Should you buy travel insurance at checkout — or skip it?
More travel companies are offering insurance when you book a trip online. Whether you’re reserving a flight, hotel, cruise, or vacation rental, you’ve probably seen the prompt at checkout: “Add travel insurance to protect your trip?”
But is this the best way to get covered, or do travelers end up paying for policies that don’t offer the protection they expect? Some say the convenience is worth it. Others insist it’s better to shop for a separate, stand-alone policy with broader coverage.
For an upcoming story, I’d like to hear from travelers who have bought insurance at check-out. Did it deliver when you needed to make a claim? Did you feel the coverage was clear and fair? I’d also like to hear from those who bypassed the add-on and purchased insurance separately — and whether that made a difference.
Finally, I’d welcome insights from travel insurance experts and industry insiders. Are checkout policies good value, or are they designed more to benefit the travel companies than the traveler?
If you’ve faced this choice — and have a story or perspective to share — I’d like to hear from you.
The Department of Transportation just dropped a proposed rule that would have required airlines to compensate U.S. travelers for delayed flights. Behind the scenes, the airline industry is lobbying to undo even more consumer protections — from refund requirements to fee disclosures.
I'm researching a story about which rules are most at risk of being rolled back, and what travelers can do to protect themselves if airlines get their way.
I'm looking for air travelers who’ve already felt the sting of weakened protections. Maybe it was a delayed refund, being forced to accept a credit, or a surprise airline fee. I'm interested in hearing your personal stories about what happens when rules vanish and passengers are left to fend for themselves.
For industry experts, I'd love to know which DOT regulations are most vulnerable. How would repealing these rules affect travelers? And what steps can consumers take now to safeguard themselves?
If you’ve experienced any of this, I'd love to hear your story.