Insurance - yes or no? with POLL!

I thought this was an interesting topic so I thought I would post it again but as an actual poll this time! ;)

It also seemed like there was some "confusion" on ChitownGus's thread as to whether people were talking about medical insurance or cancellation insurance so I added options for either or both!

We have an annual policy which covers cancellation/baggage and medical through a third party.

Whether we buy insurance really depends....we don't always purchase it.....but if we have any inkling that we may have to cancel down the road, we will get it. It's not an "everytime" thing for us.

My answer isn't included.

I get free travel Insurance via my home insurance - I also have yearly travel insurance via my work/bank account which is also free ( customers pay a monthly fee).

I also have European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which replaced the old E111 and covers the following......

Your EHIC lets you get state healthcare at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. It will cover you for treatment that is needed to allow you to continue your stay until your planned return. It also covers you for treatment of pre-existing medical conditions and for routine maternity care, as long as you're not going abroad to give birth. Please choose one of the options below that best fits your need.

We get the total insurance coverage, mostly for the medical evacuation. Just never know what could happen while away, miles from home!

I have done it several different ways, so I voted on the way we are using for our next cruise. We have not always gotten it in the past.

For some of our shorter cruises or cruises where we are staying close to the US I have not always gotten it. It is a gamble with medical evacuation, but that is a small risk, although a real one. We do not travel the day of our cruise and give ourselves plenty of "emergency time."

We have mostly bought third party insurance in the past. No problems and never had to use it.

For our next cruise we bought RCI insurance. It was just too easy to do when we reserved and very reasonable. For some reason the third party was very pricey for us this time. Maybe because DH turned 62 this year? Also, a friend had to cancel a cruise last minute for health reasons last year and she was very please with how quickly and completely RCI handled her claim.

Due to new health problems that have arisen with me in the last year and the very real possibility of having to have surgery with only a week or so notice I will no longer be cruising without insurance. I will also need to purchase it at the time I reserve my cruise either through the cruise line or a third party, depending on the circumstances.

Please get insurance! Last year I had my dream cruise to Alaska that I've been waiting on forever. I did go May 21, 2011, I found out I had breast cancer and needed a full mastectomoy, May 10, 2011, My doctor said go on vacation (of course my mind wasn't in it) and try and enjoy and we would do surgery as soon as you get back. Even when you may think your whole family will be with you on your cruise, WHY get insurance. while I was in Alaska, my 11 yr. old daughter had emergency surgery. You just never know. so YES, Yes, yes, get insurance.

It isn't always if you need insurance only to cancel the trip. When we started to cruise in '95 we didn't buy insurance. However, we always buy insurance when we travel. We have used it a few times. On our Hawaii cruise I had a medical issue (dehydration) and my bill was $546.00 put right on my seapass! After coming home and my insurance and medicare not paying (international waters) our travel insurance paid the full amount no problem!! We also used it for damaged luggage.

You never know what might happen. The extra money is well worth it. If you don't need to use it your blessed. If you do need it you have it.

Carol

I don't believe you can purchase separate types of insurance coverage thru' RCI. That insurance covers medical, baggage, trip delay and cancellation, independanty booked air, and medical evacuation. So anyone who answers that they only purchased one catagory from RCI probably do not understand what they have purchased! I talked directly with Berkley Care (RCI and X"s travel insurance carrier) before buying my next cruise policy with them. I have used both third party and RCI insurance for various cruises. And I have had to use insurance twice in 12 years for a medical reason to cancel.

I never used to buy insurance but as we age and things happen I now usually get the insurance through a 3rd party depending on the trip distance away from home and if I could reasonably get back if need be. I also bought insurance for any travel we did while my mother was sick and dying so I could get back if necessary.

I use a credit card that has travel and car insurance to book my trips so there is some coverage there as well. And our car insurance does cover most auto needs so I think between everything ... we're covered.

For some of our shorter cruises or cruises where we are staying close to the US I have not always gotten it. It is a gamble with medical evacuation, but that is a small risk, although a real one.

Someone will correct me if Im wrong but Im pretty sure if you on a short cruise say around the Bahamas it would be the USCG airlifting you paid for by taxpayer money.

I still buy insurance on even the short cruises I have taken though and use RCI CruiseCare. I would hate to know the failure to pay 29.00 extra per person lost me several hundred to a thousand dollars if something happened and I had to cancel.

Some people say CruiseCare is not good insurance. I like their cancel for any reason policy though and the fact that its rolled into the price of the cruise. i have never read any negative comments about getting claims paid.

