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Insurance advice for Camino Primitivo trip in Spain

Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Primitivo
Hello,

I'm a first-time Camino walker that will be doing the Camino Primitivo solo in September 2022. I will be in Spain for approximately three weeks.

I'm seeking advice regarding travel / medical insurance for my trip. I'm 39 years old and in overall good health with no underlying conditions. I have two primary questions:

1. For my situation -- and given the uncertainties surrounding Covid later this year -- can anyone please recommend a sound approach and insurance carrier/policy? (I don't want to go under board or overboard in terms of my coverage and am hoping there is a nice "middle ground".) I assume I want to have coverage that includes any medical treatment/costs I need from time of "take off" from my domestic U.S. airport until returning home?

2. Also, do I need to purchase travel insurance at the same time I book my flight, or can that be done before or after purchase my ticket? (I ask this because I always see Allainz being offered right before I click "purchase" for my previous international trips.)

One other item -- I'm not sure if this changes matters, but there is the small possibility that I'll be doing one international business trip earlier in the summer that will last week. (But I don't want to bank on that if it’s going to dramatically affect the type or term policy I look into for the Camino later in September.)

I'd greatly appreciate anyone's guidance on a sound/sensible policy and carrier.

Mike
 
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Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

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There are numerous threads on this Forum to research this topic. You will no doubt be getting a lot of responses and opinions. I recently ran into a site: Insure My Trip which allows you to make comparisons between different plans
 
Insure mytrip.com Allows you to put in your needed information…what you require for trip interruption, baggage claims and most importantly for medcal coverage. Many companies now cover COVID. If you want to be eligible for any preexisting conditions you might have, you usually have to book the insurance within two (sometimes 3) weeks of purchase of-the Airticket. Go through the various plans and see what meets your needs. I have used a number of companies. Allianz is one of them that has a good reputation.


If you have to go overseas more than once compare a multiple trip plan that is a year in duration.

 
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As with any policy, read the actual policy in full before purchasing. Make sure you read all the fine print concerning what is covered and what is not covered and especially the exceptions. That fine print can lead to problems when you need coverage the most.
 
As you read the fine print, be sure you discern whether the company will (a) help you when you get sick, by arranging physicians, hospitals, and evacuation services or (b) reimburse you for your expenses once you get home and turn in the receipts. There's a big difference in levels of service.
 
Definitely make sure you read the part in the contract marked exceptions, so you understand it. that’s where the devil is. As @Dani7 pointed out.

You can purchase travel insurance anytime. It doesn’t have to be when you buy your airplane tickets. That might be the best policy you can buy, but I doubt it. The only advantage to that is that you might be getting a policy that also insures your trip and luggage, etc., at the same time. But you want to see what your actually buying. I don’t think it gives you much option to customize.

Of course you can also get other travel insurance policy that covers medical, luggage, trip interruption, just about anything. It’s well worth the cost to not worry.

There’s several big companies that offer this in the states. when I was planning a trip at the beginning of the pandemic, I actually called up the insurance office that has my house and auto insurance, and they had someone on staff who specialized in it. It was helpful to talk to someone who does it all the time, and knew the situation.

I think I ended up getting something through Blue Cross Blue Shield, but in the past when I traveled to Asia and Australia I had used World Nomads, which was something the lonely planet people used to always recommend.

Make sure it includes repatriation, which means that if your in bad shape, they’ll pay to put you on a plane with a medical technician and get you back home. This is something that costs at least $50,000 even from Europe. More from other places (And that’s a normal part of most policies, just make sure).



 
Last edited:
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Thank you. It’s reassuring to know that I don’t have to buy insurance at the time of booking my flight. I want to be very deliberative and take time leading up to my September 2022 trip to find the right policy for me. At the same time, I don’t want to delay booking my flight right now.

