make sure you get trip insurance you never know

[azsunshine]

Check out insuremytrip dot com and compare rates. Just purchased my insurance from them today for our upcoming cruise in Feb!

 

I really think that this is all based on the age of the traveler. It could be 5 times that amount or more.

 

We do always buy cruise insurance, but trust me it doesn't run $29 for either of us!! You do age, and it gets to be a bit more! :o

[Need-a-vacation]

Trip insurance is also helpful for the little stuff. My mom has a notorious ability to get nasty respiratory infections anytime she travels. A few years ago, she got strep throat while on a cruise in the Med. That was some pretty expensive penicillin from the ships doctor!!! Last year when we went together, she got another infection of some sort and had to go to the ships doctor. Ended up over $200 for the visit and a couple meds. Which was reimbursed by the trip insurance from RCL that she paid $59 for I think.

 

So it's not just the big stuff. While my insurance covers "emergency" medical care worldwide, I'd rather not quibble over whether or not strep or bronchitis or a sprained ankle is an emergency or not. While not life-threatening, any of those could make for a pretty miserable trip if not treated promptly.

 

I just booked a cruise for February - I'm planning to buy insurance for this one.

[larasmom]

since there were 10 of us on teh cruise our TA purchased it for us. the information in the back of my cruise documents says it is berkley care

[PhoenixCruiser]

I really think that this is all based on the age of the traveler. It could be 5 times that amount or more.

 

We do always buy cruise insurance, but trust me it doesn't run $29 for either of us!! You do age, and it gets to be a bit more! :o

 

I think it is also based on the amount you pay for the cruise, and I believe this was only a 3 nighter in a smaller cabin :confused:

 

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[Jeepers385]

PhoenixCruiser, your right it does depend on how many days the cruise is plus how much you paid for it. For me still worth it since we have elderly parents and plus we're not getting any younger either.

Debbie

[Joe1690]

The Royal Carribbean cruise insurance does start at $29. It used to be that a 7 day cruise was $29 or at least that is what they always charged me but now I see that the cost starts at $29 for a cruisefare up to $500, is $59 for cruisefare per person up to $1000, $79 for up to $1500, $109 for up to $2000 and it goes on up from there.

[dougp26364]

Travel insurance doesn't just pay for medical bills. It pays for little things to moderate expenses as well.

 

How many of us have seen the cruisers who didn't get their luggage from the airlines? That's an expense that usually has some degree of coverage.

 

What happens if the ship is delayed departing by a day and you have to stay an additional night in a hotel room? Trip delay is often covered to some extent as well.

 

I presently have a claim pending for $1,400 becasue the fishermen in Barcelona blockaded the port and almost everyone missed their flight home. I had taxi bills, hotel bills, meal bills and the additional cost of taking a different flight home. Because RCI screwed up, they did cover the hotel and taxi bills but the cost of the flight and meals was on us. We weren't able to eat except for junk from airport stores or maybe a hot dog or two. I wasn't worried about that and didn't save the receipts. The airfare is what I'm waiting on for reimbursement from the insurance company.

 

Some inurance policies won't pay for an illegal strike, some won't pay for any kind of a labor strike and still other will pay for most anything that interupts/delays your trip. It pays to read the fine print of the policy to know what that policy covers.

 

To date, from our M&M group, CSA has paid the claim for airfare, Travelguard declined it.

 

EVERYONE needs to carry travel insurance and we all need to know what the policy will cover and what it won't.

[cusyl]

I was reading on the Princess boards of the unfortunate drowning of a CB passenger on a dive trip at St Maarten. If you can imagine, this unfortunate family who disembarked after the accident, now has to pay for the return of the body to the US as well as their own airfare and expenses. Hopefully they purchased insurance which would reimburse them for all of the expenses.

[Pasadenadog]

A quick "Thanks!" to all of you for your posts - it got me thinking. Given the amount of money involved in purchasing a vacation, the many potentials for delay with air travel and a nasty flu season predicted, I just purchased some insurance for my trip on the Jewel next month. A small price to pay for peace of mind!

 

Happy holidays!

[dougp26364]

A quick "Thanks!" to all of you for your posts - it got me thinking. Given the amount of money involved in purchasing a vacation, the many potentials for delay with air travel and a nasty flu season predicted, I just purchased some insurance for my trip on the Jewel next month. A small price to pay for peace of mind!

 

Happy holidays!

