Folks:

I know this is one of those dead-horse things, but from all my checking here on AR there doesn't seem to be a consensus.

Here's what I need insurance for:

ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISABILITY
EMERGENCY MEDICAL EVACUATION
MAJOR MEDICAL INSURANCE
LOSS OF PERSONAL EFFECTS
TRIP CANCELLATION

What I'm interested in is finding someone who insures for such things as listed above AND (!!!) follows through with a payoff in the event of a claim... preferably without having to hire Perry Mason -- who, I'm told, is dead.

Secondly, I'm in the market for a moneybelt I don't have to take off when going through the airport. I'll be taking what I consider to be an INSANE amount of cash and the last thing I want to do is take off my moneybelt. Does anyone make a nylon or "ballistic web" belt with hard plastic buckles... or something similar in leather and cotton webbing? Worst-case scenario, I'll just stuff it all in... "various places"... but it might look a bit odd when I go fishing for bills for a tip or something.

So, there it is. Insurance and moneybelts. "Help."

Thanks a bunch, everyone.

Russ

Russ, check out Cabela's web site for their Antique Leather Money Belt. I've had one for several years.

For the insurance, go to http://www.insuremytrip.com

I just LOVE this website! One-stop shopping! EIGHT MINUTES for a complete response. Hell, I don't get seating in restaurants this fast!

Russ

Okay, here's what I got for coverage on a $5K outlay from me with 250K of medical coverage. The below recommendations offer "package" coverages (presumably for all those things for which I need coverage, listed at the beginning of this thread).

Any recommendations on any of these, folks?

Russ

================

Access America*
Deluxe $ 353.00
Access America*
Classic $ 201.00
CSA Travel Protection*
Advantage $ 344.00
CSA Travel Protection*
Silver $ 194.00
CSA Travel Protection*
Web Direct $ 132.59
CSA Travel Protection*
Web Direct Extended $ 215.54
HTH Worldwide*
Trip Protector $ 194.00
HTH Worldwide*
Trip Protector Preferred $ 259.00
International Medical Group
Patriot T.R.I.P. $ 200.00
M.H. Ross*
Global Alert! $ 216.00
Specialty Risk International*
RoundTrip $ 188.00
Travel Guard*
Cruise, Tour & Travel $ 381.00
Travel Guard
Essential $ 161.00
Travel Guard
Essential Expanded $ 184.00
Travel Guard*
ProtectAssist $ 212.00
Travel Insured
Worldwide Trip Protector $ 205.00
Travel Insured*
Worldwide Trip Protector Gold $ 292.00
TravelSafe*
Vacation Insurance $ 219.00
Travelex*
TraveLite $ 195.00
Travelex
Travel Plus $ 352.00

Insure My Trip (Oops, I see Mike also gave the link).

Trip Cancellation will increase the cost of the insurance (read the provisions carefully about what it covers).

I went with CSA Advantage Travel Insurance policy for all the coverage except trip cancellation (including $100,000 supplemental medical) for my wife and myself for $65.00. You can get the full coverage policy (without the Trip Cancellation portion) by putting 0 (Zero) in the box for the Trip Cost portion. I went with CSA because Keith Atcheson had good luck with them regarding Niki's hospitalization.

Money Belts

Travel Wallets

Regards,

Terry

I used CSI last year for my trip to Namibia. My son and daughter-in-law just used them again for their trip back to Namibia this week. No complaints with charges, and coverages offered.

As for money belts, check with Staples/WalMart etc. They carry both the cloth waist money belts which are very thin, and the nylon or cotton neck wallets to wear under your shirt. All have plastic buckles and slides.

Put the majority of money in the belt. Enough in the neck wallet to use in emergency, and spending money you will need in a shirt pocket.
Never dig into these in public. The Columbia fishing shirts with 4 pockets and velcro closures are nice because the pockets are deep enough for plane tickets and still close and secure. The small pocket is perfect for tip money.

Here's what CSA says about Trip Cancellation:

TRIP CANCELLATION AND TRIP INTERRUPTION BENEFITS
Pre-Departure Trip Cancellation
We will pay a Pre-Departure Trip Cancellation Benefit, up to the amount in the Schedule if you are prevented from taking your Covered Trip due to your, a Family Member's, Traveling Companion's, or Domestic Partner's Sickness, Injury, or death, that occurs before departure on your Covered Trip. The Sickness or Injury must: a) commence while your coverage is in effect under the plan; b) require the examination and treatment by a Physician, in person, at the time the Covered Trip is cancelled; and c) in the written opinion of the treating Physician, be so disabling as to prevent you from taking your Covered Trip.

