Hi there,
Do you know of any good travel insurance? Usually, I go with the one from the agency. But this time, I want to travel independently, and I'm a bit lost.
Some people told me that when you pay with a credit card, you get the bank's insurance. But after checking with the bank, that's not true. Or else, you have to add an extra option and pay for it monthly.
So, I'm looking for insurance that covers cancellation, repatriation, lost luggage, etc.
Thanks for your tips!
Hi,
Get a Gold Mastercard from Fortuneo (for example), but other online banks also have cards that offer roughly the same level of assistance and insurance coverage.
Fortuneo's card is free, and on top of that, they give you a 80 € gift.
What’s covered under insurance and assistance is very well explained.
If you have a Visa or MasterCard debit/credit card from a French bank, you get medical assistance and repatriation coverage.
That’s not the same as insurance, though.
Cancellation or baggage insurance is only included with Gold or Premier cards, and it’s only valid if you pay with the card.
Hello,
Do you know of any good travel insurance? Usually, I go with the one from the agency. But this time, I want to travel independently, and I’m a bit lost.
Some people told me that when you pay with a bank card, you get the bank’s insurance. But after checking with the bank, that’s not true. Or else, you have to add an extra option and pay for it monthly.
So, I’m looking for insurance that covers cancellation, repatriation, lost luggage, etc.
Thanks for your advice!
Regarding the bank, you need to subscribe to a Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold card. It’s indeed more expensive than a "basic" card, but definitely more reliable, and in any case, worth comparing to the cost of other options.
Just check how long you have to keep the Gold card before you can cancel it and switch back to a "normal" one.
And make sure to pay with that card, of course, otherwise the insurance won’t apply.
I’ve been doing this for years when buying flight tickets or hotel services. For example, I’ve already been reimbursed for medical expenses (luckily, I’ve never had issues with flight delays or lost luggage).
However, I usually still take out extra insurance for car rentals.
Il n'y a pas de problème sans solution... et si il n'y a pas de solution, il n'y a pas de problème !
Regarding the bank, you need to subscribe to a Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold card. It’s indeed more expensive than the "basic" card, but certainly more reliable, and in any case, it’s worth comparing to the cost of another solution.
Where did you see that these cards are paid?
With all online banks, they’re completely free (they even offer an 80 or 100 euro bonus after signing up!), and no fees are charged for purchases or withdrawals abroad.
No need to switch banks either.
I kept my own (without a bank card because it was paid) and applied for a MasterCard Gold with Fortuneo. Not only is it completely free with no payment or withdrawal fees in any country, but they also gave me 80 € three months after I received my card.
I don’t know where you’re getting the idea that you have to pay with the card for medical assistance and repatriation.
Besides, that wouldn’t make any sense. Pay for what?
Cancellation insurance, on the other hand, yes—definitely.
As for prices... I have a Gold Fortuneo card and a Premier Ultim Boursobank card.
They don’t cost me anything.
Also, if you take out additional insurance for a car rental, it overlaps with the coverage from your gold card. For example:
On Réunion Island, I found my rearview mirror broken in a parking lot—it wasn’t covered by the rental company’s insurance. (I hadn’t taken the "additional" coverage offered by the rental company.) I filed a claim with my MasterCard Gold insurance and was fully reimbursed the following week.
I don’t know where you’re getting the idea that you have to pay with the card for medical assistance and repatriation.
Besides, that wouldn’t make any sense. Pay for what?
Trip cancellation insurance, on the other hand, yes.
As for prices... I have a Gold Fortuneo card and a Premier Ultim Boursobank card.
They don’t cost me anything.
Michel
For the coverage to apply abroad, you just need to have paid for the trip with the card—that’s all.
Il n'y a pas de problème sans solution... et si il n'y a pas de solution, il n'y a pas de problème !
If you also take out additional insurance for a car rental, it overlaps with the coverage from your gold card. For example:
In Réunion, I found my rearview mirror broken in a parking lot—it wasn’t covered by the rental company’s insurance. (I hadn’t taken the "additional" coverage offered by the rental company.) I filed a claim with my MasterCard Gold insurance and was fully reimbursed the following week.
Yeah, it’s probably overkill. I mainly get the rental company’s insurance to reduce the deductible. And it doesn’t usually cost much.
Il n'y a pas de problème sans solution... et si il n'y a pas de solution, il n'y a pas de problème !
