Travel Insurance: Tips to help you choose the ideal one!

I was very nervous when I went to Paris. I don't like not knowing how to speak the language of my destination, especially if it's a place where people have a reputation for going out of their way to not speak English.

Combining this anxiety with the cold I went through on the plane on the way out and my super low immunity at the time, there was no other way: I got sick on my second day in the city.

And unfortunately, it wasn't a mild flu with a little body ache. It was a severe throat infection, with a high fever and not being able to get out of bed.

My luck was that my parents had taken out travel insurance for everyone, which was activated without delay. Within minutes a doctor appeared in our hotel room, ready to examine me.

In a mix of English and French, he confirmed what I already suspected: it was tonsillitis, which required antibiotics and a lot of rest. I was devastated, and only left the hotel days later to visit part of the Louvre.

The good news is that I recovered completely in a short time, and I even managed to visit the Harry Potter studios in London!

Before taking out insurance, I recommend that you take a look at the following items:

What you need to know before taking out travel insurance

• If you already have insurance: Cartões de crédito premium, such as Mastercard Platinum or Visa Platinum, offer travel insurance as a benefit to cardholders, as long as tickets are issued with the card. If you are traveling as a family, pay attention to the rules: these insurance policies usually only cover the holder, spouse and children up to 24 years of age (this may vary).
• Coverage amount for medical expenses: It seems exaggerated to take out US$100.000 coverage for 15 days of travel, but it depends on your destination. Check the average price of medical care in the country and choose an appropriate price. Although the other amenities are interesting, health should be your main concern.
• What's covered (and what's not): Some insurance covers pre-existing illnesses, dental problems and even accidents resulting from extreme sports, others do not. Think about your itinerary, the activities you plan to do and take out insurance that covers possible accidents. Are you flying with an airline that is notorious for delaying flights? Choose insurance that covers airport or even accommodation expenses in these cases. Will make one bungy jumping in New Zealand? Choose an insurance company that handles these cases.
• Grace period: Be careful not to buy at the last minute, as some insurance policies have a waiting period and cannot be activated until this time has passed.

Which travel insurance to choose?

I'll save you from copying the names of all the insurance companies and their coverage here in this post. The truth is that most of them are reliable, and each person will have a different type of experience depending on their destination and policy.

So I decided to write about my experience with different companies. Since 2013, my family and I have taken out insurance from Travel Ace Assistance, ISIS Brasil (now Easy Seguros), Mastercard Platinum card insurance and Vital Card. The order in which the reports appear is just chronological, and does not portray a preference.

ISIS Brazil (Current Easy Seguros)

I chose this insurance for my exchanges to Australia and Disney.

I didn't use it on the first trip, but in Orlando I suspected that, again, I had tonsillitis. I called the call center and, when asking how to proceed, they gave me the address of a quick clinic. When I arrived, to my surprise, the insurance company still hadn't made contact, and I had to wait almost two hours and call several times until I was finally able to receive assistance without paying anything.

I went to get a quote on the website and discovered that the name is now Easy Seguro Viagem, no longer ISIS. The price for a trip to the United States for 15 days has a minimum price of R$398 with US$50.000 of coverage (value of October/2016).

MasterCard Platinum

Chosen for a trip to the United States, despite the coverage value being lower than other insured parties.

My father had to call and was referred to a clinic by the center, but they also took a long time to get in touch. Days later, to our surprise, a bill arrived for US$350 for the service, as the company claimed that the insurance never paid for the service provided.

After complaining for months with Mastercard, they finally agreed to pay, but it was a struggle. I only recommend it if it is really not possible to afford other insurance.

Vital Card

It was also my father who called this one, but this time for a dental emergency. The service was exceptional, and they even made an appointment for my father based on his location at the time of the call.

A week later they called to ask how the service had been and if the problem had been resolved. I found the service to be excellent and I recommend it, as well as having a very competitive price. A 15-day policy in the United States costs between R$188 with US$10.000 of coverage to R$1036 with US$1 million.

How to save on travel insurance

To get an even more competitive price, my suggestion is to use a insurance price comparator.

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