Best Cruise Insurance Coverage?

We usually take 4-5 trips each year and need ideas. Any ideas?

5 Star Cruiser,

Have Passport, will travel

What type of insurance are you interested in? Medical coverage? Cancellation? Interruption? etc ... There are many products out there depending on your circumstances and your needs.

Research Insure My Trip...loads of options and prices

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You may also want to post this on the Cruise/Travel Insurance Board as I think you are looking for a policy that is not Holland America Specific.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=635

Keith

"Best" is in the eye of the beholder. What's "best" for me might not be what's "best" for you; I know that what's "best" for me can change from cruise to cruise.

I suggest that you not only research Insure My Trip, but call them to discuss your needs. Before you call, think carefully about what it is you are looking for this time, and write down any questions you may have.

Then call them and talk to a representative. That person will discuss your particular needs/wants, and will ask you questions, perhaps about things you haven't thought of. I have found this give & take much better than just reviewing their website myself.

Once you decide on what you want out of this insurance, then you can go ahead and place the order with the plan that works "best" for you.

We use GeoBlue for medical and evacuation insurance. We use a credit card that covers for cancellation, but it’s really only for illness or a family death and not for canceling for any reason. Works for us though.

Seasoned travelers on the reader generated International Travel News (ITN) magazine consistently give high marks to DAN (Divers Area Network) for very basic travel and medical evacuation insurance, that is included in their annual membership fee. One does not need to be a diver or have a dive related accident to qualify for this basic coverage.

They also offer other insurance packages for additional coverage services. You can explore what they offer online. The travel medical insurance umbrella search website is "Square Mouth" ( is that the right name?) lets you compare different plans and costs upfront.

But agree, key advice already given - what are you actually looking for first before delving into what might be best. We always carry our DAN card but know upfront this is only very basic coverage for medical evacuation, as well as very limited onsite local help.

We use GeoBlue for medical and evacuation insurance. We use a credit card that covers for cancellation, but it’s really only for illness or a family death and not for canceling for any reason. Works for us though.

We do exactly the same thing :). So lets mention something about GeoBlue. They sell an "Annual" Trip Medical policy that gives a couple $250,000 or medical coverage (drops to $100,000 at age 70) plus $500,000 of Trip Evacuation coverage. The deductible is only $50, and since its part of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Network they actually have many foreign participating providers (hospitals and physicians) who will accept assignment (you would not have to pay them up front....like nearly all other travel policies). Total cost of GeoBlue (for a full year) is less than $500 per couple....and this covers the first 70 days of EVERY trip you take over an entire policy year.

As to cancellation, we also use a credit card that insures us up to $10,000 for real cancellation reasons (this is not a cancel for any reason policy). For many years we have self-insured (not purchased any policy) cancellation....and are now over $100,000 ahead because of all the money we have saved by not buying ridiculously expensive cancellation policies (most of which do not have nearly enough medical coverage).

And I will add some very important fruit for thought. Your maximum liability for cancellation is the cost of your trip....which you would have paid if you took the trip. But your maximum liability for medical emergencies is UNLIMITED! And yet we have met many cruisers who only worry about how much they will lose if they cancel....but seem to have no concern about the huge personal cost they might incur if they have a medical emergency. The $10,000 - $20,000 of medical in many trip policies is wholly inadequate for those without other medical coverage.

Hank

We do exactly the same thing :). So lets mention something about GeoBlue. They sell an "Annual" Trip Medical policy that gives a couple $250,000 or medical coverage (drops to $100,000 at age 70) plus $500,000 of Trip Evacuation coverage. The deductible is only $50, and since its part of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Network they actually have many foreign participating providers (hospitals and physicians) who will accept assignment (you would not have to pay them up front....like nearly all other travel policies). Total cost of GeoBlue (for a full year) is less than $500 per couple....and this covers the first 70 days of EVERY trip you take over an entire policy year.

