Help please! shipping/medical & baggage insurance

[Floridabound]

Hi, I'm making a permanent move to Florida next month and I'm in the process of sorting out shipping and insurance. I really really need help/good advice with the following as I'm having difficulty finding useful information. Many thanks for any replies, they are greatly appreciated.

- To date I cannot find any insurers who can cover my baggage for the flight out there. Standard travel insurance is for people who are going for a set period and returning so they haven't been able to cover me. I really need some help with this.

- I don't have a clue where to start with shipping. I don't have a great deal to ship (fortunately) just some additional clothes, books/CD's etc. I have looked at some shipping websites but I don't know how to differentiate between them, what sort of criteria I should be judging them by and who is reputable and whether should I go for shipping by sea or air. I have no comparison or idea of costs either but I can get that data myself I guess. The only advice I have managed to get so far is to use someone who insures the goods for the entire journey including when they arrive and are sitting there on land waiting for collection.

- medical insurance (of course haha). I have got some figures from Bupa Intl (obviously expensive but I am expecting it to be pretty expensive). The two or three other expat global insurers I have contacted so far don't do the required insurance I am after (living in the US). I need insurance for three months (then I will switch to then wife's policy) and I'm looking for something similar to travel insurance where I am covered mainly for major accident (e.g. car crash) or illness. I should be able to manage a few months without cover for other things(?) like GP/prescriptions etc. and I'm trying to keep the cost down. I'm not sure if I could get cover from a US based insurer before I go, would I need some details that I don't yet have like a social security number?

I think I've covered it. Please, if you could help that would be fantastic as I am stuck and it's eating up so much time. Many thanks

[twostep]

Your wife works for a US employer? Why does she not cover you through COBRA?

What is in your baggage that requires special insurance coverage? No, I am not trying to be nosy.

Burn your cds on MP3.

[Bevdeforges]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

For the shipping, you probably want to consult an international shipper (i.e. a removals company that does international shipments), at least for a starting point. The standard expat package is to ship a limited amount by air (500 pounds or so) so that you can ship clothes and things you'll need immediately. The surface shipment then handles the rest of your stuff - and takes a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks to get to the US from Europe.

Normally, the mover will handle the insurance. They basically need the same listing of the goods you are shipping for insurance purposes as for clearing your goods through customs on arrival (which is the other thing you are paying them to do).

Personally, I wouldn't take anything requiring special insurance with me as baggage. Stick those items in with the air freight shipment and let the mover supply the insurance. Chances are you'll get through customs on your arrival a bit quicker and easier if you're not carrying high-value items in your baggage.

The medical insurance issue is tricky. Travel type insurance would normally be ok if all you want is "major medical" (i.e. accident or major catastrophe) except that travel medical for the US is often based on treating you until you can be safely returned to your home country, where your medical costs would be covered by the national health insurance. If you're moving over there for real, that's not what you want.

You don't need a social security number to get insurance. You might try checking with a US based insurer and ask about a short-term major medical policy to cover you until (I'm assuming) your wedding, when your then-wife can put you on her company plan. If she has an insurance agent she works with (for home, car or other insurance) maybe she can ask about getting you an appropriate medical coverage for the bridge period. (Working with an insurance agent you already deal with is usually the best way to get a deal.)
Cheers,
Bev

[synthia]

Don't skip on the insurance. My last trip to an emergancy room, which required some tests but ended up not requiring treatment, cost $3500. My broken ankle, back in 1999 cost $45,000. It would be a lot more expensive now. I live in St. Petersburg, Florida. Prescriptions can be not expensive, but outrageous. If you are on any long-term medication, try to get a full three months supply and bring it with you. Some things are fairly cheap. You should be able to get an idea by checking prices at US on-line pharmacies. Chekc Wallmart.

[Floridabound]

Originally Posted by twostep

Your wife works for a US employer? Why does she not cover you through COBRA?

What is in your baggage that requires special insurance coverage? No, I am not trying to be nosy.

Burn your cds on MP3.

Hi, thanks for replying.

I will ask my [future] wife about COBRA but can you tell me what it is (she may or may not be aware of it).

I want to take my guitar on the plane with me (well in the hold) as I want to use it immediately when I get there and I'm also worried about it getting damaged (or stolen if I'm held up by customs because of entering on a visa). Other than that I will just have clothes, CD's and some light books in a suitcase. I'm not after 'special' insurance. If I was going on holiday then I would have travel insurance and they would be covered. Yes I could go without it but if they did get damaged or stolen it would be annoying, a hassle and expense to restore/re-buy them and although I would say I'm not as precious over my possessions as most other people I would still be a little upset about it (and kicking myself I didn't have insurance).

That's a good idea about the CD's thank you. However, I do like the tangibility of a CD. Plus extras like the inlay card.

