessary - there are any number of things that may happen while travelling that require medical attention. Medical bills can mount up quickly and I'm not sure it would be cheaper to pay bills as they come up. Personally, I always took medical insurance when I travelled no matter where but each to their own. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tukaram (Tim) Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 44 minutes ago, OnMyWay said: I agree. I never used to buy travel insurance but now I do, mainly due to my family of 5. What if one person gets the flu and can't board the flight home? On a cheapie ticket, you might have to buy everyone a one way ticket home, or, pay a $100 per head change fee. Also, most policies cover flying you home for treatment of major things, when possible, so you can get treatment at home. That is why I shopped around for a travel credit card that provides insurance when you buy the ticket, no additional cost. My card has no foreign transaction fees, rental car insurance, trip interruption, accident insurance, travel assistance (medical & lawyer advice locally). They used to cover the cost of airline wifi, but quit... bummer. I have never needed to claim on it, but also do not have to pay extra for it. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnMyWay Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 6 minutes ago, Tukaram (Tim) said: That is why I shopped around for a travel credit card that provides insurance when you buy the ticket, no additional cost. My card has no foreign transaction fees, rental car insurance, trip interruption, accident insurance, travel assistance (medical & lawyer advice locally). They used to cover the cost of airline wifi, but quit... bummer. I have never needed to claim on it, but also do not have to pay extra for it. Good idea. Does it cover a family if you buy all the tickets with it? Can you share the details? My Capital One card does cover some things, but not enough for me to avoid buying a travel policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tukaram (Tim) Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 7 minutes ago, OnMyWay said: Good idea. Does it cover a family if you buy all the tickets with it? Can you share the details? My Capital One card does cover some things, but not enough for me to avoid buying a travel policy. It was a Travelocity AmEx card but got converted to a Barclay MasterCard during a bank merger (and is accepted at more places overseas). They call it the "Arrival" card. They have better travel cards, but this has no annual fee. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, hk blues said: I am surprised that you think medical insurance is unnecessary On the other hand, I am surprised that so many on here think it is necessary. I would agree it is a reasonable choice in certain cases. I have not had it in the Philippines in a dozen years and never missed it. I would think it a neccesity in the west and indeed the law forces people to have certain kinds of insurance. I have known one person who needed insurance in Philippines due to an accident. So my conclusion is that it is a personal choice. My opinion is that western people have been brainwashed by Insurance companies and feel that they need insurance for everything. Since being in Philippines I have taken losses that insurance would have covered. I refer to missed air flights, break ins, hospitalization, earthquakes and super typhoons. None of these have got me thinking "I wish I had insurance". I see now it is a personal decision that many will agree with and many others will disagree with. We must respect each other's choices. Edited July 25, 2019 by Dave Hounddriver 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hk blues Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 34 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said: Since being in Philippines I have taken losses that insurance would have covered. I refer to missed air flights, break ins, hospitalization, earthquakes and super typhoons. None of these have got me thinking "I wish I had insurance". I can see you are not a believer in the "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" philosophy. Each to their own as I said previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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