We will pay a benefit if you are prevented from taking your Covered Trip due to Other Covered Events, as defined in your Certificate of Insurance, that occur before departure on your Covered Trip.


Pre-Departure Trip Cancellation Benefits
We will reimburse you, up to the amount in the Schedule, for the amount of forfeited, prepaid, non-refundable, nonrefunded, and published payments or deposits that you paid for your Covered Trip. We will pay your additional cost as a result of a change in the per-person occupancy rate for prepaid travel arrangements if a Traveling Companion's Covered Trip is cancelled and your Covered Trip is not cancelled.

OTHER COVERED EVENTS means only the following unforeseeable events or their consequences which occur while coverage is in effect under this Policy:

1. Common Carrier delays resulting from inclement weather, or mechanical breakdown of the aircraft, ship or boat or motor coach on which you are scheduled to travel, or organized labor strikes that affect public transportation;

2. Arrangements canceled by an airline, cruise line, motor coach company, or tour operator, resulting from inclement weather, mechanical breakdown of the aircraft, ship or boat or motor coach on which the Insured is scheduled to travel, or organized labor strikes that affect public transportation. Items 1 and 2 above are subject to the following conditions:

(a) the scheduled carrier connecting times must meet airline required legal minimum connect times; and

(b) the scheduled time between arrival at the Scheduled Trip Departure City and the scheduled trip departure must be 2 hours or longer.

3. arrangements canceled by a tour operator, cruise line, airline, rental car company, hotel, condominium, railroad, motor coach company, or other supplier of travel services, resulting from Financial Insolvency;

Item 3 above is subject to your plan payment being received within 14 days of the initial deposit payment for your Covered Trip;

4. a change in plans by you, a Family Member traveling with you, or Traveling Companion resulting from one of the following events which occurs while coverage is in effect under this Policy:

(a) being directly involved in a documented traffic accident while en route to departure;

(b) being hijacked, quarantined, required to serve on a jury, or required by a court order to appear as a witness in a legal action, provided you, a Family Member traveling with you or a Traveling Companion is not 1) a party to the legal action, or 2) appearing as a law enforcement officer;

(c) your Home made uninhabitable by fire, flood, volcano, earthquake, hurricane or other natural disaster;

(d) being called into active military service to provide aid or relief in the event of a natural disaster;

(e) a documented theft of passports or visas;

(f) a Terrorist Act which occurs in your departure city or in a city which is a scheduled destination for your Covered Trip provided the Terrorist Act occurs within 30 days of the Scheduled Departure Date for your Covered Trip;

(g) A cancellation of your Covered Trip if your arrival on the Covered Trip is delayed and causes you to lose 50% or more the scheduled Covered Trip duration due to the reasons covered under the Covered Travel Delay Benefit.

Taylor; Not meaning to be a smart ass but why are you carrying so much cash/ Use a Cashiers' check to pay off any known balances, Traveler's checks for 1/2 the amount of petty cash you think you'll need and trophy fees, use your Credit cards for everything else (be certain to notify them of your out of country travel dates). I rarely carry more than 2 grand in US currency while on safari, half of that I convert to local currency at the international airport upon touchdown in windhoek,or JNB. Wyn

quote:

Originally posted by wynwood:
Taylor; Not meaning to be a smart ass but why are you carrying so much cash/ Use a Cashiers' check to pay off any known balances, Traveler's checks for 1/2 the amount of petty cash you think you'll need and trophy fees, use your Credit cards for everything else (be certain to notify them of your out of country travel dates). I rarely carry more than 2 grand in US currency while on safari, half of that I convert to local currency at the international airport upon touchdown in windhoek,or JNB. Wyn

Not to be a smart ass, I'm following the instructions I received in the mail, which said that it wouldn't be easy to redeem traveler checks, and that I could carry money.

As for credit cards, I have three with a $300, $500, and $1000 limit. Using any one card isn't much of an option. I'm trying NOT to use them to blast away at critters, because I figure I'll need them to help me manage some of the incidentals I expect will arise at the end of the trip.

I appreciate your compassionate concern.

Russ

Russell

Even if for some reason you are not prepaying a good portion of your safari why would you not just take a few traveler's checks in $1000 denominations to cover most everything. I've been on multi country safaris and never took more than $500 in cash. A money belt would worry the shit out of me.

Regards,

Mark

Mark

Okay, here's the deal.

"We accept US$ cash or travellers cheques for trophy fees and any outstanding money. If you would like to give gratuities to staff, please remember to bring small denominations as there are no banking facilities nearby! For shopping around Dar es Salaam, we recommend US$ cash. Travellers' cheques are not widely accepted and can be difficult to change."

