Just like with any type of insurance......if you never use it you may feel you "wasted" your money but if things go wrong you will be glad you got it. If you have auto insurance and never get in a car accident, would you feel you 'wasted' your money?

Make sure you research the agency to make sure the insurance is legit. You don't want to actually need to collect only to find out they went out of business the day before they had to pay any claims.

I don't buy insurance for small trips like to another state to visit friends or family - those losses would be small in the scheme of things, not that any travel is inexpensive. But for big trips, I do purchase insurance. If you get ill before the trip or injured and have to cancel, the money spent is small in comparison to the cost of the trip and well worth it IMO.

I would do it; you never know what can happen from now until you actually go. My hubby booked a Mexico fishing trip in late July for mid October; a few weeks later they found a lump in his neck & next thing we knew he had a cancer diagnosis. While in reality he very well could have made the trip (surgery 9/22 with treatment starting 11/4), it was the one week he was feeling well; he had already canceled it and was reimbursed for the flights (he & his brother).

As it turns out; his brother needed his cash too; so it worked out. It was a small hassle to get paperwork done; then one of the Drs filled in the wrong date; took an hour or so of phone calls; but in the end they got their money back

From personal experience, I can say buy it, buy it, buy it ;0) Fellow posters may remember my family's "missed trip to Italy" story from this past summer. Long story made short -- the car service was in the driveway to take us to the airport and we had to send it on its way due to DD coming down with a terrible infection that morning. THANK GOODNESS WE HAD TRIP INSURANCE !!! We were able to work with the travel agent and insurance company to iron out all of the details and plans are now in place to travel to Italy next summer ;0) Due to a crazy schedule these past few months, I haven't been to this site very often. However, it looks like I was meant to take a peek today;0)

I was a travel agent for 4 years. There are different reasons to buy travel insurance. There is a post about a women that purchased British airways tickets for X-mas, they're striking. This would have been a good time to have purchased trip insurance. Also trip insurance usually covers medical accidents for up to $10,000; doesn't cover scuba diving, DAN insurance does. :0) Airlines will cover up to $250 for lost luggage, if your packing the family jewels for the wedding in India(booked this one once), you'll want that luggage to be insured. You can buy refundable tickets as a 2nd option. If you'll go anyway even if your sick, or losing the cost of the ticket is no big deal, then no don't buy insurance.

Given where you are going, I would absolutely buy trip insurance.

For big trips like yours, our trip insurance has paid for itself. We have been compensated hotel rooms and meals after having flights canceled/delayed on a couple occasions. We also had a situation where an airline lost our luggage for the total 14 days we were in a country--and our insurance enabled us to buy toiletries and much needed clothes (the airline didn't pay for any of this as the bags were found at the end of our trip and returned).

Have fun---I really would like to go there someday. :)

Do visit Petra, Jordan! Max used to work for a tour guide and taxi cab family there. They were so good to him!

Where are you flying into? Israel?

Thank you all so much for the info. You have convinced me that purchasing the insurance is the right thing to do.
Golddust-we are flying in to Tel Aviv. It's funny that you should ask about Petra. We are not scheduled to go there but there is an optional add on to the trip for a tour of Petra. For 675.00 per person we can get a round trip from Tel Aviv to Eilat, 2 nights at the Hilton in Eilat, day excursion to Petra, the Red Rock City which I guess is the newest wonder of the world. We weren't going to do it but will only be in the area once. Would you suggest doing it?

Keep in mind you don't have to purchase the insurance with whomever you booked the trip. lots of peope on a Disney board I visit use insuremytrip.com. You can kinda pick and choose what you wnat to cover and get different prices from different companies.

I haven't used it for any of my Disney trips, but I do plan on using it when I book my first cruise next year.

Hope it's OK to post the link! I have no affiliation w/ the site.

Petra is on my bucket list. I couldn't get that close and not go! It is less tourist oriented than the holy land, according to Max, as well his "favorite place in all the world."

Petra isn't new. LOL! $675 per person sounds cheap. I don't see how you could regret it. Max met the nicest people there. A family took him in. If you see a taxi driver or tourist guide in Petra, ask him if he knows Max Snell.

I can get his name if you are going. He has a very nice family.

If you paid with a credit card you may have some travel insurance coverage though your credit card issuer.