Other J-1 Holiday Insurance

[Lex Foutish]

One of our children is heading to the USA at the end of May and returning in early September. He's going on a J-1 visa.

We want to get insurance to cover him while he's there. Something like multi-trip insurance, to cover accident, hospital, etc..

Has anyone got any recommendations, do's and don't's, advice, etc? Thanks.

 

[peteb]

Mulitrip insurance won't cover it. Max trip on those is 30 days. He will have to take out backpacker insurance. Most insurers do it. There's no does and dont's. Some will have better limits for luggage etc but you will pay more for it. Others include certain "hazardous" activities where some don't. So it just depends on what he thinks he is going to do.
Also some will include cancellation cover in the event of exam failure.

See:
http://www.blueinsurance.ie/travel.asp
[broken link removed]

theres lots more. But you are going to have to google for them!

 

[Lex Foutish]

Thanks, Pete.

 

[Sue Ellen]

Mulitrip insurance won't cover it. Max trip on those is 30 days.

Can he not extend it though with add-on as with VHI here (Optional Add-ons drop down menu).

Boards have some discussions on the back-packer insurance in this forum.

I understand American Express do some good travel insurance but have never investigated it myself.

Presumably he did not have to take our insurance with USIT if he got his J1 from them?

When son went on J1 he didn't need credit card to cover hospital admittance but did need one for Canada.

 

[horusd]

I would recommend ace travel Lex. I've taken their insurance for years, and they are very good to deal with. I did have a claim once and it was sorted in a jiffy. I also find them very competitive pricewise.

 

[peteb]

Can he not extend it though with add-on as with VHI here (Optional Add-ons drop down menu)

He can extend it. But what i am saying is that the policy in itself is not suitable. In this case the VHI policy excludes manual work unless it is voluntary in its nature. The specific backpacker products from travel insurers would allow this. Unforunately with travel insurance the devils is in the detail.

 

[Lex Foutish]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Ace look fairly good, Pete and Horusd.

Sue Ellen, the Missus tried VHI but the were very expensive-in the region of €200!

Do you know anything about company? They seem ok, too.

 

[Sue Ellen]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Ace look fairly good, Pete and Horusd.

Sue Ellen, the Missus tried VHI but the were very expensive-in the region of €200!

Do you know anything about company? They seem ok, too.

Hi Lex,

Did you have a look at the reviews on Google? As a matter of interest how much will the backpacker's insurance work out at?

 

[Lex Foutish]

Hi Sue Ellen. I meant to post a reply earlier. I finally went with . They were the most reasonably priced for similar cover to the other companies I looked at. The cover cost about €49 which is their Single Trip Gold cover.