The last sentence is what I'm paying attention to. If I get traveler checks, it doesn't look like I can get them cashed easily. I'm not figuring on doing ANY shopping, but paying for the trophies... well, maybe the solution is to carry a few big-denomination checks and fill in the rest with cash. It's my first safari, guys, so forgive me for the retarded questions.

Russ

Lots of money belts I use the eagle creek nylon one no metal
to set off alarms

http://www.letravelstore.com/security.htm

Doyle

Taylor; may I make a suggestion/ Pay everything to the safari company in Traveler's Checks...they'll find a way to cash them for their money. Also get your US cash at least tip $ and souvenier shopping money converted to local currency ASAP if not before leaving home do it at the airport in Africa. I wouldn't take more than $1000 in US cash in my pocket.
Just a suggestion take it for what you like. Wyn

OK, then take TCs for the remaining safari costs which haven't been paid in advance (Daily Rates, Charter, Trophy Fees, Dip/Pack, etc.).

Cash for gratuities and spending money. [Because of counterfeiting, I was told to bring only the most current form of US cash].

ATM for emergency cash withdrawl [notify your bank that you may be using your card in Tanzania and ensure you have 4 digit Pin Number].

Regards,

Terry

All righty then, here's where I'm at.

I'll get some $500 traveler checks and carry a wad of cash... to include "ones," I guess, for tips. I guess I need to take some hard candy, too, from what was mentioned in another thread. I'll try to have enough cash on me to fill in gaps that the checks aren't big enough for.

I just ordered two Columbia shirts and a brown money belt (thanks, Terry and Blank).

(Update, canceled the belt and got the nylon one, thanks Doyle.)

Now it's down to insurance. Blank, did you mean "CSA" instead of "CSI?" Maybe it was a Freudian thing about the TV show. Just checking.

Terry, good tip on the "zero" entry, thanks. Honest, I have NO intention of canceling this trip. God might cancel ME, but that's out of my hands... and it'd be the ONLY way I'll miss this safari.

You guys are great, thanks.

Russ

Mark Young on my first trip to Africa years ago I tied a $belt around my waist with $7500 US cash in it...I worried more about that cash,( my total life savings to that point), than anything else on that trip...it was horrible! didn't know if I could trust leaving it in camp so walked around for 14 days with that damm $ tied to my big belly...couldn't wait to payoff that company and rid myself of it.
The owner laughed when I told him my story at trip's end...said " you should've told me ahead of time, I'd have trusted you for the money till you got home and I billed you. I do that with alot of clients"
Live & Learn! Wyn

Russ,

I suggest you bring what you think you will need in trophy fees in TCs. Just try to calculate a likely sum (plus a little extra in case some other animal you didn't plan on shoot suddenly takes your fancy). Bringing lots of cash (trophy fee amounts) with you is not a good idea IMO. The best idea, when possible is to make a deal with the outfitter (if you trust them) that you pre transfer the likely trophy fee amount. I've done this for my upcoming ele hunt. This saves a bit of hassle with TCs.

Then bring the little (in comparison) you'll need for tips, trinkets etc. in cash. Unless you plan on buying lots of genuine antique carvings, you most likely won't spend very much.

As for cash, don't bring US$100 bills as many africans are suspicious about them due to a lot of 100 dollar bill counterfitting in africa. Smaller bills such as 20s, 10s, 5s and even some 1s are better in my experiance. We have actually had a few times when $100 bills were refused in some countrys. In both banks and the black market.

Have fun!

Good advice above on the use of TCs to the max possible for payment of all amounts to the safari outfitter. And do take big ones--$500s. Less signing and countersigning.

As for cash, unless your bills are the newest variety and new, and I mean, new--i.e., uncirculated and bearing none of those magic marker swipes or numerical bank stamps--expect that you may have some trouble getting them accepted by locals.

Good hunting!

OOOPS! Dumb computers do exactly what you tell them, even when it's wrong. Yes, I meant CSA.

ErikD and Mr. Lexma: Thank you for the advice. I didn't know that about hundreds... and I'm sure I'd have taken some.

I'll see what I can do to take dripping-fresh bills in those denominations you mentioned.

Thanks again.

Russ

Russ- The VISA TCs seem to cause the least heartburn for the operators.AMEX seems to be a no-no.

quote:

Originally posted by crane:
Russ- The VISA TCs seem to cause the least heartburn for the operators.AMEX seems to be a no-no.

This has all been good stuff, folks, thank you. Roger on the Visa traveler checks. Thanks very much.

