Your thoughts on Travel Insurance

[summersigh]

This is an interesting thread with some great information. But, there are some folks who are not big fans of so-called "Travel Insurance" and I would fall into that category :).

This has been interesting. When DH and I were younger and healthier we didn't worry about trip insurance. These days there are too many variables for us to go without. I have another post explaining how we just had to cancel 3 days prior to sailing.

 

Also, at this point in our lives DH and I are retired. We saved for retirement and have Social Security, Medicare, health insurance supplements and pensions. All great, we're comfortable and can afford to travel ... BUT ... one uninsured dire health emergency out of the country and all that comfort and peace of mind is gone. Those huge bills would eat into any and all discretionary money we might have. So these days we happily procure the "good stuff" insurance and relax:D

[wombatKY]

Deleted post[emoji4]

[Hlitner]

Regarding the question about where we get our annual $250.000 of travel medical insurance it is through GeoBlue (part of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Network). I should mention that theh $250,000 of medical coverage does drop to $100,000 at age 70. The policy is currently available to most folks through ate 84.

 

There are other annual policies (there are even annual policies that include some cancellation coverage). Folks should always assess their personal needs/wants and conduct due diligence on what policy (if any) best meets their own needs. Just keep in mind that your potential liability (the amount of money you can lose) for trip cancellation or trip interruption is limited......but your potential liability for medical emergencies is virtually unlimited. We have long been amazed at how some folks will spend a lot of money to insure against the limited liability of cancellation....but not pay much attention to their potential medical liability risk.

 

Hank

[iancal]

Absolutely agree. It is all about risk and one's comfort with the degree of exposure.

 

We see an incredible amount of risk with out of country medical. Far more than we see with any type of trip cancellation insurance. We get the latter through our credit card. We get the former in the marketplace and we shop carefully.

 

We cannot think of anything that has as much risk to the traveler as out of country medical coverage. Especially for us...when we travel in the US! We find it incredible that some people go the easy route and buy any old policy that their TA, bank, or auto club throws their way without really understanding the T`s and C`s, the limitations, and the ceilings. :Let alone comparing the premiums.

[Islabeachbum]

Went in and looked at Geoblue... we spend app 4 months each year in Mexico. The limit on their insurance is a 70 day max trip. I have found that to be true on some cc insurance also. It requires you to have a primary health insurance plan. We use Liberty Health share which is not an insurance plan. I will do more research, but those 2 factors could prove to be a problem for us with the long term/evacuation insurance.

[jenp123]

I only get medical coverage....my take on it is that if I can afford to go on the trip, I can afford the loose the money (obviously that would be awful)

 

What I can' afford is crazy hospital bills and evac costs so that is why I purchase that type of insurance

[airlink diva]

I will admit at one time during my travels, I never purchased or consider buying travel insurance. But when I took an extended trip in South America solo, I weight the pros and cons and decided to purchased. I didn't have to use it which was a blessing.

Ironic that today three years ago a close friend of mine was in Panama and the driver lost control of the mini van and they went off a cliff. Two people in the van died with the remaining having various sorts of injuries.

This is where travel insurance came into play. My friend was in the hospital in Panama for a period of time. When leaving had to stay in hotel for a day or two. She had insurance and from the hospital stay, having a translator, helping with the hotel (including the staff meeting her and looking after her), and 1001 other things that came up.

That small amount took care of a major issue while there were some with her with no insurance and luckly my travel group raised money to help.

A fall, food poisoning, car accident, in the blink of an eye that wonderful trip can become a nightmare.

Get travel insurance

[KirkNC]

Went in and looked at Geoblue... we spend app 4 months each year in Mexico. The limit on their insurance is a 70 day max trip. I have found that to be true on some cc insurance also. It requires you to have a primary health insurance plan. We use Liberty Health share which is not an insurance plan. I will do more research, but those 2 factors could prove to be a problem for us with the long term/evacuation insurance.

 

Also check their expedriate version to see if that works, that eliminated the 70 day restriction.

