Travel insurance ?

199 days before our cruise, when should we buy travel insurance ? cruise is payed in full.

199 days before our cruise, when should we buy travel insurance ? cruise is payed in full.

Usually within 21 days of booking in order to have the pre-existing condition rider.

Check out insuremytrip.com to compare plans.

Usually within 21 days of booking in order to have the pre-existing condition rider.

 

Check out insuremytrip.com to compare plans.

and to get the Cancel For Any Reason rider.

If neither of these factors are important, then wait until the cruise lines internal cancellation penalties start kicking in

I have pre-existing conditions that could cause problems, so I always buy mine at the time of cruise deposit. That ship has sailed...

I would also encourage you to use insuremytrip.com and research options available to you now. Figure what is most important to you - for me it is emergency evacuation because no other insurance will help you with that. I also look for an insurance that is primary payer, so the claim process is much easier. Cancel for any reason is pricey and I don't buy that.

When I took my mom on a cruise, I purchased the cruise line's insurance so I had a fall-back for her cruise fare if she had to cancel and insurance wouldn't cover it. But I was also very concerned about emergency evacuation so I purchased a primary payer insurance for that service only.

If you have questions, ask.

We never buy it. Just use our Visa to pay and we're good.

We never buy it. Just use our Visa to pay and we're good.

I did not realize visa offered medical evacuation reimbursement of up to 20,000 as that is what it could cost if needed

Visa just will give you trip cancellation insurance but not the med/evac.

I understand though, that Amex platinum DOES include med/evac.

We use travel insured for our travel insurance

I have pre-existing conditions that could cause problems, so I always buy mine at the time of cruise deposit. That ship has sailed...

 

I would also encourage you to use insuremytrip.com and research options available to you now. Figure what is most important to you - for me it is emergency evacuation because no other insurance will help you with that. I also look for an insurance that is primary payer, so the claim process is much easier. Cancel for any reason is pricey and I don't buy that.

 

When I took my mom on a cruise, I purchased the cruise line's insurance so I had a fall-back for her cruise fare if she had to cancel and insurance wouldn't cover it. But I was also very concerned about emergency evacuation so I purchased a primary payer insurance for that service only.

 

If you have questions, ask.

What is insurance that is primary payer??

 

What is insurance that is primary payer??

Primary just means that with this policy there's no coordination of benefits with your existing Health/Homeowner's/other insurance (like there is with Secondary insurance, like the CruiseLine's). It can make reimbursement easier/quicker. ken

We always use travel insurance. I would contact my TA immediately and get what you can find. I'm surprised that she didn't make you sign a document that you declined Travel Insurance. Even if you are in a ship in US waters, the ship is a foreign country. Foreign doctors cannot give prescription to be filled in the U.S.

I always get trip insurance real soon after booking so I get the pre-existing coverage. I'm not too worried about the cost of a $2,000 cruise but that $300,000 jet ambulance medical evacuation from Belize is what I want to be sure to have covered. Some med-evac takes you to the nearest US hospital and some to the hospital of your choice. I always go for the hospital of choice. Gotta' make it back to Vandy. :o Also, most US medical insurance doesn't cover you outside the US.

Trip expense coverage is good but uncovered medical expenses in a foreign country can bankrupt you.

You have to get the trip insurance fairly close to booking to get pre-existing conditions covered.

We don't book without travel insurance. Just figure it is part of the price of the trip....always get it immediately after putting down deposit to be covered on "pre existing" medical. It is worth its weight in gold if you need to use it! Ask yourself, why have homeowner's insurance, or car insurance.....when you need it, it is invaluable. PS We always get "primary" carrier coverage as well.

uncovered medical expenses in a foreign country can bankrupt you.

Uncovered medical expenses in the US can bankrupt you!

Foreign countries are probably cheaper than here.

:):)

We use travel guard, check it out through insuremytrip. com. I don't recommend using the cruiseline insurance.

Uncovered medical expenses in the US can bankrupt you!

Foreign countries are probably cheaper than here.

 

:):)

Working in a Canadian hospital we've seen in the past few years insurance companies in the US "taking their time" getting patients back home because our fee's are lower... that said there's a huge difference in being "stuck" in a Canadian trauma centre than than what they consider a "hospital" in some of the caribbean ports i've been in :eek: a hand painted red + on a piece of plywood does not constitute a hospital to me ;)

I always have travel insurance and I book it within 10 days of putting down my deposit so I can have pre-existing conditions covered. One thing to consider is that it then covers pre-existing conditions of family members who might not even be traveling with you, but if they had a serious condition that came up and you needed to cancel, you would be covered for THEIR pre-existing condition.

We have never purchased the travel insurance - this will be our 5th cruise, however, as DH is now 66, I am wondering if we should. I just logged on to the site listed above: http://www.insuremytrip.com and see that there are many choices. What do you seasoned traveler's reccommend for coverage keeping in mind two things, 1) we don't use a travel agent 2) we are both quite healthy and don't have any pre-existing conditions or regular RX or anything! Thank you!

