Travel insurance vs. self-insuring, my Osaka trip made me flip sides

I skipped travel insurance for a 9-day trip to Osaka and saved about $60. On day 3 my bag got delayed for 26 hours and the airline gave me a $45 voucher, which covered the toiletries I bought. A buddy says I got lucky, and he pays for coverage every single time because his sister broke her ankle in Rome. But the math never works out for me, most trips I claim nothing and the premiums add up to a real flight. Two sides here, you pay for peace of mind or you gamble that nothing goes sideways. Anyone else switch strategies after one bad luck incident, or did one claim make you a believer for life?

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dakotaknight11d ago

That "$45 voucher" is exactly why insurance is a scam for most people. You made out fine and still think you got lucky. But that's the whole point, the system is built so the house wins almost every time. I've never claimed once in ten years of travel, that's like $700 I could have spent on actual food and experiences in Osaka. Your buddy's sister story is just fear talking, people love sharing horror stories but nobody posts about the 99% of trips where nothing happens. Paying premiums forever hoping for a broken ankle is a terrible bet, statistically speaking.

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