Why You Need Travel Insurance!!! (My Story on the Crown)

[SakeDad]

Hi everyone!!

Just thought I'd share my story about what happened to me on a recent cruise on the Crown Princess.

It was a great cruise to Mexico, but with 2 nights left I went up to Skywalkers with a couple of friends. I wasn't dancing at first then they asked me to join. Within 3 minutes I went to turn, both feet STUCK to the dance floor and I went crashing down and landed on my left wrist. I bounced right back up and moved my wrist thinking I had maybe sprung it. But when it moved in 5 directions at once I knew it was broken!! :eek::eek::eek:

I immediately went down to Medical on Deck 4 and 2 doctors and a nurse tended to me all night, putting me to sleep to reset the arm and put a cast on. They took very good care of me. But when we went to settle our account we had been billed almost $4000 USD for medical services!! In case you don't know, they do not accept insurance of any kind and you must pay this before you disembark.

So we have travel insurance and we have submitted all the bills, waiting and praying they reimburse it all. I'll come back and update once we know.

But just wanted to remind everyone that accidents happen in the flash of a second......GET TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!!

[karena1]

Hi everyone!!

Just thought I'd share my story about what happened to me on a recent cruise on the Crown Princess.

It was a great cruise to Mexico, but with 2 nights left I went up to Skywalkers with a couple of friends. I wasn't dancing at first then they asked me to join. Within 3 minutes I went to turn, both feet STUCK to the dance floor and I went crashing down and landed on my left wrist. I bounced right back up and moved my wrist thinking I had maybe sprung it. But when it moved in 5 directions at once I knew it was broken!! :eek::eek::eek:

I immediately went down to Medical on Deck 4 and 2 doctors and a nurse tended to me all night, putting me to sleep to reset the arm and put a cast on. They took very good care of me. But when we went to settle our account we had been billed almost $4000 USD for medical services!! In case you don't know, they do not accept insurance of any kind and you must pay this before you disembark.

So we have travel insurance and we have submitted all the bills, waiting and praying they reimburse it all. I'll come back and update once we know.

But just wanted to remind everyone that accidents happen in the flash of a second......GET TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!!

 

Always!!! I got hurt in PR before out Summit cruise and they paid 100% of the hospital and the med center on the ship to get the stitches out. Would never go w/o it.

[tonit964]

Sorry you broke your wrist. Hope you are mending well!

 

Thanks for the reminder. We always purchase travel insurance, mainly for this reason. You just never know.

[pris993]

now that I am 69 and my dh is 84 we get insurance, but were self insured for years... from l983 til I turned 65... I guess we were lucky never had a medical issue or accident in all those years, beyond a sun burn and an insect bite.

 

Just returned from Paris yesterday, given the world environment suspect medical insurance is more important today for many reasons.

[Pushka]

They dont accept travel insurance as payment? Thats absurd. Many will not have $4000 free funds on their card. Insurance Policies in Australia require pre authorisation on large (>$1000) hospital bills.

 

 

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[elliair]

SakeDad, you will get your money back, that's what travel insurance is for. The first thing I purchase on the day I book our cruises, is buy travel insurance. I've seen too many things happen on a cruise and I always say to myself "I hope they have travel insurance."

 

It sounds like the ships doctor and nurses took good care of you.

[Thrak]

I always purchase the Princess insurance but wonder if it would cover something of this sort. I have good insurance through work but don't know how well it works out of the country.

[elliair]

They dont accept travel insurance as payment? Thats absurd. Many will not have $4000 free funds on their card. Insurance Policies in Australia require pre authorisation on large (>$1000) hospital bills.

 

 

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Here's a story that's even worse than the $4,000 ship bill. On our recent Panama Canal cruise, a woman got very ill. The doctors on board had no idea what was wrong with her and when we got to Aruba an ambulance came and got her. The family went with her. Upon entering the hospital registration, the hospital demanded $5,000 CASH to admit and see her. Of course they didn't have the money on them so they returned to the ship and some how got the money and went back to the hospital. In many foreign countries, they do not accept US health insurance or travel insurance - including MediCare. I would call my bank and have them wire the money if it came down to me getting the care of die. We always get TravelGuard and I have a lengthy printout from them as what to do in case of such a situation. They are there to help you in every case.

[Shmoo here]

They dont accept travel insurance as payment? Thats absurd. Many will not have $4000 free funds on their card. Insurance Policies in Australia require pre authorisation on large (>$1000) hospital bills.