For extra buffer, I suppose I could always purchase the standard Allianz policy that’s offered at the time of booking my flight, and then purchase that ideal plan later after doing my research … but, if I do end up needing to use my policies, I wonder if I’d be penalized for overloading/double-dipping coverage, or not be able to take advantage of both plans in full. (Like many of you have said, I’m sure the “devil is in the details” of both policies!)
 
Make sure it includes repatriation
After a teammate of mine on a mountain climb died while on the climb, I never leave my home country without emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains as components of a travel insurance policy. They didn't have it, and it cost their family tens of thousands of dollars, multiple weeks, and lots of red tape/heartache to get my teammate's body home for burial.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Thank you. It’s reassuring to know that I don’t have to buy insurance at the time of booking my flight. I want to be very deliberative and take time leading up to my September 2022 trip to find the right policy for me. At the same time, I don’t want to delay booking my flight right now.

For extra buffer, I suppose I could always purchase the standard Allianz policy that’s offered at the time of booking my flight, and then purchase that ideal plan later after doing my research … but, if I do end up needing to use my policies, I wonder if I’d be penalized for overloading/double-dipping coverage, or not be able to take advantage of both plans in full. (Like many of you have said, I’m sure the “devil is in the details” of both policies!)
I’ve noticed usually the policies always say they’ll cover you as long as you’re not covered by something else. So I agree, I would be careful about double dipping. There might be some hassle in the unlikely event you ever have to make a claim.

I’ve never bought regular travel/medical insurance at the time I bought a ticket. I always went to another company afterwards. What I have bought when purchasing a ticket sometimes is trip insurance, To cover changing flights and associated costs. I even used it once, and it worked fine.

I would just make sure you get it at least a couple weeks before you leave. But it also doesn’t hurt to buy it as early as possible as long as there’s a possibility to cancel and get a refund later if something changes. The reason for that is that people who had purchased travel insurance before the pandemic hit and was declared a pandemic, we’re covered for anything. But After a certain date, when it was really going on, one could not buy travel insurance that would cover Covid. This is different now, but who knows what else comes up?

OK, ha ha. I think I’ve given you all my experience. Buen Camino!
 
Agree, read the fine print. Had quality travel insurance through a highly respected company on a trip to Egypt. Unfortunately, we landed in Cairo on their "Day of Rage" during the Arab Spring. Weren't even allowed off the airport grounds. We had planned a month long journey in Egypt and Jordan. Our pricey insurance planned did not cover anything: flights, tours, hotel deposits, nothing. Why? They don't cover civil insurrection. Didn't read the fine print. But at the time or purchase would not have foreseen the uprising.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
Hello,

I'm a first-time Camino walker that will be doing the Camino Primitivo solo in September 2022. I will be in Spain for approximately three weeks.

I'm seeking advice regarding travel / medical insurance for my trip. I'm 39 years old and in overall good health with no underlying conditions. I have two primary questions:

1. For my situation -- and given the uncertainties surrounding Covid later this year -- can anyone please recommend a sound approach and insurance carrier/policy? (I don't want to go under board or overboard in terms of my coverage and am hoping there is a nice "middle ground".) I assume I want to have coverage that includes any medical treatment/costs I need from time of "take off" from my domestic U.S. airport until returning home?

2. Also, do I need to purchase travel insurance at the same time I book my flight, or can that be done before or after purchase my ticket? (I ask this because I always see Allainz being offered right before I click "purchase" for my previous international trips.)

One other item -- I'm not sure if this changes matters, but there is the small possibility that I'll be doing one international business trip earlier in the summer that will last week. (But I don't want to bank on that if it’s going to dramatically affect the type or term policy I look into for the Camino later in September.)

I'd greatly appreciate anyone's guidance on a sound/sensible policy and carrier.

Mike
I don't know if it is the same in the US but in the UK if you pay for your flight using a credit card then this gives you some degree of medical and travel insurance. Before you splash out any more money it might be worth checking what degree of coverage that you already have.
 
