Do You Get Insurance?

[Foxinspace]

Trying to figure out how to answer and realized we are pretty well insured.

 

Our home insurance will cover most article theft and loss, even when traveling.

All of us have Provincial health coverage, which will cover most basic health related expenses while abroad.

3 of 4 of us have additional work health coverage that would upgrade our provincial coverage from regular wards to semi-private rooms and cover most of the non-provincially covered health care expenses. Plus most of the cost of evacuation should that be necessary.

 

However the 4th person works freelance and doesn't have the additional coverage.

 

As a result we have always purchased additional health coverage for everyone (4 vs 1 person is not very much more expensive).

Plus trip cancellation coverage, luggage loss/theft etc.

 

I guess if we ever needed to use any of the above we'd be well covered, and I'd rather feel that way and be able to make the "in the moment" choices for my families health and well-being that I needed to make rather than be stuck or pay out of pocket.

 

To each there own, but IMO better to have something.

[Sugaree5335]

I have to admit after doing some more reading and researching I did end up buying a policy to fill in the gaps. My medical insurance will actually cover 80% of my medical expenses overseas and my travel insurance through my credit card will cover trip cancellation. But I did add a supplemental policy to cover medical evacuation. An added bonus is that it covers the cost of a plane ticket for someone to meet you. For example, if my husband got hurt and was flown to Mexico City then it would pay for me to meet him there.

[dolfndreams]

I have always purchased trip insurance on my cruises and finally the precaution did pay off on our January cruise.

 

Sister became ill on Dominica and we were put off the ship to a very poor medical facility (not carnival's fault but definitely appreciate care here at home now) sent us out that night from medical with possible pneumonia and with help of person assigned to us by Carnival at Dominca got hotel for two nights before we could get a flight. Took 3 days to get all the way back to the states where we found out she had a heart attack, ended up in hospital with stents and the knowledge there was nothing to be done about the heart attack damage at that late date.

 

The trip insurance reimbursed all the $4000 it took for hotel/food/expensive last minute flights/ and medical care).

 

It actually hadn't really occurred to me before this that we might be stranded somewhere, I did the insurance for med evac and now realized it is definitely much more than that. Glad I had listened to advice here and had a high limit credit card for expenses before we were reimbursed. Hate to think of being stranded with no money at all.

 

I go through insure my trip and usually end up with travel safe or travel guard. Actually in this case we were under different policies (both of the above) both of them did pay for expenses. Hers for medical and mine for having to cancel/return home based on sisters illness.

[crooooze]

I have spent 30 years traveling around the world doing extensive in-depth research on this very topic. I've collaborated with senior Travel Experts and amateur college vacationers to find the right answer to this age old question.

 

Today is your lucky day because I'm going to share it all with you for free. Here goes...

 

Travelers fall into 4 categories:

 

1. People who didn't buy it and didn't need it.

2. People who bought it and didn't need it.

3. People who bought it and needed it.

4. People who didn't buy it and needed it.

 

People in categories 1 & 2 will say it's a waste of money and you'll never need it. Most people fall in this category. Some people here paid a premium to join this category and promise to never again. They are very proud and probably a little smarter than everyone else.

 

People in category 3 are thankful that they did and they make sure everyone knows. They will never travel again without it. Not many people fall in this prestigious category. They are very proud and probably a little smarter than everyone else.

 

People in the 4th category are sorry that they didn't. They may humbly commit to community awareness, and encourage others to always purchase it, similar to their peers in category 3.... Or their passive-aggressive style will encourage others NOT to purchase it because of a bitter desire to see others miserably fall into similar misfortunes. In the meanwhile, they are seeking legal council to recover financial loses by deflecting personal responsibility onto a profitable corporation who, they claim, has the ability to control acts of God. They are very proud and probably a little smarter than everyone else.

 

So, it's simple. Just decide which category you want to be in.