In any case, with a bank card, make sure to get the booklet detailing the current year's Insurance/Assistance coverage and read it carefully.
The bank uses an insurance company that can change from one year to the next (we’ve seen this happen), so the guarantees, their amounts, or the services offered may differ from year to year with the same card/bank.
Regarding assistance, some services may require an ADVANCE payment of a certain amount, which will need to be reimbursed.
For your info, there are also very comprehensive, specialized travel insurance policies, like the one offered by Chapka Assurances, to be taken out when paying for your trip.
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A friend has osteoarthritis in the knee and a meniscus problem, treated with regular injections.
Do you know of any insurance companies that cover pre-existing conditions in case their knee locks up in Africa?
Thanks a bunch!
A one-month trip to Australia and New Zealand.
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Hi,
I’m planning a trip to Namibia for 3 weeks in November: should I take malaria prophylaxis, which medication, when to take it, and are there any side effects?
At the end of my trip, I’ll spend 5 days up north near the Angolan border and in Etosha National Park.
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I have two American cousins. The older one was born in Paris, and his sister was born in California. The latter is planning a trip to Paris this summer, but she recently fell ill, and American doctors don’t know what’s wrong. I had the idea of letting her take advantage of her trip to get treated here, avoiding the high healthcare costs of the American system in the process. The problem is, I can’t find anything online about this—just testimonials from French people who used to be American, but nothing for a simple tourist.
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Hi there,
Does anyone know if there’s travel insurance for someone who’s had a heart attack?
I can’t find an insurer that covers a pre-existing condition, even if it’s stable.
Thanks so much!
Hi everyone, next month my wife, our 6-year-old daughter, and I are flying to Thailand. It’ll be a great chance to soak up some sun—something we’ve been missing lately here in France! But speaking of sun, I burn easily, and our daughter even more so. I was wondering what SPF to get for sunscreen and whether it’s better to buy it there or before we leave? Thanks for your tips!
Hello,
We’re planning to spend 3 months in Madagascar starting in mid-February.
Areas: Mahajanga, Tulear, Diego Suarez, and Sainte Marie—the order isn’t set yet. We’ll either drive for part of the trip or take flights.
We’ve heard all sorts of things about required vaccines and medications (is anti-malarial mandatory?). What’s the exact situation for travelers?
I’ll come back to you for other topics (like finding a reliable driver, among others).
Thank you.
Best wishes to you all,
Nicole
We're about to go on an organized trip to South Africa, including Kruger Park. We were told that Malarone should preferably be taken in the evening at the same time during a meal. But it's hard to know what time we'll have dinner, especially since I've read that in South Africa, dinner is usually around 6 PM.
I'd love to hear from people who've been on organized trips to this destination and could share their experience. We were thinking of taking Malarone around 7:30 PM, assuming dinner would be closer to 7 PM than 6 PM. Also, if the meal ends up being earlier or later than when we take the pill, would a cookie or a piece of bread be enough to take with Malarone?
I’m planning to set off on a "round-the-world" trip/long journey at the start of next year, lasting between 4.5 and 6 months. For now, the itinerary looks like this: South Korea (2 weeks) -> Japan (1 month) -> New Zealand (1 month) -> Argentina (1 month) -> United States (1 month).
I’m on medication (paroxetine 20 mg/day) and was hoping to bring enough for the entire trip so I wouldn’t have to find a doctor on the spot, deal with a molecule that might be slightly different from what’s available in France, or wonder if that’s even a possibility. Basically, it seemed simpler on paper...
But after looking into the regulations for each country, it’s suddenly way less simple . Many seem to only allow the amount corresponding to the length of your "stay" in the country... Which is a problem if I arrive in Korea with 4.5 months’ worth of medication, for example.
After all that, and even though I’ll obviously contact the relevant authorities in each country (fingers crossed for a response 😛), here’s my question:
Has anyone here had any experience with this? (Even if it’s a different medication or different countries, any input would be helpful!)
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I’m starting a new discussion on this topic since there doesn’t seem to be a recent one.
I have several chronic conditions (including asthma and related ones), and I’m planning to travel for a year across different countries.
Generally, I understand it’s possible to travel with approved medications (which should be my case), but often with a limit of 3 months’ worth of treatment.
