Travel insurance...elderly cruiser.

:confused: I'm after some advice. My husband & I are taking my 86 year old mother on the Pacific Sun cruise to Cairns in June.

The insurance company we contacted in regards to her travel insurance, has offered a policy with a non-removable $3000 excess and a maximum coverage of only $4000 in medical costs (obviously not covering any pre-existing medical conditions which are numerous & extends to even her limited mobility).

My question is, is travel insurance worth while for my mother under the circumstances. We will only be off the Queensland coast...once on land we are naturally covered by medicare & private health insurance ...if a worse case scenario happens, & we need to be airlifted off the ship, does anyone know what sort of costs may be involved with such an emergency?

Normally I am not a risk taker but I'm seriously wondering if there is any value in the policy we have been offered (we used this particular company for travel insurance for over 80's once before but don't remember it being so restrictive in it's coverage). Any suggestions of other insurance companies would also be appreciated. :confused:

Honestly the risk of travelling without insurance is just too risky...a medivac by helicopter....huge.

My friend got travel insurance for her 93 year old mum through the Council of the Aging at less than half that for a trip to Canada!

Try them before deciding.

Sue

Getting a travel insurance quote

We used Defence Health for my elderly mum in law. They have pretty good terms and are well priced but I have to admit that she has no major health issues.

:confused: and a maximum coverage of only $4000 in medical costs :confused:

Are they saying, if she needed to be airlifted off the ship they would only pay $4000?

Everyone thanks for the advice..I will try all the companies that have been suggested.

And yes..the insurance company stressed that they would only pay a maximum of $4000 (of course only for non pre-existing conditions), once we payed the first $3000 of any medical costs. Therefore we then are liable for all costs over $7000.....I guess, understandably, she is a big risk & they don't really want to insure her but can't say flat out "NO".

I'm still not sure, with all the conditions, that we could ever even make a claim that fell within this company's guidelines. Hopefully, one of these other suggestions will offer a few more options!!

My friends who got full cover for the 93 year old for Canada..only paid $1500 that was for insurance organised through Council for the Aging...I would really suggest you try them. What your insurance company is proposing is useless. $4000 after you pay $3000....pathetic.

Sue

Do not automatically assume that you will be covered by Medicare when calling in at an Australian port, even as an Australian Citizen and tax payer.

When you clear Imigration outbound your entitlement to Medicare (and other things, such as pension), will cease until you return to the country. You will not 'return' until you pass through Imigration inbound. So, if you are on a round Australia or a North Queensland cruise and go into a doctor, you will find that you are not eligible for bulkbilling, if you recieve an account and try to claim when you get back Medicare won't pay and will tell you to go to your Travel Insurer as you were 'out of the country'. That is part of the price you pay for being able to purchase duty free on these cruises that don't touch a foreign port.

Take out travel insurance!

Do not automatically assume that you will be covered by Medicare when calling in at an Australian port, even as an Australian Citizen and tax payer.

 

When you clear Imigration outbound your entitlement to Medicare (and other things, such as pension), will cease until you return to the country. You will not 'return' until you pass through Imigration inbound. So, if you are on a round Australia or a North Queensland cruise and go into a doctor, you will find that you are not eligible for bulkbilling, if you recieve an account and try to claim when you get back Medicare won't pay and will tell you to go to your Travel Insurer as you were 'out of the country'. That is part of the price you pay for being able to purchase duty free on these cruises that don't touch a foreign port.

 

Take out travel insurance!

David on that cruise up to Cairns you dont have to show your passport as you are not leaving Australian waters so if you went to see a doctor in Cairns you should be covered by medicare(i could be wrong as i've never had to see a doctor in an Australian city whilst on a cruise)....you would need international travellers insurance to be covered whilst on the ship just in case any thing happens onboard

when you leave the country and do an overseas cruise your pension does not stop if you notify centerlink....when you return home you must notify centerlink within 14 days that you have returned home other wise your pension will stop

David another thing with pensioners that cruise out of Australia once customs swipe your passport its connected to the centerlinks data base and they know that you have left the country so thats why you have to notify them that you are leaving the country......we always inform them when we have returned and the last time we had to give them our passport number and thats a first