 

There you go. You're welcome very much! LOL

 

 

 

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Edited July 12, 2016 by crooooze

[sjn911]

The ability to have a spouses or friends expenses handled if not traveling solo...or having someone else get to you if you are in a long thing away from home is something I will check more next time. It took me extra time to work out I could not go on my mother's third and medical try and 3 day trip with her from home...and was not there at the moment of passing. This was all extra issues just from from home base...there are always, so many angles, mine were physical and financial and watching my health after a month of it...do what you can and is reasonable...but do some reasoning..LOL.

Edited July 12, 2016 by sjn911

[surfergirl15]

We usually buy the insurance from Carnival because it is easy, just a click of a button! We have used it once due to illness and received a full refund.

[coevan]

you should carefully read CCL's insurance, it's very expensive and seriously lacking coverage, especially medical evac, which is one of the main reasons we get travel insurance

[Lurkyloo]

Didn't used to, we used to drive to port (1 1/2 hours away) and didn't realize how many other things can go wrong (illness, accident, etc...) so now we always do. Thankfully, we have never had to use it but I travel more confidently knowing that we are covered. Always make sure the policy covers your needs - not all policies are created equal!

[elliair]

I have spent 30 years traveling around the world doing extensive in-depth research on this very topic. I've collaborated with senior Travel Experts and amateur college vacationers to find the right answer to this age old question.

 

Today is your lucky day because I'm going to share it all with you for free. Here goes...

 

Travelers fall into 4 categories:

 

1. People who didn't buy it and didn't need it.

2. People who bought it and didn't need it.

3. People who bought it and needed it.

4. People who didn't buy it and needed it.

 

People in categories 1 & 2 will say it's a waste of money and you'll never need it. Most people fall in this category. Some people here paid a premium to join this category and promise to never again. They are very proud and probably a little smarter than everyone else.

 

People in category 3 are thankful that they did and they make sure everyone knows. They will never travel again without it. Not many people fall in this prestigious category. They are very proud and probably a little smarter than everyone else.

 

People in the 4th category are sorry that they didn't. They may humbly commit to community awareness, and encourage others to always purchase it, similar to their peers in category 3.... Or their passive-aggressive style will encourage others NOT to purchase it because of a bitter desire to see others miserably fall into similar misfortunes. In the meanwhile, they are seeking legal council to recover financial loses by deflecting personal responsibility onto a profitable corporation who, they claim, has the ability to control acts of God. They are very proud and probably a little smarter than everyone else.

 

So, it's simple. Just decide which category you want to be in.

 

There you go. You're welcome very much! LOL

 

 

 

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I'll always go for #3. I've seen too many people who had mishaps, got sick and evacuated on a cruise ship. Some had travel insurance and some didn't. DH developed blood clots on his lungs right after we got home from Alaska cruise. He spent a few days in the hospital and he's still not out of the woods yet. If he would have went down on a cruise with no insurance, we'd be up a creek without a paddle. I'm not willing to take that chance. Young or old it doesn't matter - stuff happens.

[elainmir]

I never used to buy it..then I saw someone on here had to be airlifted off the ship...12,000 dollars! Um I don't have that lying around. So I started buying it. I go through my auto company USAA and I never pay for my minor child, his coverage is FREE. It costs about 54 bucks per person which is 5 bucks more than the crap policy Carnival offers and it covers much more.

 

We did have to use the TRIP DELAY portion once this last January when the Port of Tampa was closed the whole day due to fog. We couldn't board till the next day. Carnival gave us half off that cruise and half off another should we decide to go...we said heck yeah it was DS's 14th birthday cruise! But we had 261 dollars worth of expenses including hotel, dinner , parking and a few incidentals for that lost night. Within 2 weeks of getting home we were reimbursed and we had a great time. I would've been out more money had I not purchased the trip insurance.

 

I purchase it now for any travel...I feel so much better! ;)

[LMaxwell]

Always; mainly for unforeseen circumstances like a medical emergency that can run into the thousands or tens of thousands very, very easily. I rest easier knowing I am not taking financial risks for my family.