 

 

 

As to cancellation, we also use a credit card that insures us up to $10,000 for real cancellation reasons (this is not a cancel for any reason policy). For many years we have self-insured (not purchased any policy) cancellation....and are now over $100,000 ahead because of all the money we have saved by not buying ridiculously expensive cancellation policies (most of which do not have nearly enough medical coverage).

 

 

 

And I will add some very important fruit for thought. Your maximum liability for cancellation is the cost of your trip....which you would have paid if you took the trip. But your maximum liability for medical emergencies is UNLIMITED! And yet we have met many cruisers who only worry about how much they will lose if they cancel....but seem to have no concern about the huge personal cost they might incur if they have a medical emergency. The $10,000 - $20,000 of medical in many trip policies is wholly inadequate for those without other medical coverage.

 

 

 

Hank

Thank you all for the ideas. We currently have GEO Blue and thank heavens haven’t used it.

Wondering what credit card (s) offer cancellation coverage. That sounds just what we need,

5 Star Cruiser,

Have Passport, will travel

And I will add some very important fruit for thought. Your maximum liability for cancellation is the cost of your trip....which you would have paid if you took the trip. But your maximum liability for medical emergencies is UNLIMITED! And yet we have met many cruisers who only worry about how much they will lose if they cancel....but seem to have no concern about the huge personal cost they might incur if they have a medical emergency. The $10,000 - $20,000 of medical in many trip policies is wholly inadequate for those without other medical coverage.

Hank

Thanks for your most profound statement which I copied above. It will support my decision to seek additional med coverage as we become more aged and wise.

Thank you all for the ideas. We currently have GEO Blue and thank heavens haven’t used it.

 

Wondering what credit card (s) offer cancellation coverage. That sounds just what we need,

 

 

5 Star Cruiser,

Have Passport, will travel

We uses a Citi Card. I think if you look around or better yet google Credit Cards with Cancellation Protection you will find them

A good reminder is to not use US medical costs as your coverage guide for what medical costs one might incur, if anything happens outside the US. Good research topic.

I hesitated getting medical attention after a fall in Singapore with visions of thousands of ER bills that this would have cost for a more typical ER case in the US. Later when I searched the Singapore medical system I learned they even have special rates for foreigners, and a readily accessible clinic visit would have been about US$60.

We do exactly the same thing :). So lets mention something about GeoBlue. They sell an "Annual" Trip Medical policy that gives a couple $250,000 or medical coverage (drops to $100,000 at age 70) plus $500,000 of Trip Evacuation coverage. The deductible is only $50, and since its part of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Network they actually have many foreign participating providers (hospitals and physicians) who will accept assignment (you would not have to pay them up front....like nearly all other travel policies). Total cost of GeoBlue (for a full year) is less than $500 per couple....and this covers the first 70 days of EVERY trip you take over an entire policy year.

 

As to cancellation, we also use a credit card that insures us up to $10,000 for real cancellation reasons (this is not a cancel for any reason policy). For many years we have self-insured (not purchased any policy) cancellation....and are now over $100,000 ahead because of all the money we have saved by not buying ridiculously expensive cancellation policies (most of which do not have nearly enough medical coverage).

 

And I will add some very important fruit for thought. Your maximum liability for cancellation is the cost of your trip....which you would have paid if you took the trip. But your maximum liability for medical emergencies is UNLIMITED! And yet we have met many cruisers who only worry about how much they will lose if they cancel....but seem to have no concern about the huge personal cost they might incur if they have a medical emergency. The $10,000 - $20,000 of medical in many trip policies is wholly inadequate for those without other medical coverage.

 

Hank

Does anyone have an opinion as to whether a $500,000 evacuation policy is sufficient for a lengthy Asian cruise? Also, Hank, does this coverage under GeoBlue get reduced after age 70?

We use GeoBlue for medical and evacuation insurance. We use a credit card that covers for cancellation, but it’s really only for illness or a family death and not for canceling for any reason. Works for us though.

We do the same with the addition of medijet.

