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Travel insurance.

traciewest
Explorer C

How do I add insurance to my flight tickets in case something happens and I am not able to use them?

5 REPLIES 5

Re: Travel insurance.

rtbarron
Frequent Flyer A

Here's a link with some information that may help you:
http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/2009/10/28/can-you-get-travel-insurance-after-you-purchase-your...

It looks to me that you simply have to find a travel insurance provider online and purchase a policy.

Re: Travel insurance.

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@traciewest wrote:

How do I add insurance to my flight tickets in case something happens and I am not able to use them?


Cliff notes version: Without change fees, Southwest is a leader in flexible airline ticket purchases as long as you would be flying them again in the near future.

 

I don't believe Southwest sells insurance in-house, other than:

 

  1. Wanna Get Away fares can be cancelled and you would be issued Travel Funds to be used on a future flight within one year of the original purchase date.
  2. Anytime and Business Select fares are refundable - if it is highly likely to have a cancelation, and you don't want travel funds from a WGA fare, then you can buy the refundable fares. Warning: don't change these tickets which makes them non-refundable, always cancel and re-book.

You'd have to go outside of Southwest to get travel insurance for rental car, hotel, etc.

 

If you use Costco rental cars the cancelation is very generous as long as you would be able to cancel prior to your scheduled pickup...kind of like Southwest's 10 minute prior to depature cancelation policy.

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Travel insurance.

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

As has been said, you can purchase travel insurance through a variety of vendors, but typically it's purchased when you are concerned about non-refundable costs from multiple components of a trip, such as airfare, hotel, excursions, event tickets, etc. Also, traveling to a location where health issues could lead to large expenses or where natural disasters could interrupt a trip is seen as good reason to get travel insurance. My opinion... insuring just your standard domestic flight would be a waste of money, especially given Southwest's generous cancelation/change policies as stated above. Other airlines probably offer the option to bundle in insurance as a way to skim a few more dollars from you and is fueled by the fear they create with costly change/cancellation fees.

 

If you'd like more information or advice perhaps you could post more details about why you were considering purchasing travel insurance.

 

--TheMiddleSeat

Re: Travel insurance.

Bhaynes117
Explorer C

Do you offer insurance if we are unable to travel?

Re: Travel insurance.

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@Bhaynes117 wrote:

Do you offer insurance if we are unable to travel?


We (members of this community) are mainly travelers the same as you are.

 

Southwest does not offer an insurance product, but you can get it from other sources. Southwest does offer the ability to cancel airfare on short notice and receive travel funds that can be used up to a year from the original purchase date, so in that regard depending on your flying habits, insurance may not be necessary, or at least provide as much value as for other carriers.

 

There are also refundable fares if you think the need to cancel may be more likely.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.