[ducklite]

I always take insurance when leaving the country with two exceptions. One is a day trip across the border to Canada (my health insurance pays on an out of network basis in Canada and it's a risk I am willing to take when I'm only an hour or so from the border and the second when I am in company business in Canada as I am covered under their workers comp policy in that case.

 

Even if we are on a land based trip out of the country, I get insurance. It's not worth the risk for the (relatively) low premium. I want to think out trip to London and Paris last year worked out to around $200 for full coverage that included the actual trip expenses and medical for two weeks.

[Tapi]

Always buy it, never through Carnival

[CozGurl]

Thank you for the helpful comments and thoughtful conversation.

 

I too am one to purchase because we were caught without it once.

[Tapi]

Never. We drive down to Florida and have made every trip and lost zero luggage.

 

 

Not making my cruise because of flights or losing a bag are not the biggest concerns that I have when I buy insurance. It's all the things that can happen AFTER I'm already on the cruise the reasons why I always buy it.

 

With that said, I've had to make two claims in all of my years of cruising. One for a lost bag on our way to an Alaska cruise and one because we had to cancel a cruise due to work reasons. Between these two small claims, I have more than recuperated all the money that I've ever spent on insurance.

[frangran]

I use www.insuremytrip.com to find a policy for my cruises. My main concern is medical expenses and medical evacuation but it's nice to know if something happens and we can't go on the cruise we get that money back, too. We don't travel frequently enough to have a yearly plan but maybe someday:).

 

That's where I get mine, too. I highly recommend them. It's easy to compare coverage & find the best deal for your needs. (One company even includes up to 5 days of pet care if you're delayed -- I've seen people in a panic over their pets when they couldn't get home on schedule! Now that I have a dog, I understand!)

[jambrochu]

Anybody recommend Allianz insurance? What should we look for in a plan?

 

 

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[michiganirish]

Always get insurance through AAA. Unfortunately had to use it for the first time this past April:(. Just knowing we had insurance, at least gave us piece of mind in dealing with our situation.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

I would also encourage everyone that may work for a larger corporation to check their benefits. I was buying travel insurance until one day while reading the companies benefits web page I discovered that travel insurance was already provided not only for business trips but it included vacations. It also covered my wife and any dependents living in the house traveling with me.

 

I was completely unaware of it and the coverage is pretty good.

 

Take care,

Vinnie

Edited July 13, 2016 by CruzVinnieCruz

[webnut]

Always bought it because we travel with children.

 

Went on a cruise in March with siblings (recommended everyone get insurance) when my brother was diagnosed with acute appendicitis mid cruise.

Cost of a Nassau hospital, flights, and hotels was over 20k.

He was lucky I carry high limit credit cards ! Had to pay hospital and hotels up front.

Most has been reimbursed.

I'd say the $60 we each paid for the insurance was a smart choice.

[BoDidly]

Never have,never will.

[OCruisers]

Yes, we always do!

Our TA picks ours for us ... sometimes private, sometimes from the cruise line.

One of our very good friends had to be airlifted from a cruise back to the US. They were certainly glad they'd bought insurance. ;)

[sjn911]

That's where I get mine, too. I highly recommend them. It's easy to compare coverage & find the best deal for your needs. (One company even includes up to 5 days of pet care if you're delayed -- I've seen people in a panic over their pets when they couldn't get home on schedule! Now that I have a dog, I understand!)

Me three..really like this company and site....easy to read explanations..I love what I have learned here abt TRAVEL INS. mixed with life, this site, and CC.

[tonit964]

We purchase the insurance for every cruise through Insuremytrip.com, the cost of Carnival's and the coverage amounts are not very good.

 

So happy we have never had to use it. We would never risk not having it.

[JaniceB]

Very interesting thread, glad I have travel insurance. I never thought about having to use a credit card, guess I should have one with a high limit just for cruises.