Agree, read the fine print. Had quality travel insurance through a highly respected company on a trip to Egypt. Unfortunately, we landed in Cairo on their "Day of Rage" during the Arab Spring. Weren't even allowed off the airport grounds. We had planned a month long journey in Egypt and Jordan. Our pricey insurance planned did not cover anything: flights, tours, hotel deposits, nothing. Why? They don't cover civil insurrection. Didn't read the fine print. But at the time or purchase would not have foreseen the uprising.
I think that’s the worst bad luck travel story I have ever heard. You get the trophy! A civil insurrection, indeed! 😱

But I think that the insurances I have bought said it would cover evacuating you from the country for something like that as long as there hadn’t been any travel warnings before hand. I never had insurance that would’ve covered lost deposits, etc., in a case like that.
 
It's worth checking your credit cards to see if travel insurance is included in the bargain when you use their card to buy the ticket.

At the time we used travel insurance for an injury in Spain, we were on an Allianz policy that we bought with the ticket. This is basically a reimbursement at least for your garden variety broken leg outpatient case. They covered the policy limit which was the price of the round trip ticket. I didn't bother to submit the factura of E56 for doctor visit, XRay, doctor visit in emergency room when that wandered into my email box as it was not worth it. I just called up my bank and ordered up a wire transfer for the amount of Euro and got it paid. We did have to pay out of pocket for the crutches--hate those short European crutches!--and any prescribed meds. Thank God for helpful taxi drivers!

I have also used the Trip Delay clause a couple of times, the policy tells you the limit they will pay for that but it basically covers much or all of the room you have to rent because your destination airport is all fogged out or flight cancelled while en route.

I have even crawled through the info on my credit card's site to see whether the travel insurance is included if I buy the ticket with points. And I also asked a person. For what it was worth they said if the ticket was bought with travel points it was...but that wasn't in writing. (And that reservation fell and they owe me a boatload of points that hasn't been refunded to me yet months later. Thanks for nothing Chase Travel.)
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
If your work provides medical insurance coverage, find out what the coverage entails and whether you would be covered overseas as well. When I walked, my work insurance was in full force - except for repatriation if needed, so I purchased that in a separate policy. Now I'm on Medicare so it's a bit more complicated - and expensive.
 
The advantage of purchasing travel insurance around the same time as you purchase your flight tickets is to cover you in case you have an accident or illness before your trip that would cause you to not be able to go. The price isn't any higher if you buy your insurance earlier.

Also, many policies will cover pre-existing conditions - your own, or a close family member's if purchased very soon after your initial payment towards your trip. I mention close family members because people sometimes have to cut their travel short to attend to an older parent. As always, read the policy carefully.

I always use Insuremytrip.com to compare and purchase my travel insurance. I wouldn't just buy whatever the airline is offering.
 
Hello,

I'm a first-time Camino walker that will be doing the Camino Primitivo solo in September 2022. I will be in Spain for approximately three weeks.

I'm seeking advice regarding travel / medical insurance for my trip. I'm 39 years old and in overall good health with no underlying conditions. I have two primary questions:

1. For my situation -- and given the uncertainties surrounding Covid later this year -- can anyone please recommend a sound approach and insurance carrier/policy? (I don't want to go under board or overboard in terms of my coverage and am hoping there is a nice "middle ground".) I assume I want to have coverage that includes any medical treatment/costs I need from time of "take off" from my domestic U.S. airport until returning home?

2. Also, do I need to purchase travel insurance at the same time I book my flight, or can that be done before or after purchase my ticket? (I ask this because I always see Allainz being offered right before I click "purchase" for my previous international trips.)

One other item -- I'm not sure if this changes matters, but there is the small possibility that I'll be doing one international business trip earlier in the summer that will last week. (But I don't want to bank on that if it’s going to dramatically affect the type or term policy I look into for the Camino later in September.)

I'd greatly appreciate anyone's guidance on a sound/sensible policy and carrier.

