Cruise Insurance

[GROOVERS]

That may be well and good, but does it also cover some form of medical insurance, in the event you were to suffer a medical emergency? A medical emergency could well cost several thousand dollars.

 

In fact, a "Medical Emergency" could cost several hundred "thousand dollars"... NO it does not cover your medical bills, you can get $1500 and $500 for interruption, but that's it . You would need to check with your medical insurance carrier, in fact most times the insurance you carry on health issues gets very "sticky" when it comes to accidents, ya better talk with TRAVEL Guard.

BUT, we (especially AMERICAN'S) continue on traveling, all over the world, seeing sights and enjoying those "things" we never dreamed we would see and loving to cruise!

[ItsWhatMyNameMeans]

I purchased insurance for my cruise because I'm cautious (paranoid). I flew in the day before, but my seatmate was heading out the same day. We landed fine, but our airgate failed, and we sat for 45 minutes before we got towed to a new gate. Ultimately I think she was fine, but that's my nightmare scenario. I'd buy insurance for certain if I was flying in the same day.

[johnql]

...thanks for the spelling lesson ;)

For the record, he/she misspelled it, too. ALOT is not a word. It should be two words: a lot.

Edited December 12, 2015 by johnql

[GROOVERS]

AMEN on the word "A lot".......

[cmdchiefthom]

I never leave home without it;)

[Shawnino]

My cruise leaves Feb 29th. I have been thinking allot about weather delaying our flight as we booked it for the same day (we fly in to miami at 1030am).

 

Does anyone recommend getting travel insurance just in case or should we roll the dice?

 

Roll the dice.

These companies wouldn't be in business if they were providing value for money.

And if you do have a claim, they may try and weasel out of paying you regardless.

[fshagan]

In fact, a "Medical Emergency" could cost several hundred "thousand dollars"... NO it does not cover your medical bills, you can get $1500 and $500 for interruption, but that's it . You would need to check with your medical insurance carrier, in fact most times the insurance you carry on health issues gets very "sticky" when it comes to accidents, ya better talk with TRAVEL Guard.

BUT, we (especially AMERICAN'S) continue on traveling, all over the world, seeing sights and enjoying those "things" we never dreamed we would see and loving to cruise!

 

Most US-based medical insurance does not cover you if you are "on the high seas" at all, even if they do have coverage for some foreign countries. Medicare does not cover you in any foreign country, nor on the high seas. The Australian national health plan does not cover Aussies while they cruise around Australia.

 

Travel insurance may save you a few thousand dollars on a missed cruise, but travel medical insurance may save all of your assets, including your home, your investment accounts, your retirement accounts, etc. Emergency evacuation off a ship (if not by the US Coast Guard) could cost you $50,000 to $75,000. Sending you home from a foreign country if you need something like a medical flight could cost well over $100,000. If you can't pay it and simply choose to die in a foreign port "repatriation" of your remains from that country can easily run $10,000 to $15,000 that your heirs will pay.

 

I always get travel medical insurance and usually buy the trip interruption insurance that adds $20 to $30 to the bill. The far greater risk is the medical angle; I can afford to lose $5 to $10,000, but not my car, my house, my IRA and all my savings.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

you can purchase anytime at the site I referenced, the only caveat is the closer you get to sailing date the more expensive it gets

 

 

Why does the price go up the closer you get? Aren't most quotes based on your age and the cost of the trip?

 

Bill

[pieshops]

Why does the price go up the closer you get? Aren't most quotes based on your age and the cost of the trip?

 

Bill

 

Yes, based on both but in our experience the price has gone up closer to sailing. We looked at insurance a year out our last cruise and them I meant to buy but things happened and I forgot. Bought 3 weeks out and it was about 30percent more

[luvtheships]

My cruise leaves Feb 29th. I have been thinking allot about weather delaying our flight as we booked it for the same day (we fly in to miami at 1030am).

 

 

 

Does anyone recommend getting travel insurance just in case or should we roll the dice?

 

 

Yes yes and yes again

 

It's a no brainer

[luvtheships]

Why does the price go up the closer you get? Aren't most quotes based on your age and the cost of the trip?

 

Bill

 

The closer you get to sailing the insurance company knows statistically that you may be aware of or already have an exact reason to be concerned about cancellation. as the insurance companies pride themselves on their actuarial accuracy. Lol

 

E.g. You book a cruise and buy airfare 9 months out and your 85 yo parent who is not traveling with you is in perfect health

 

2 months before your cruise and after final payment they break a hip and are having a difficult recovery and other age related issues are now rearing their ugly head and the doctors are concerned

 

You are concerned....so you buy insurance

 

Thus....you are only buying insurance because you may now have a reason to buy it and are more concerned now about cancellation than you were at booking and the insurance companies know that...based on their statistics

 

Btw.....pre existing is not an issue here as it only applies to the travelers....in my scenario the 85yo is a non traveling family member...and if you can't travel because of that ill immediate family member you are covered...as you are the traveler and that's what matters

 

Also if you cancel because the 85 yo needs you...their immediate relative....near them ....you had better have the doctor be willing to say that you are the caregiver and the 85 yo will fail if you are not there

 

It won't work for you to cancel because you are not comfortable leaving the 85 yo in rehab for example...it must be a grave situation or one where you are absolutely need to be there and the doc needs to back you on this.

