Huge Delays - what type of trip insurance would help?

[anuenue]

I've been reading this thread http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/69657-major-meltdown-rocky-mount-petersburg-18/

I've got a multi-leg trip planned for spring (7 long legs on the train, with overnights on the ground in between). I hope Hope HOPE nothing like this mess would happen in springtime, but you never know what can happen. So I'm looking for advice on what type of insurance (if any) would help in this type of situation. If I were stuck on a train that was *that* late, I'd probably want to get off the train and find alternate transportation to my next stop so I could pick up the rest of my trip. Typical travel insurance is written for airline travel and covers delays over (typically) 3 or 6 hours. But with the train, it's not like you can make use of coverage that pays for a hotel - you're stuck on the train. Or...maybe you could get off the train at some reasonable stop and find a hotel? Who knows. Because this is a "what if?', there's no way to know up front what I'd do in a similar situation. But I'd like insurance that might cover alternate transit and possibly a hotel night if needed. Or if things were really bad, I'd probably want to get to the closest airport and just fly home.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

 

[TinCan782]

Don't know if they would cover a train trip but insuremytrip.com is mentioned frequently on cruise forums.

 

[willem]

If I had "overnights on the ground in between" my legs, then I wouldn't worry about it. Amtrak is rarely so late that it would consume an overnight layover. Are you in coach or a room? If I were in coach, my answer might change.

I was once 17 hours late to my destination, but since Amtrak kept me fed and I had access to a shower and I had a book, it was tolerable. In that situation (vehicle strike by a freight train in front of the Amtrak train and two broken rails), it would have been hard to get off the train, even if I had wanted to. Whenever we were in a station, we were projected to lose no more time. When we were stopped, we were not at a station, and getting off the train in the woods probably would not have helped my situation.

How are travel insurance policies written? My vague understanding is that they would cover expenses caused by missed connections, but it sounds like you are unlikely to miss a connection. If you do miss a connection, then Amtrak will change your itinerary at no cost to you to get you to your destination, including paying for a hotel if you need to wait overnight. I don't see travel insurance as helping. But there is a lot I don't know about travel insurance.

The situation where I feel Amtrak really did me wrong was where I missed my first of three same-day connections on a single journey. Amtrak put me up in a hotel and gave me a room on the next day's train, but said to check on the third train after I arrived at my second transfer and then said check after I boarded. I later learned that Amtrak sold the last room on the third train shortly before I boarded. I consider this to be a major foul-up on the part of Amtrak, but I do not believe any travel insurance would have helped me.

That's a lot of words without much solid information. From what I know about travel insurance, I would not buy it for a train trip.

 

[ehbowen]

I have purchased travel insurance for my last couple of trips, but mainly for the included medical coverage (when you are crossing the Canadian border with two senior citizens, you can't be too careful!). There was coverage in case of trip interruption or trip delay which might have been useful in case, for example, adverse weather had kept our Victoria-Seattle Clipper ferry from operating on our planned date. The cost was modest enough and the medical coverage important enough that I didn't hesitate at the purchase; you might consider looking into it. The company I have used most often is TravelEx.

 

[TinCan782]

I have purchased travel insurance for my last couple of trips, but mainly for the included medical coverage (when you are crossing the Canadian border with two senior citizens, you can't be too careful!). There was coverage in case of trip interruption or trip delay which might have been useful in case, for example, adverse weather had kept our Victoria-Seattle Clipper ferry from operating on our planned date. The cost was modest enough and the medical coverage important enough that I didn't hesitate at the purchase; you might consider looking into it. The company I have used most often is TravelEx.

I recently used (well, I actually didn't use it) TravelEx for a cruise. Like you, for medical evacuation, etc.

 

[lo2e]

Nothing to add on the insurance front, but on this:

Or...maybe you could get off the train at some reasonable stop and find a hotel?

I think this would only be possible if you do not use checked baggage, as there is no way you could retrieve it if you get off at an earlier stop (and while I don't have personal experience with it, I doubt begging and pleading with staff to find your piece(s) of luggage so that you can get off the train in the case of a delay would go over well at all).

 

[William]

I am not sure any type of travel insurance would cover this type of situation. Most travel insurance policies are designed to cover medical emergencies, or situations where the passenger becomes ill and can't travel, then the insurance pays for the cost of a trip if it is non-refundable. Travel insurance isn't supposed to guarantee that your trip goes exactly as planned. Amtrak should cover you for missed connections, etc.

 

[anuenue]

Looks like I won't bother to buy additional insurance, then. I've only made one claim through trip insurance, and it was well worth having it. But for this trip it seems unnecessary. Thanks for the insight, everyone.

 

[anuenue]

Looks like I won't bother to buy additional insurance, then. I've only made one claim through trip insurance, and it was well worth having it. But for this trip it seems unnecessary. Thanks for the insight, everyone.

 

[ehbowen]

Yes, if you don't need the medical or other specialty coverage trip insurance is usually unnecessary on an Amtrak trip. The big point of insurance for a domestic trip is that most airline tickets these days are non-refundable...if your travel plans change just prior to the trip you are Sorry Out of Luck. On Amtrak, if you have a heart attack a month before your trip (as my aunt did), you can still get a full credit voucher or a 90% cash refund (as she also did).

(BTW, she's recovering nicely....)

 

[anuenue]

Yes, if you don't need the medical or other specialty coverage trip insurance is usually unnecessary on an Amtrak trip. The big point of insurance for a domestic trip is that most airline tickets these days are non-refundable...if your travel plans change just prior to the trip you are Sorry Out of Luck. On Amtrak, if you have a heart attack a month before your trip (as my aunt did), you can still get a full credit voucher or a 90% cash refund (as she also did).

(BTW, she's recovering nicely....)

Thanks. I'm glad she's recovering!