Mike
We had DAN , Divers Assistance Network, we never needed it and now we have aged out. Suerte.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Hello,

I'm a first-time Camino walker that will be doing the Camino Primitivo solo in September 2022. I will be in Spain for approximately three weeks.

I'm seeking advice regarding travel / medical insurance for my trip. I'm 39 years old and in overall good health with no underlying conditions. I have two primary questions:

1. For my situation -- and given the uncertainties surrounding Covid later this year -- can anyone please recommend a sound approach and insurance carrier/policy? (I don't want to go under board or overboard in terms of my coverage and am hoping there is a nice "middle ground".) I assume I want to have coverage that includes any medical treatment/costs I need from time of "take off" from my domestic U.S. airport until returning home?

2. Also, do I need to purchase travel insurance at the same time I book my flight, or can that be done before or after purchase my ticket? (I ask this because I always see Allainz being offered right before I click "purchase" for my previous international trips.)

One other item -- I'm not sure if this changes matters, but there is the small possibility that I'll be doing one international business trip earlier in the summer that will last week. (But I don't want to bank on that if it’s going to dramatically affect the type or term policy I look into for the Camino later in September.)

I'd greatly appreciate anyone's guidance on a sound/sensible policy and carrier.

Mike
If from the USA, check if your current medical insurance will cover you in Spain. As far as timing your purchase you will need to shop before you hit the buy button. Often but not always purchasing at time of airline ticket purchase is a good idea but you need to also be aware of coverage. Unlike here in the USA where you just flash your insurance card and settle up later, with travel insurance you will be expected to pay in full at time of service and settle up with insurance company later.
 
Agree, read the fine print. Had quality travel insurance through a highly respected company on a trip to Egypt. Unfortunately, we landed in Cairo on their "Day of Rage" during the Arab Spring. Weren't even allowed off the airport grounds. We had planned a month long journey in Egypt and Jordan. Our pricey insurance planned did not cover anything: flights, tours, hotel deposits, nothing. Why? They don't cover civil insurrection. Didn't read the fine print. But at the time or purchase would not have foreseen the uprising.
Unfortunately many purchase travel insurance to cover exactly that situation.
 
Thank you. It’s reassuring to know that I don’t have to buy insurance at the time of booking my flight. I want to be very deliberative and take time leading up to my September 2022 trip to find the right policy for me. At the same time, I don’t want to delay booking my flight right now.

For extra buffer, I suppose I could always purchase the standard Allianz policy that’s offered at the time of booking my flight, and then purchase that ideal plan later after doing my research … but, if I do end up needing to use my policies, I wonder if I’d be penalized for overloading/double-dipping coverage, or not be able to take advantage of both plans in full. (Like many of you have said, I’m sure the “devil is in the details” of both policies!)
If "double-dipping" determine at purchase the order of payment. Could be the order or reverse order of purchase.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I think that’s the worst bad luck travel story I have ever heard. You get the trophy! A civil insurrection, indeed! 😱

But I think that the insurances I have bought said it would cover evacuating you from the country for something like that as long as there hadn’t been any travel warnings before hand. I never had insurance that would’ve covered lost deposits, etc., in a case like that.
Lemonade from lemons: once we got a flight out (THAT'S a whole story), we figured we had a month to kill so, on the fly, had a lovely vacation in Athens, Delphi and Meteora, Greece (after stuck on a bus for 10 hours in a snow storm) and then, with time left, went to Rome. Still haven't been to Egypt - unless you count the 23 hours on the airport grounds.
 
Lemonade from lemons: once we got a flight out (THAT'S a whole story), we figured we had a month to kill so, on the fly, had a lovely vacation in Athens, Delphi and Meteora, Greece (after stuck on a bus for 10 hours in a snow storm) and then, with time left, went to Rome. Still haven't been to Egypt - unless you count the 23 hours on the airport grounds.
Good for you!
 

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