 

 

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Medical services onboard (as well as at medical facilities in port, if you are transferred there) typically do not accept insurance as payment. You must pay up front and file for reimbursement once home. And, if your coverage is "secondary" you must first file with your regular health insurance and be denied, before you can file with the travel insurance people.

[paul929207]

We have to cancel a cruise at the last minute due to medical problems. We got every penny back,

[Treven]

About five years ago, right after I retired and about two weeks before my first Alaska cruise, I fell and broke my leg in three places and tore three ligaments around my ankle.

Because I didn't have travel insurance I lost about $4k - the cost of the cruise. Needless to say, I now get insurance for every cruise! Plus I also get medical evac ins with MedJetAssist.

[iceleven]

Hi everyone!!

Just thought I'd share my story about what happened to me on a recent cruise on the Crown Princess.

It was a great cruise to Mexico, but with 2 nights left I went up to Skywalkers with a couple of friends. I wasn't dancing at first then they asked me to join. Within 3 minutes I went to turn, both feet STUCK to the dance floor and I went crashing down and landed on my left wrist. I bounced right back up and moved my wrist thinking I had maybe sprung it. But when it moved in 5 directions at once I knew it was broken!! :eek::eek::eek:

I immediately went down to Medical on Deck 4 and 2 doctors and a nurse tended to me all night, putting me to sleep to reset the arm and put a cast on. They took very good care of me. But when we went to settle our account we had been billed almost $4000 USD for medical services!! In case you don't know, they do not accept insurance of any kind and you must pay this before you disembark.

So we have travel insurance and we have submitted all the bills, waiting and praying they reimburse it all. I'll come back and update once we know.

But just wanted to remind everyone that accidents happen in the flash of a second......GET TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!!

 

The Crown has the Skywalkers, right? I think it was the Star Princess that my husband and I went up to Skywalkers one evening to have a drink and to dance a little. After only one dance I gave up because I found that the floor was made of some sort of material that made my shoes stick to. Not sticky like gum on the floor but failed to allow for any sort of shifting/sliding of my feet. After reading what happened to you I can see how this happened. It must not be a problem for most people because they do seem to enjoy dancing but it can be a problem for some soles of shoes? I was not wearing rubber soles so I don't know why I was having a problem. I am sorry you injured your wrist. That was a really bad break.

[Clarea]

Hi everyone!!

Just thought I'd share my story about what happened to me on a recent cruise on the Crown Princess.

It was a great cruise to Mexico, but with 2 nights left I went up to Skywalkers with a couple of friends. I wasn't dancing at first then they asked me to join. Within 3 minutes I went to turn, both feet STUCK to the dance floor and I went crashing down and landed on my left wrist. I bounced right back up and moved my wrist thinking I had maybe sprung it. But when it moved in 5 directions at once I knew it was broken!! :eek::eek::eek:

I immediately went down to Medical on Deck 4 and 2 doctors and a nurse tended to me all night, putting me to sleep to reset the arm and put a cast on. They took very good care of me. But when we went to settle our account we had been billed almost $4000 USD for medical services!! In case you don't know, they do not accept insurance of any kind and you must pay this before you disembark.

So we have travel insurance and we have submitted all the bills, waiting and praying they reimburse it all. I'll come back and update once we know.

But just wanted to remind everyone that accidents happen in the flash of a second......GET TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!!

Thank-you for sharing, and I hope your wrist mends well.

[shredie]

They dont accept travel insurance as payment? Thats absurd. Many will not have $4000 free funds on their card. Insurance Policies in Australia require pre authorisation on large (>$1000) hospital bills.

 

 

 

I guess you need to read the fine print, and if you can't afford the money up front, you need to make different arrangements.

[Pam in CA]

My story is that on a cruise in 2005, my brother-in-law got suddenly sick (perforated bowel) the last sea day before arriving back in FLL. His bill in the Medical Center was $8,000. My sister arranged for Princess to send an invoice. She couldn't pay for it on the credit card she had with her. There was no problem getting Princess to send an invoice instead of paying onboard.

 

My BIL was in the ICU in FLL for a month before being flown back to CA using MedJetAssist. Sadly, he passed away four days later but he got to say, "Goodbye" to his friends.

 

My sister's and my hotel bill was mostly covered by Princess insurance. Our net total expenditures after insurance claims were paid were relatively small. Once home, she submitted the medical claim to Blue Shield which paid $6,000. Then, she submitted the medical claim to Berkley Care (Princess) insurance along with confirmation of the amount already paid by insurance. Berkley paid the remaining $2,000 within ten days. My sister then paid the Princess Medical Center invoice.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Pam in CA

[victory2020]

About five years ago, right after I retired and about two weeks before my first Alaska cruise, I fell and broke my leg in three places and tore three ligaments around my ankle.