Since I’m going for 12 months, that means for three-quarters of my trip, I’d have more than 3 months’ worth of medication.
I plan to bring my prescriptions with the INN (International Nonproprietary Name), as well as the original packaging (even though it’s a nightmare, but from what I understand, it’s necessary). But I’m not sure if that’s enough...
Have any of you been in this situation before? How does it work at customs—do I need to declare everything that exceeds the 3-month limit? Do I need a letter from my doctors?
I'm currently in Bangkok: How can I find a good doctor for a consultation? It's for a friend who'd like a second medical opinion compared to what they got in their country of residence.
Any professionals you'd recommend? How much does it cost?
I’ve already visited quite a few countries across several continents, but I’m pretty new to Asia.
I’m planning a trip to Thailand in October or November, and I wanted to check about health precautions: malaria treatment, vaccinations (hepatitis A or others...).
I’ll mostly be in the northern region, around Chiang Mai, where I’ll spend a lot of time in nature and the mountains. Then I’ll head south to Phuket or Krabi and visit Khao Sok National Park. I’ll finish up in Bangkok, with a likely detour to Kanchanaburi.
From what I understand, for a stay of less than 60 days, I don’t need a visa (I’m a French national)? I just need to fill out the TDAC form 3 to 5 days before arrival?
Hi there,
I was wondering if anyone is heading to Cuba soon and could bring me some over-the-counter Sildenafil (viagra) tablets—available at Varadero Airport, among other places.
Hi there! So, I'm hesitating about taking a long trip. I'd like to go away for 2 to 3 months and travel across several continents. I’d love some advice. I often have unexplained allergies and need to follow a daily treatment for my diabetes (insulin). I think I can get authorization from my doctor to travel for 6 months with the treatment—is that correct? After those 6 months, is it possible (instead of bothering a relative to send the medication) to see a foreign doctor to get another 6-month travel authorization? How does it work at the airport? Do I need just one medication transport authorization, or do I have to request a new one in each country (once the treatment runs out) for both the flight and a DCI? Also, travel insurance doesn’t cover chronic illnesses, so will I have to pay for foreign consultations out of pocket? I’m not sure if I explained myself clearly. Oh, and just to repeat—travel insurance doesn’t cover chronic illnesses, so foreign consultations will be at my own expense? Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi everyone.
After years of traveling to the USA without any medical insurance subscriptions—and luckily never having any major health issues (though I did get a scorpion sting buried in the sand at CBSouth, 😇)—life has caught up with us, and we’re now being forced into "wisdom" and leaving our carefree days behind.
So, I’m looking for the best compromise for a 2-month health insurance plan.
I’ve read the discussions on this topic, but the most recent one is from last year, and I’d love your take on the current situation.
I’m familiar with the usual options like Europ Assistance and AXA, but I’ve just discovered Chapka and Heymondo (the latter seems interesting in terms of both price and coverage).
What do you think of these last two? How do they compare in terms of value for money against the bigger companies?
Hi,
We’ve planned a 3-week trip to Bali this summer with our 7-year-old daughter. The itinerary includes Sanur, Nusa Lembongan, Sidemen, Amed, and Ubud. The more time passes, the more we read about people getting sick—some with mild to severe traveler’s diarrhea, and many ending up in the hospital. We, as parents, have been through it in Egypt with pretty bad cases, but we’d really like to avoid that for our daughter. Even though there’s no zero risk, and we’ll be careful, can any of you reassure me? Not everyone got sick, right? I’d love to hear positive feedback from parents, but not just them 😊. Thanks in advance!
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I’m traveling with a friend for a month in November.
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I’ve seen that the transport takes a while...
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For several years now, increased aggression has been observed in Cape fur seals.
At least 70 unprovoked attacks on humans.
It was recently confirmed that this is due to rabies.
The suspected origin is contamination in Namibia by jackals.
The contagion seems to be spreading.
Preventive vaccination (of the animals) is being considered.
Just a reminder:
Rabies affects all mammals.
Once symptoms appear—sometimes weeks or even months later—death is inevitable.
It’s the bite that transmits the disease.
There are so-called "furious" forms with aggression, but also forms without aggression.
In case of a bite, in addition to standard wound care, tetanus prevention… rabies prevention is essential.
Stay careful out there…
Seeing seals from a boat along the coast isn’t rare in these parts…