Edited December 14, 2015 by luvtheships

[Diver2014]

We've been on 30 cruises and always purchased insurance but never used it, until now. We were supposed to go on the Escape last Saturday with family. One family member injured her foot and had to cancel. We decided not to go without them so we also canceled. Between NCL and the insurance carrier, we got 100% of our money back - 22 days prior to sailing. I'm impressed.

Buy insurance unless you can afford to lose everything you paid for your cruise.

[alexspepa]

Roll the dice.

These companies wouldn't be in business if they were providing value for money.

And if you do have a claim, they may try and weasel out of paying you regardless.

 

Really? So you can afford a $50k evacuation bill can you?...assuming you have that much liquid cash or a cc with a limit that high?

 

while i will travel without trip insurance some times, i always get the medical and evacuation insurance when traveling outside the US.

 

The one time I did have to cancel and actually had trip insurance the company paid off as soon as i submitted the required documents (we had to cancel because my brother in law got sick - he was not traveling with us but we were covered through the immediate family clause).

[luvtheships]

Really? So you can afford a $50k evacuation bill can you?...assuming you have that much liquid cash or a cc with a limit that high?

 

while i will travel without trip insurance some times, i always get the medical and evacuation insurance when traveling outside the US.

 

The one time I did have to cancel and actually had trip insurance the company paid off as soon as i submitted the required documents (we had to cancel because my brother in law got sick - he was not traveling with us but we were covered through the immediate family clause).

 

 

Also from what I have read here on cc...a med evac close to USA shores will be done by the coast guard and paid by U.S. Taxpayers ...again what I have read here on cc

 

The real reason for the medical portion of the insurance IMHO is for when you are on faraway foreign soil and need medical treatment and/or a medically assisted return home...or...horrors...should you be hospitalized for an extended period in a foreign hospital and your travel companion will need lodging etc.

[Shawnino]

Really? So you can afford a $50k evacuation bill can you?...assuming you have that much liquid cash or a cc with a limit that high?

 

while i will travel without trip insurance some times, i always get the medical and evacuation insurance when traveling outside the US.

 

The one time I did have to cancel and actually had trip insurance the company paid off as soon as i submitted the required documents (we had to cancel because my brother in law got sick - he was not traveling with us but we were covered through the immediate family clause).

 

Well, I'd hope it wouldn't be $50,000 -- but the chances of it happening are quite remote, and the chances of it being $50,000 are remote again.

 

I guess, in a sense, I self-insure. I consider the money I've saved by never buying insurance to be a de facto rainy-day fund. Thanks for asking.

 

Insurance companies prey on people's fears. It's a great business model. I hold stock in a couple and if anyone has cash to invest I'd suggest you take a look. But if insurance products were a good deal, insurance companies would be bankrupt.

 

And there are plenty of stories on this board where people thought they were covered but, oh look over here, there's a technicality, so, oopsie...

[jtheile]

If you are a member of USAA I would get a quote from the carrier they use. Foe me it was quite a bit cheaper they anyone else for comparable or better coverage.

[pieshops]

Well, I'd hope it wouldn't be $50,000 -- but the chances of it happening are quite remote, and the chances of it being $50,000 are remote again.

 

I guess, in a sense, I self-insure. I consider the money I've saved by never buying insurance to be a de facto rainy-day fund. Thanks for asking.

 

Insurance companies prey on people's fears. It's a great business model. I hold stock in a couple and if anyone has cash to invest I'd suggest you take a look. But if insurance products were a good deal, insurance companies would be bankrupt.

 

And there are plenty of stories on this board where people thought they were covered but, oh look over here, there's a technicality, so, oopsie...

 

FYI, these are some basic medivac costs :

For patients , the cost of air ambulance service typically depends on: the current cost of jet fuel, the type of aircraft used, the distance flown and the type of medical staff required. The total can be less than $2,000 for a short flight to almost $50,000 for a longer domestic flight to $200,000 or more for an international flight. For example, Air Ambulance 1[2] charges about $2,500 for a 55-mile flight on a twin-engine propeller plane, staffed by paramedics, from Saint Joseph, MO, to Kansas City, MO. Air Ambulance 1 charges about $25,000 for a flight on a light jet, staffed by paramedics, from Kansas City to Los Angeles. National Air Ambulance charges about $37,400 for a flight from New York to California staffed by a nurse and paramedic. For a flight from Arizona to Australia, Air Ambulance 1 charges about $155,000 on a light jet, if staffed by paramedics (about $160,000 if staffed by a doctor and nurse) or about $177,000 on a mid-sized jet (about $182,000 if staffed by a doctor and nurse).