I thought this was an interesting topic so I thought I would post it again but as an actual poll this time! ;)

 

It also seemed like there was some "confusion" on ChitownGus's thread as to whether people were talking about medical insurance or cancellation insurance so I added options for either or both!

 

We have an annual policy which covers cancellation/baggage and medical through a third party.

We purchase the total insurance since my husband and I had to miss a family cruise because he had to have a stint to fix a blockage. Alot may depend on a persons age.

I used to never buy insurance but now that I travel with my DD, I always buy the total coverage insurance.

We've had insurance on about 50% of our cruises, but as our parents are aging and we've had to drop everything at work and head to the hospital at least 3 times this year we never know when something is going to happen. Our last cruise for the 4 of us ran approximately $7 - 8,000.00, I work too hard for my money to just let that go! :(

We just consider the cost of insurance as buying a little peace of mind.

My answer isn't included.

 

I get free travel Insurance via my home insurance - I also have yearly travel insurance via my work/bank account which is also free ( customers pay a monthly fee).

 

I also have European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which replaced the old E111 and covers the following......

 

Your EHIC lets you get state healthcare at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. It will cover you for treatment that is needed to allow you to continue your stay until your planned return. It also covers you for treatment of pre-existing medical conditions and for routine maternity care, as long as you're not going abroad to give birth. Please choose one of the options below that best fits your need.

Well, personally I would consider that insurance through a third party! ;)

I don't believe you can purchase separate types of insurance coverage thru' RCI. That insurance covers medical, baggage, trip delay and cancellation, independanty booked air, and medical evacuation. So anyone who answers that they only purchased one catagory from RCI probably do not understand what they have purchased! I talked directly with Berkley Care (RCI and X"s travel insurance carrier) before buying my next cruise policy with them. I have used both third party and RCI insurance for various cruises. And I have had to use insurance twice in 12 years for a medical reason to cancel.

I should have looked more closely at the RCCL offerings before I did the poll I guess! :o

I thought this was an interesting topic so I thought I would post it again but as an actual poll this time! ;)

 

It also seemed like there was some "confusion" on ChitownGus's thread as to whether people were talking about medical insurance or cancellation insurance so I added options for either or both!

 

We have an annual policy which covers cancellation/baggage and medical through a third party.

Thanks for helping me out! I'm new to this CC thing...although addicted to reading all the posts...

After reading all the responses, I'm buying it now... for $150, I cover two adults and 4 children under 10yo for my 7-day trip, so I think its a good deal in the off chance we need it...

I answered thru RCI but have also used 3rd party. All depends on the trip.

Question, does the Cruise Care insurance offered by Royal Caribbean cover both medical and trip coverage For instance, will it cover emergency treatment, lost baggage, flight delays, etc? All of the above or some of the above.

Question, does the Cruise Care insurance offered by Royal Caribbean cover both medical and trip coverage For instance, will it cover emergency treatment, lost baggage, flight delays, etc? All of the above or some of the above.

See this webpage on the RCCL site for more information. It looks like the CruiseCare Travel Insurance does cover everything you mentioned. The limits though seem pretty low to me - only $25000 for medical evacuation for example.

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/vacationProtectionPlan.do

We always purchase insurance, never leave the country without it. Personal assistance, medical emergency, emergency dental, Hospital benefit, cancellation, Travel delay, Missed departure, Baggage, Money, passport, Personal accident, Personal liability, Legal protection, Pet care, catastrophe, Hijack, Gadgets and Cruise cover.

We used it last year to cancel a cruise when my sister found out that she had the beginning stages of breast cancer and needed radiation therapy. We cancelled three weeks before the sail-a-way date and received a full refund.

It really depends. I've gotten it in the past when I've signed up for a cruise with a friend who could be flaky, but I didn't get it for other cruises. I'll probably transition to picking it up more often in the future.

Sleepless - Yes.

We get the total insurance coverage, mostly for the medical evacuation. Just never know what could happen while away, miles from home!

VERY TRUE! You NEVER know what will happen. The price of a good 3rd party travel insurance is pennies compared to sudden charges that would arise should something happen.

Sadly I have personal experience on this very subject. I'm wrapping up a narrative that I plan on posting as a follow up to my "Live from Radiance" that was cut short in May on just how much a medical emergency onboard Radiance ended up costing us and how much travel insurance reimbursed us.

We only purchase our insurance from a third party - not RCCL. You might want to check out the US Travel Insurance Association for additional information. Also, there is a big write-up on Cruise Critic that will help with some of the legwork.

I always get insurance and get EVERYTHING. I go through insuremytrip. Hopefully will never have to use it. :)