So far healthy...TravelGuard or TravelEx?

[DisnyMik]

We are going on a 7 day FOS in May. Our final pmt is due 3/2/13. I have decided to get insurance (we haven't in the past).

We are healthy and no pre-existing conditions so this is just precautionary. Just not sure which to go with or what plan. They are all so confusing. How do I know how much coverage is enough??

Do I go "Basic" or "Plus"? I'm not worried about it being a few $$ difference, I just want to make the right choice!

Any help, concerns or advice would be appreciated.

[Mary Ellen1]

Hi there. I'm NOT an insurance expert, but your comment about being healthy caught my eye.

I "got religion" about buying travel insurance when a teenage member of our group broke his leg on the 1st night, playing basketball. Ship's doctor said the leg needed surgery, and the kid had to go home ASAP. He was flown home from our first port, Grand Cayman, 2 days later.

So as you can see, accidents can happen to anyone. Make sure your plan has a reasonable amount of Trip Interruption insurance that would cover an unexpected flight home, and also Med-Evac insurance. I've seen other posts on here recommending what kind of $$$ amount you should have for the Med-Evac coverage.

[boatmlg]

I purchased travel insurance from Celebrity in November 2012 and had to have emergency surgery on January 2013. I tried to get a refund and even though I had sent Celebrity a note from my doctor and discharge papers from the hospital, the executive office said NO Refund. The insurance company that they use AON/Berkely is not registered to sell insurance in my state. I will never go on a Royal Caribbean or Celebrity cruise ship. There is no customer service on these cruise lines.

[cruiseco]

Originally Posted by boatmlg

The insurance company that they use AON/Berkely is not registered to sell insurance in my state.

If that's truly the case, contacting the MA department of insurance should result in a full refund in record time. Someone broke the law and if they ever want to sell their product to residents of MA in the future they're going to have to first make things right with anyone that was harmed.

But I've got a feeling that the information you got, though not mistaken (they really are not registered in MA under those names), is irrelevant. From the Cruise Care description of coverage:

"IN CALIFORNIA: BerkelyCare SM is a service mark of Aon Direct Insurance Administrators, CA Insurance License # 0795465.
IN ALL OTHER STATES: BerkelyCare SM is a division of Affinity Insurance Services, Inc. in all states other than CA, except: AIS Affinity Insurance Agency, Inc. in MN and OK and AIS Affinity Insurance Agency in NH and NY. "

So my reading on this is that it doesn't matter that AON/Berkely is not registered in MA as they don't claim to be. It appears that your policy was sold under Affinity Insurance Services / Berkely.

Also, whether or not your claim was denied (for whatever reason) you are sill entitled to a credit toward a future cruise equal to 75% of the penalty amount in place at the time of cancellation. Was this offered to you?

[Barrheadlass]

We have purchased Berkley insurance in the past (through our "automobile club" for a cruise we purchased there, and when the trip home was delayed we had no difficulty collecting from Berkley. We too are in MA.