 

And these prices are for pre planned not emergency which are much higher

Edited December 14, 2015 by pieshops

[mikenhe]

We were on a cruise a few years ago from Baltimore. Everyone got sick. They thought my son may have appendicitis so we had the pleasure of leaving the ship first in Port Canaveral. In an ambulance. They ran a series of tests and scans on him and he got the all clear for appendicitis. It was gastroenteritis (which causes an inflammation of the appendix).

The total bill for that lot was 10k.

Had it happened later in the cruise then who knows how much it would have cost.

 

By all means roll the dice, but if it does go wrong then it could cost you a lot of money.

[FranknBeans]

Definitely worth getting. We had to use our insurance when our cruise was changed from 12 to 14 days. The cost of flights from Canada are not cheap so it's worth it for us.

 

Also have a back up plan of when airlines/flights are leaving to get you to the first port.

Edited December 14, 2015 by FranknBeans

[GROOVERS]

IF your are into "crusing", you can become "insurance poor"...

 

(Kind of like my dad, when he went to buy a poodle.........If ya got to ask how much to clip...You don't need to buy a poodle!)

 

There is no way you can protect yourself from all the "things" that can happen on the "High Seas"

BUT, IT'S "FUN, FUN, FUN, till her daddy took the t-bird away"!

[VacayVik]

Has anyone purchased a cruise through Expedia and used their insurance? I can't find an option to purchase it when making the reservation!

 

thanks!

[MaryLS]

I suggest the insurance! Was on a cruise in October and came down with bronchitis. The infirmary bill was $800+ and my health insurance only covered $200. The travel insurance will pick up the balance.

 

After waiting 2 months, I got word that my health insurance is covering no part of the $800 bill. I submitted my bills to my cruise insurance on Monday and on Friday I received an email they would send me a check for the full amount within 2 business days. I'll never travel without insurance!

[KLB10]

disregard

Edited December 20, 2015 by KLB10

[littlelulu01]

I purchased a travel guard policy for our two week med cruise this year and it paid off in ways I hadn't thought of. Our luggage didn't arrive in Pisa. We lucked out and got it back the night before the cruise departure from Venice but had a few days with no luggage. We were able to purchase clothes and personal supplies in Florence. I submitted the receipts upon returning and they reimbursed me. I had my iPhone 6 stolen in Doges Palace. They also covered that cost. The concierge service was excellent. Mine checked the status of bag return and arranged the return. I had her email me daily status reports. When my luggage finally arrived at the airport they weren't going to deliver it to my hotel in Florence due to a holiday but travel guard argued for me and made it happen. Just those two very common occurrences more than paid for the policy.

 

A few passengers had falls in Turkey and had to be transferred via ambulance. There's stupid things your kids do too like walking through ruins while texting. One of mine did that and took a nasty spill. Luckily just scraped up but could easily have been worse. Then there's Greece. When we were there the hospitals were closed due to a strike. A passenger needed medical care in Corfu and had to pay 6k cash to a private doctor.

 

Americans are easy targets in Europe. Add some jet lag and make a mistake of setting a phone or camera or bag down and it will be taken. Dd had studied abroad the entire year and was never a victim of petty crime but she didn't stick out like I did. There were a few kids at her university in Florence that were mugged though. In most instances it was late at night after drinking and all victims were boys. I'm pretty sure my US medical insurance didn't cover for abroad. We had to purchase a plan for dd in order to get her visa. I was still glad I purchased cruise insurance on top of it though.

 

My next two week med cruise insurance costs was $148. Small price to pay.

[Merriem]

I purchased a travel guard policy for our two week med cruise this year and it paid off in ways I hadn't thought of. Our luggage didn't arrive in Pisa. We lucked out and got it back the night before the cruise departure from Venice but had a few days with no luggage. We were able to purchase clothes and personal supplies in Florence. I submitted the receipts upon returning and they reimbursed me. I had my iPhone 6 stolen in Doges Palace. They also covered that cost. The concierge service was excellent. Mine checked the status of bag return and arranged the return. I had her email me daily status reports. When my luggage finally arrived at the airport they weren't going to deliver it to my hotel in Florence due to a holiday but travel guard argued for me and made it happen. Just those two very common occurrences more than paid for the policy.

 

A few passengers had falls in Turkey and had to be transferred via ambulance. There's stupid things your kids do too like walking through ruins while texting. One of mine did that and took a nasty spill. Luckily just scraped up but could easily have been worse. Then there's Greece. When we were there the hospitals were closed due to a strike. A passenger needed medical care in Corfu and had to pay 6k cash to a private doctor.

 

Americans are easy targets in Europe. Add some jet lag and make a mistake of setting a phone or camera or bag down and it will be taken. Dd had studied abroad the entire year and was never a victim of petty crime but she didn't stick out like I did. There were a few kids at her university in Florence that were mugged though. In most instances it was late at night after drinking and all victims were boys. I'm pretty sure my US medical insurance didn't cover for abroad. We had to purchase a plan for dd in order to get her visa. I was still glad I purchased cruise insurance on top of it though.

 

My next two week med cruise insurance costs was $148. Small price to pay.

 

I assume that was not trip cancellation in that price.