[iancal]

We are in perfect health ( I think). DW fell backwards and broke her back in KL. We had insurance. The bill was not significant....but it could have been. Fortunately we were able to continue on with our trip. We view the downside risk as high so we insure. Don't care very much about cancellation since we do not do extended cruises or escorted holidays. Downside risk is manageable even if the credit card balks at a claim for some reason.

[PoppyandNana]

I will admit at one time during my travels, I never purchased or consider buying travel insurance. But when I took an extended trip in South America solo, I weight the pros and cons and decided to purchased. I didn't have to use it which was a blessing.

Ironic that today three years ago a close friend of mine was in Panama and the driver lost control of the mini van and they went off a cliff. Two people in the van died with the remaining having various sorts of injuries.

This is where travel insurance came into play. My friend was in the hospital in Panama for a period of time. When leaving had to stay in hotel for a day or two. She had insurance and from the hospital stay, having a translator, helping with the hotel (including the staff meeting her and looking after her), and 1001 other things that came up.

That small amount took care of a major issue while there were some with her with no insurance and luckly my travel group raised money to help.

A fall, food poisoning, car accident, in the blink of an eye that wonderful trip can become a nightmare.

Get travel insurance

 

 

Not a cruise story but my brother, while visiting his family in Germany, fell and broke 6 ribs, right hip, shoulder and right leg. He never takes insurance so now he is $35,000 out of pocket and a lot more to go. Would cost them $125000 for an air ambu from Germany to Colorado.

 

Fortunately he is in a modern hospital. What if something similar happened in some of the countries cruise passengers visit?

[PoppyandNana]

I always thought that the insurance I was buying I would need for travel delay, lost baggage and that sort of thing. Little did I realize that I would have a heart attack while docked in Bonaire back on May 31, 2016.

Remember that most of the medical facilities throughout the Caribbean are in 3rd world countries. I would not consider Bonaire 3rd world but they do not have a trauma center to handle a heart attack, along with Aruba and Curacao.

I am glad I had travel insurance, my wife was on the phone with the 3rd party administrator along with the cruiseline while I was in the emergency room.

There are a lot of interesting details to this ordeal.....bottom line, get your insurance.

A jet ambulance was secured from the Dominican Republic. We were jetting off at 2am June 1 for Fort Lauderdale and made it to Broward Medical at 530am where a heart cath lab team was waiting on me. Two stints later and cardio rehab afterwords and I feel great.

 

See my post above (Poppy and Nana) my brother out a ton of money because they didn’t purchase insurance

[HurricaneJane]

;)

I can’t imagine cruising without it anymore. It helps on various levels, but of the 16 cruises I’ve taken, I’ve gotten sick twice (norovirus caught on board) and the medical facility bills alone were worth it. I didn’t have it one time and the medical bills totaled over $750 from the ships doctor. I had to cancel at the last minute once due to the sudden death of my mother and I ended up getting back most of the cruise fare because I had insurance. It’s well worth the peace of mind.

 

If one is only travelling from USA to Alaska would it be a different situation as to purchasing insurance for a 7 day cruise?

Have super medical insurance without trip insurance, but problably only the best in USA...we are in Canadian waters for one day going and one day returning. What is the thinking about purchasing the trip insurance for this cruise?

[jefffrompawpaw]

I'm considering insurance for the first time.

 

I'm not sure how it works if you don't choose the option cancel for any reason. So what counts as a reason? Does it have to be medical?

 

I'm considering it because I have to fly in on the day of the cruise which is risky, but if the flight is delayed and I miss the ship is that covered? Or do I have to have the Cancel for any reason Ins?

[Stratheden]

My DH had a stroke on 31 Dec. He is doing really well and will be discharged from Rehab this coming Friday. We have a 3 month o/s holiday in Europe booked leaving mid April returning mid July. It consisted of Business class return air, two land coach tours, 3 weeks driving, internal air, ferry, train, hotels and finally a 24 day HAL cruise. Had we not had travel insurance we would have been really out of pocket.

 

At this stage we have cancelled everything except the cruise and we intend changing our flights. We hope he will feel confident enough to travel in mid June and just cruise. We will not have to worry about handling baggage and making connections - we will just go and relax.

 

We have never travelled without Insurance - never used it before - but I will never be without it.