We do exactly the same thing :). So lets mention something about GeoBlue. They sell an "Annual" Trip Medical policy that gives a couple $250,000 or medical coverage (drops to $100,000 at age 70) plus $500,000 of Trip Evacuation coverage. The deductible is only $50, and since its part of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Network they actually have many foreign participating providers (hospitals and physicians) who will accept assignment (you would not have to pay them up front....like nearly all other travel policies). Total cost of GeoBlue (for a full year) is less than $500 per couple....and this covers the first 70 days of EVERY trip you take over an entire policy year.

 

As to cancellation, we also use a credit card that insures us up to $10,000 for real cancellation reasons (this is not a cancel for any reason policy). For many years we have self-insured (not purchased any policy) cancellation....and are now over $100,000 ahead because of all the money we have saved by not buying ridiculously expensive cancellation policies (most of which do not have nearly enough medical coverage).

 

And I will add some very important fruit for thought. Your maximum liability for cancellation is the cost of your trip....which you would have paid if you took the trip. But your maximum liability for medical emergencies is UNLIMITED! And yet we have met many cruisers who only worry about how much they will lose if they cancel....but seem to have no concern about the huge personal cost they might incur if they have a medical emergency. The $10,000 - $20,000 of medical in many trip policies is wholly inadequate for those without other medical coverage.

 

Hank

As usual, spot on

Thank you all for the ideas. We currently have GEO Blue and thank heavens haven’t used it.

 

Wondering what credit card (s) offer cancellation coverage. That sounds just what we need,

 

 

5 Star Cruiser,

Have Passport, will travel

The highest we have found and use is Chase Sapphire Reward card.

The highest we have found and use is Chase Sapphire Reward card.

Presumably you meant Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Thank you all for the ideas. We currently have GEO Blue and thank heavens haven’t used it.

 

Wondering what credit card (s) offer cancellation coverage. That sounds just what we need,

 

 

5 Star Cruiser,

Have Passport, will travel

We used Chase United. Not only gives cancellation insurance, but also we get FF miles to get us to more cruises.

This week we used the insurance for the first time. My wife broke her wrist and the doctor indicated that we needed to stay local for 4 weeks to make sure that it was healing in the right place (if it doesn't then surgery would be necessary). Called them had the form for the doctor via e-mail within 10 minutes of calling. Gives $10,000 of cancellation coverage per person. The only real requirement is that the card must be used for the entire trip.

We used Chase United. Not only gives cancellation insurance, but also we get FF miles to get us to more cruises.

This week we used the insurance for the first time. My wife broke her wrist and the doctor indicated that we needed to stay local for 4 weeks to make sure that it was healing in the right place (if it doesn't then surgery would be necessary). Called them had the form for the doctor via e-mail within 10 minutes of calling. Gives $10,000 of cancellation coverage per person. The only real requirement is that the card must be used for the entire trip.

What do they mean "the entire trip?" Does it mean that every expense relating to the trip is charged to the card? And, if so, how they know if it wasn't? I asked the same question of our CitiAdvantage which only gives $5,000 coverage, and the answer was that only $5,000 of the expenses had to be charged to the card.

What do they mean "the entire trip?" Does it mean that every expense relating to the trip is charged to the card? And, if so, how they know if it wasn't? I asked the same question of our CitiAdvantage which only gives $5,000 coverage, and the answer was that only $5,000 of the expenses had to be charged to the card.

For example if you want a cruise covered, you need to pay for the entire cruise on the card. Anything not paid on the card is not covered. It is really the same with CitiAdvantage, anything that is not charged is not covered. Does you no good to charge over your coverage limit.

However, in our case we were doing a trip to Australia with a 12 day Celebrity cruise, followed by a 16 day cruise to Honolulu and then a flight home. We booked both cruises with the card, the air fare to Australia on the card, the trip home was on a different airline so we used their card.

The United coverage would have covered everything we charged through them. We are able to shift our departure date by 15 days. The card is covering the cost of the Celebrity cruise and the change fees for the flight to Australia. We are stilling doing the HAL cruise, stay in Honolulu and the flight home.

Basically what they are saying is that the insurance doesn't cover anything not paid by their card. So you cant use the card for only the deposit and expect the entire cruise to be covered.