[Floridabound]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

Hi and welcome to the forum.

For the shipping, you probably want to consult an international shipper (i.e. a removals company that does international shipments), at least for a starting point. The standard expat package is to ship a limited amount by air (500 pounds or so) so that you can ship clothes and things you'll need immediately. The surface shipment then handles the rest of your stuff - and takes a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks to get to the US from Europe.

Normally, the mover will handle the insurance. They basically need the same listing of the goods you are shipping for insurance purposes as for clearing your goods through customs on arrival (which is the other thing you are paying them to do).

Personally, I wouldn't take anything requiring special insurance with me as baggage. Stick those items in with the air freight shipment and let the mover supply the insurance. Chances are you'll get through customs on your arrival a bit quicker and easier if you're not carrying high-value items in your baggage.

The medical insurance issue is tricky. Travel type insurance would normally be ok if all you want is "major medical" (i.e. accident or major catastrophe) except that travel medical for the US is often based on treating you until you can be safely returned to your home country, where your medical costs would be covered by the national health insurance. If you're moving over there for real, that's not what you want.

You don't need a social security number to get insurance. You might try checking with a US based insurer and ask about a short-term major medical policy to cover you until (I'm assuming) your wedding, when your then-wife can put you on her company plan. If she has an insurance agent she works with (for home, car or other insurance) maybe she can ask about getting you an appropriate medical coverage for the bridge period. (Working with an insurance agent you already deal with is usually the best way to get a deal.)
Cheers,
Bev

Hi, thanks for replying and thank you for all the information.

By '500 pounds' did you mean in value or weight? I'm guessing weight but I thought I would check.

Yeah I was just using travel insurance as a comparison for the type of cover I may require. I will ask my fiance to find out about her insurance through her job and see if we can get anything reasonable that way,

I wanted to take my guitar with me on the flight so that's why I wanted baggage insurance mainly although maybe I could use air freight instead?

Thanks for all your help.

[Floridabound]

Originally Posted by synthia

Don't skip on the insurance.

Hi, thank you for your reply.

Oh no I've no intention of skipping the medical insurance. I realise what a disaster that could turn out to be.

[Bevdeforges]

It's doubtful that your fiancée can insure you before the wedding through her work policy - but she may know of an independent insurance agent who could find a short term medical policy for you.

The 500 pounds was a reference to the weight, not the value. I have had small loads shipped from the US by a shipping store (one of those "Mailboxes are Us" places that handles shipping and mailbox services). Not sure if they have those in the UK, but if they do it could be worth asking around. They can provide insurance for the shipment - though you're kind of on your own when it comes to customs clearance (which can be a pain). Or try calling an international shipping service like UPS, Fed Ex or DHL.

You may want to ship the guitar by air - just a couple days ahead of your arrival. Normally a small air shipment should arrive within a week. Saves all the worry about trying to get through customs and meet up with your bags on arrival.
Cheers,
Bev

[synthia]

MailBoxes Etc. was bought by UPS, and are now called The UPS Store, and I have seen both versions in other countries, so it's worth looking.

The COBRA insurance that was mentioned is only for people who have had employer sponsored insurance for at least six months and lost their jobs. It allows people to stay on the company policy at their personal expense for the number of months they were employed, up to 18 months. When I lost my job in Florida, my COBRA payment was around $275 per month, while a family policy, regardless of family size, was somewhere around $750 or $800, and that was in 2002.

[Floridabound]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

It's doubtful that your fiancée can insure you before the wedding through her work policy - but she may know of an independent insurance agent who could find a short term medical policy for you.

The 500 pounds was a reference to the weight, not the value. I have had small loads shipped from the US by a shipping store (one of those "Mailboxes are Us" places that handles shipping and mailbox services). Not sure if they have those in the UK, but if they do it could be worth asking around. They can provide insurance for the shipment - though you're kind of on your own when it comes to customs clearance (which can be a pain). Or try calling an international shipping service like UPS, Fed Ex or DHL.

You may want to ship the guitar by air - just a couple days ahead of your arrival. Normally a small air shipment should arrive within a week. Saves all the worry about trying to get through customs and meet up with your bags on arrival.
Cheers,
Bev

Hi, thanks for replying again.

I'm thinking now I may look for a US insurer then. It might also work out a bit cheaper, if for no other reason than I have pounds sterling at the moment and they will be charging me in $'s. I did see on another expat site (Britishflorida.com) an advert for a guy at a company called Mainstream Insurance in Boca Raton, Florida. Saying they have a policy suited for Brits about to emigrate. Have you any comments about this?

Yeah I think I may ship the guitar air freight then. Thanks for your advice. I will have a look at the Fed Ex etc. websites. Do they do shipping for people moving then? I always thought they were more for post.