Because I didn't have travel insurance I lost about $4k - the cost of the cruise. Needless to say, I now get insurance for every cruise! Plus I also get medical evac ins with MedJetAssist.

 

Always check on the perks of the credit card you book with. Mine covers such incidents as these, as well as death/illness of close relative among other things.

[2pbears]

Here's a story that's even worse than the $4,000 ship bill. On our recent Panama Canal cruise, a woman got very ill. The doctors on board had no idea what was wrong with her and when we got to Aruba an ambulance came and got her. The family went with her. Upon entering the hospital registration, the hospital demanded $5,000 CASH to admit and see her. Of course they didn't have the money on them so they returned to the ship and some how got the money and went back to the hospital. In many foreign countries, they do not accept US health insurance or travel insurance - including MediCare. I would call my bank and have them wire the money if it came down to me getting the care of die. We always get TravelGuard and I have a lengthy printout from them as what to do in case of such a situation. They are there to help you in every case.

 

For those who are not aware, Medicare does not cover you when you are out of the United States and Medicare supplement plans have very limited coverage. For this reason we always purchase a medical insurance policy when we are traveling outside the US. You never know what can happen.

[boone2]

They dont accept travel insurance as payment? Thats absurd. Many will not have $4000 free funds on their card. Insurance Policies in Australia require pre authorisation on large (>$1000) hospital bills.

 

 

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Always have to pay upfront and then reclaim no matter where in the world that I have been to. Only place I never had to was the UK even though we had travel insurance and we offered. They didn't know how to process the claim and said as we were expats they would let us have the services for free

 

By the way I work as a cruise ship nurse and can't believe the number of people who travel without insurance.

 

Terry

[Pushka]

Things must be very different then. In Asia my son had a traffic accident and the Hospital accepted the Insurance company details. Nothing to pay upfront.

 

So what would happen if you had a heart attack and were put into intensive care? Pretty sure no one could afford that.

 

And where is this small print? Must be in the cruise brochure. Nothing in the Insurance policies as they are fine with paying upfront for genuine accidents and illnesses. Well Aussie companies are.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Pushka

[Shmoo here]

Things must be very different then. In Asia my son had a traffic accident and the Hospital accepted the Insurance company details. Nothing to pay upfront.

 

So what would happen if you had a heart attack and were put into intensive care? Pretty sure no one could afford that.

 

And where is this small print? Must be in the cruise brochure. Nothing in the Insurance policies as they are fine with paying upfront for genuine accidents and illnesses. Well Aussie companies are.

 

While there are cases where a foreign hospital might accept private insurance, the cases of having to pay up front and be reimbursed is much higher. It's better to plan on the possibility that you may be hitting up your bank for a cash advance and be pleasantly surprised, then to assume that insurance will be accepted on the spot and find out otherwise.

 

And, onboard, the medical center charges typically are charged to your onboard account, which, usually, must be settled before debarking the ship. Unless you make other (private) arrangements with the ship/cruise line at the time of the event.

 

Maybe Australian insurance companies have agreements with certain foreign medical services? I don't know.

[OCruisers]

Our friend and CC member fell and was badly injured on a cruise out of California to Mexico. Had to be airlifted back to California. The airlift alone was $29,000 plus other things. Thank goodness they had insurance which has taken care of almost everything.

A full recovery is expected.

Buy Insurance!

[what empty nest?]

Two years ago on a South American cruise, I suddenly developed a migraine, hours before an expensive excursion. I saw the Dr who stamped something that got the cost of canceling removed from our bill, and our travel ins reimbursed me for the Dr visit. Money well spent!

[riclop]

It's always good to have it because you never know.

[Steelers0854]

Plus I also get medical evac ins with MedJetAssist.

 

 

I looked into this company as well, my biggest issue is that you apparently have to call them and be transported by them, unless I read it wrong. To me, if you are being airlifted a lot of times it's an extreme emergency and needs to be done without concern for which provider does the transport. I was thinking its best to get a standard policy with a high coverage amount for evacuations. Please let me know if I read it wrong.

[dickinson]

I think that the purpose of MedJet is so you don't have to stay in a foreign hospital. You can be transported back home. Medical evacuation is taking you off the ship to the nearest hospital which may not be to your liking.