I think it’s great that THS pays some of the cost of accomodation if there’s a cancellaton AND you have premium. I agree it would be even better if they offered something back on flights or trains. In the meantime, I’ve found that flight refund and credit policies vary a lot by airline. The major carrier we usually use does offer credit if you need to cancel even on “basic” fares although there might be change fee (about $100). It’s worth looking at different airline’s policies before you book. You’re still losing money for sure, but if you decide not to go the airfare (minus the fee) is still being banked by the airlines. On the other hand, maybe you were meant to go on the trip and meet your soul mate? Who knows?
By the way, there are lots of good articles out there on how to get bumped from flights and save more.
We’ve been cancelled on three times by international HOs, pre having premium membership. On the whole we never choose the flex policy for flights because the additional cost outweighs at least 50% of the value of the flight so unless lots go awry it makes no financial sense. Better to take the gamble. So far it’s worked fine & we take at least 20 flights a year!
I get travel insurance through my travel agent. I can pay less and have credit for a year or pay a higher price for full refund. It covers any reason I need to cancel until I get on flight. I used it last year when we cancelled a trip and had a credit to fly to Norway this summer.
I am not sure of the name of the insurer. I go through Incantotravel. My travel agent takes care of everything. For $2900 of coverage it costs me $99 for the credit option. If I wanted a full refund the policy would have been $229. You do have to pick one when you buy it. I always go for the credit since I can find another place to go within a year.
@Cuttlefish yes Vietnam was my first big overseas trip way back in the day and I spent the obligatory night onboard a boat at Halong Bay. I had a badly infected ingrown toenail at the time which had to be removed so I couldn’t swim in the beautiful water. Going back again just to chill for a month or so around Phu Quoc and other beaches. You have been very lucky living there, I love the place and the people.
I very much doubt that travel insurance would cover a cancelled housesit, especially as “officially” we’re not meant to be housesitting as such but staying with friends….
Did a lot of research & the one we chose wasn’t cheap but by far the prettiest, most stylish boat. Only 10 cabins so 20 people max & like an old junk - Nostalgia Cruises. They get booked up (loads don’t) but am super happy we did this one @IHeartAnimals Used to work with Orient Express Trains & it felt like a boat version (sorry forum, off topic!)
I don’t think you’d need to that specific or revealing. I’d just look for insurance that covered your costs if you’d changed plans for more general reasons.
If an insurer can’t make X insurance work, there’s zero chance that THS would be able to do that. That’s because insurers have teams of actuaries calculating the odds of any policy they issue or could issue. And they’re always updating those numbers, based on evolving inputs.
THS would be insane to insure anyone directly, because the risks of non-insurance people issuing insurance is highly likely to end up in vast costs. They’ll always look for insurers to underwrite if they’re sane.
Check out @mam1996t’s comment. She didn’t buy housesitter cancellation travel insurance. It’s a more general travel policy. That’s just an example.
Insurers are always calculating odds on existing policies, as well as new ones they could issue. If they can’t make money at it, no policy will exist. So if they don’t offer it, neither will THS.
And THS will always use an insurance company (rather than insuring users directly) unless it’s crazy and wants to risk its financial stability (unlikely). That’s because any company that thinks it can calculate insurance risks better than an insurer is nuts. They have teams of experts (called actuaries) doing that nonstop (with computers and financial models).
She said that SHE canceled her trip and claimed successfully. Cancel for any reason insurance would cover that cancellation.
She did NOT say that a HO cancelled a sit and that she was able to claim her loss under a cancel for any reason travel policy. Insurance companies cover the individual and their immediate family members under CFAR policies.
Which is the subject of this post after all.
THS could easily self insure or be unwritten for converage airfare losses related to a sit canceled by a HO. They are already doing it for lodging for those at the higher membership level.