Russ

quote:

Originally posted by Blank:
OOOPS! Dumb computers do exactly what you tell them, even when it's wrong. Yes, I meant CSA.

Gotcha. Okay, I'll check with CSA about getting fixed up with what I need. Thanks again, very much.

Russ

Russell, if you aren't a member of AAA, this probably won't help much. I bought a money pouch there that I wear under my shirt that is cloth and plastic. It held an "obscene" amount of money and traveler's checks on my recent trip to RSA. Cost was a couple of dollars as I remember. You can also get traveler's checks in large denominations at AAA. You might have to give them a heads up a few weeks before your trip. Hope this helps.

I'm along for the ride on this one.......going to Namibia in September for the first time. Thanks for the CSA lead......

Bob

My experience with a money belt has already been told on AR. Suffice it to say, take as little money and travlers checks as needed, transfer what you can beforehand, inform your credit card companies of your Safari and you'll be much better off.

As UEG said , the safest way to get it done is to load your credit card before you leave home . When pay-day arrives ( and if it's logistically possible ) have your outfitter take you to the local bank ( that the outfitter could have made previous arrangements with ), make the withdrawl , and take care of everything . Either this or travellers checks .

Brad

I may have told this credit card horror story before. If I did, forgive me. I have CRS syndrome.

We paid the balance due to our outfitter by credit card in Nylstrom (Modimole). The charge was 46,000 rand, which translated into about $7,100 US and change. When we got back home, my credit card company called and told me that I was way over the credit limit. It seems that someone posted the $7,100 charge as $71,000! Just one decimal place off. No big deal. It took a few phone calls to get it straightened out, but I'm sure my blood pressure was a bit high for awhile.

BTW, if you are staying at the Sea Cliff Hotel in Dar, they will gladly accept and cash AmEx traveler's checks. They do so, however, at a buy/sell rate that results in about 2% service fee from that day's official exchange. When I paid for my room, I even asked for change in dollars and got all but a few shillings in good ol' green.

The Sea Cliff is first rate!

I don't get this thread AT ALL! jorge

I looks like Russell spent more on his money belt than he had money to put in the belt! I think my 11 year old would now you need more than $130 to go to Africa.

It does illustrate what a f***tard RET is though.

Jorge:

Just think of it this way:

"I voted for the increase before I voted against it."

Same logic.

Too Funny....

Actually, my favorite part is the "insane amount of cash"

This is a predator pure and simple - looking for handouts and freebee's.
He won't show himself again.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Too Funny....

Actually, my favorite part is the "insane amount of cash"

Well, he didn't lie. The amount *was* totally insane!

You know, that reminds me of something: when the one picture of the Judge and 'the Evil One Who Bilked Goodness From All' with a zebra was posted, I wondered to myself, "why does that dude with the rifle look so damned unhappy/angry?" Never before did I recall seeing a safari hunter with a great trophy that looked so freaking miserable and/or pissed off. Maybe the guy really is just plain bananas. At first I thought he was going for the tough guy/I never feel any joy look, but now I'm not so sure.

And BTW, no, being nucking futs isn't any excuse for a single second of his frightful and disgraceful actions.

quote:

Originally posted by Kamo Gari:

Well, he didn't lie. The amount *was* totally insane!

That one tickled my funny bone.

If he would have taken my advice a couple of years ago, he might have been cured by now.

Two Rivers Hospital

quote:

If he would have taken my advice a couple of years ago, he might have been cured by now.

Two Rivers Hospital

I've been on this site for a couple years, and never saw any of that before. OK, now I'm really confused. The guy shows himself to be, in plain view for all to see, that he is way far gone and flat-out emotionally unwell. So.... (scratches head), armed with that kind of knowledge why in the bloody world would he have been invited in the...Ah, nevermind.

This whole thing has sucked for everyone involved. Thankfully, I wasn't one of them!

I think it's now time for someone to start a thread beating up the folks who got duped by Russ! Joking. No flames required.

Umm, bartender...

quote:

... the folks who got duped by Russ!

I guess I am one of them. I regarded Russ as a good guy at heart, though a bit eccentric. Well, I guess I am a bit of an eccentric myself in certain ways. However, now I feel that he has let a lot of good men and women down (and it took some time before I really grasped the magnitude of it). In particular I feel sorry for Doyle Hufstedler, and at least Russ had the decency to pass that obligation on. I guess JudgeG would have been the right man to do the act, but the important thing is that it is done in the expected way.

Still, I rather go though life as a sucker than being tight-arsed and having misgivings about my fellow men. I might be a cynic and a pessimist in many ways, but I prefer to be a trusting cynic.

I take the opportunity to say good bye to Russ now.

Regards,
Martin