What do you seasoned traveler's reccommend for coverage keeping in mind two things, 1) we don't use a travel agent 2) we are both quite healthy and don't have any pre-existing conditions or regular RX or anything! Thank you!

Ditto! What exactly do most travelers get for coverage?

Ditto! What exactly do most travelers get for coverage?

We usually insure our whole trip as we like the longer cruises and 14+ days tend to get expensive; however, on a shorter, inexpensive cruise we sometimes just get "medical & evacuation" insurance figuring we can lose the cost of the cruise and not end up in the poor house. Medical/evac is very cheap....just something to consider.

Sandy

Keep in mind even if you're healthy, you could trip and break a leg and get stuck in a Caribbean hospital.

I read about a situation where the spouse of a man who was hospitalized on an island basically got cornered in closet by a doctor who insisted she had to pay him before her spouse left the hospital. It's not like the US where you can expect the medical community to treat you and send a bill later.

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Trip interruption coverage is another thing many dont't consider, but we have multiple friends who have had to use this.

Keep in mind even if you're healthy, you could trip and break a leg and get stuck in a Caribbean hospital.

 

I read about a situation where the spouse of a man who was hospitalized on an island basically got cornered in closet by a doctor who insisted she had to pay him before her spouse left the hospital. It's not like the US where you can expect the medical community to treat you and send a bill later.

 

 

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I too was "healthy" , but on a cruise in October, was on my way to a musical hour before dinner, when WHAM I suffered a stroke, no warning at all. Fortunately I had purchased Ins. I was treated as emergency in ships Medical centre, bill almost $3000.00 immediately billed to my credit card. Then off loaded to hospital ashore in Belgium, there 7 days, had to pay bill BEFORE they allowed me to leave, (Chase Visa refused as Chase not known by Hospital., accepted Bank of America Visa ). Very glad I had two different credit cards.

I am still waiting for Berkely Care to refund me for the two treatment bills.

I was Medically evacuated home by air through Call International part of my Travel Ins. they booked me with a nurse in attendance with Delta Business class ,flight was 13 hours, delivered me to home town Hospital in FL. Fantastic. It was then that medicare /suppl. picked up bill

Berkely has paid me for the 12 days I did not use of my cruise, but as said still waiting for approx. $3000.00 paid by me for emergency treatment aboard ship. I will get this but expect it to take until about April 2015.(6 months total) .

$20,000. would NOT have covered my Medical Evacuation. Believe me you DO NEED to think about that cost, no matter how healthy you may be today.

I too was "healthy" , but on a cruise in October, was on my way to a musical hour before dinner, when WHAM I suffered a stroke, no warning at all. Fortunately I had purchased Ins. I was treated as emergency in ships Medical centre, bill almost $3000.00 immediately billed to my credit card. Then off loaded to hospital ashore in Belgium, there 7 days, had to pay bill BEFORE they allowed me to leave, (Chase Visa refused as Chase not known by Hospital., accepted Bank of America Visa ). Very glad I had two different credit cards.

 

I am still waiting for Berkely Care to refund me for the two treatment bills.

 

I was Medically evacuated home by air through Call International part of my Travel Ins. they booked me with a nurse in attendance with Delta Business class ,flight was 13 hours, delivered me to home town Hospital in FL. Fantastic. It was then that medicare /suppl. picked up bill

 

Berkely has paid me for the 12 days I did not use of my cruise, but as said still waiting for approx. $3000.00 paid by me for emergency treatment aboard ship. I will get this but expect it to take until about April 2015.(6 months total) .

 

$20,000. would NOT have covered my Medical Evacuation. Believe me you DO NEED to think about that cost, no matter how healthy you may be today.

Out of curiosity… how much was it to evacuate you?

In answer to Dickinson:-

Although I do not have an exact figure, I submit following facts.

Call International sent a Nurse to the Hospital in Belgium, she arrived late afternoon to arrange for paperwork and medication for 6 A.M next day release ( I had to pay the bill for the treatments at that time before Hospital would agree to release me next day. (she stayed in hotel overnight )

6.AM release Call International provided a car to take nurse and myself to Brussels Airport. about 35-40 miles

At Airport since we were booked into two business class seats for flight we were able to go into Lounge to wait for boarding.

In flight (seat reclined to flat so I could rest) Nurse provided needed Oxygen, and medication, also assisted me to toilet since I could not walk (no use of left hand arm, leg or foot.)

At Atlanta we had to change planes, Nurse attended to all details, passports etc. At Fort Myers FL (USA) Call International provided a car to take Nurse and myself to my home town Port Charlotte 30 miles away.

Car took us to local home town Hospital, where they were expecting me as Call International had informed them I would need admittance. Nurse saw me through admitting , until I was in bed in my Hospital room.

I am sure you can do the figures for cost of Nurse, 2 cars, 2 business class seats for flight of 13 hours about 8,000 miles , not to mention all the details needed.