 

And that's exactly what insurance is. A little piece of mind that when things go wrong, you won't have to break the bank.

[Yooper38]

Can you purchase the insurance through RC any time or does it have to be done at the time of booking.

[Johanna7]

Where do you get insurance for $49 or even $79? We paid over $1,400 Cdn for 3 weeks to Australia and New Zealand, never had any misfortunes so it was a waste. I wish I knew where to get insurance so dirt cheap. Obviously not through our Travel Agent!

[cruiseco]

Where do you get insurance for $49 or even $79? We paid over $1,400 Cdn for 3 weeks to Australia and New Zealand, never had any misfortunes so it was a waste. I wish I knew where to get insurance so dirt cheap. Obviously not through our Travel Agent!

 

You probably bought a policy issued by RBC which is the policy most commonly sold by Canadian travel agents. There's nothing wrong with their policies but they are very expensive.

 

Canadians can use many policies issued by US-based insurers such as Access America, CSA, Global Alert or even Travel Guard through their Canadian subsidiary. You can try an online site like insuremytrip.com for price/features comparisons. They also have a RBC plan but it's a version developed for US residents only. It's much more in line price-wise with the US-based companies so they probably made it US-only so they can keep selling the high priced policy to Canadians.

[dougp26364]

different policy's will cost different amounts. If you're in you 10's and taking a 3 night cruise, it's gonna be pretty cheap no matter how good the coverage is. If you're in your 80's and taking a 14 night Transatalantic cruise, it's never going to be cheap no matter how much you skimp on the coverage.

 

Keep in mind that cheap doesn't always = good. Of course, expensive doesn't always = good either and definately what the cruise lines sell or what your TA pushes doesn't mean it's good.

 

I always use http://www.insuremytrip.com to compare coverages and prices. There are several different companies out there offering different coverages at different prices. It's important to read the policy coverages, exclusions and definitions before deciding which policy is best for you.

 

BTW, I haven't seen the $29 or $49 price on travel insurance for us either. I figure we're just to darn old to get it that cheap.

[jkrislc]

Something to consider if you travel a lot are annual plans. They may end up costing you less than individual policies for various trips throughout the year.

 

My DW and I are still young and in good health, but we've opted for cruise insurance since our mid to late 20s. I'm not as concerned about illness, but you never know what might come up in your family. I buy it for piece of mind and for the rare chance that I'll need to be evacuated. I buy it now for all my trips, not just cruises.

[Andros]

I'm sorry, but I just think any type of insurance is a rip off. These insurance companies prey on the worried people of the world. Just like car insurance is a joke. If they allowed you to put the money you spend on auto insurance in some type of high yielding account, you would never have to worry about it. It is unfortunate that so many people think they have to sue for everything under the sun now a days. They are the ones that are usually at fault and driving like idiots. Which causes everyone to pay higher premiums for their ignorance. So, if they allowed you to keep a separate account, you most likely would have plenty of money to replace someones automobile or pay for medical expences, if you were at fault. This is just my opinion, as I have paid way to much money out over the last 25 years. The insurance companies definately wouldn't want to have to meet me:eek: .

[dougp26364]

If they allowed you to put the money you spend on auto insurance in some type of high yielding account, you would never have to worry about it................. The insurance companies definately wouldn't want to have to meet me:eek: .

 

You bet it's not necessary. After two months of putting $100/month into a high yeild account, you're little Johnny or Suzy fogets what a stop sign is for and is convicted of vehicular manslaughter. The damage to the BMW he/she totaled is around $35,000. The civil claims court give you a nice little bill for wrongful death and you're $200 in that high yeild account has you covered. In fact, I'd be willing to be the lifetime of savings you've personally put into your own high yeild account would be gone with just that one claim. I wonder what you'd do for you next trick (claim)

 

How about heath insurance? No problem so long as you're healthy. One major claim and I bet that same high yeild account you're talking about doesn't hold up for much. Most policies have a million dollar limit to them. I'm glad you've got that kind of money from day one.

 

I'm sure you're family would have been thrilled should some accident or illness knock you off when you were younger. Living on Soc. Sec. benefits would have been a breeze. Especially considering that term life plan would have only cost you about $20/month.

 

Everyone get's caught up in the small things insurance pays for and forgets about the major $$ they risk if something really bad happens to you. I believe the odds of some form of cancer are about 1 in 4. Heart disease, while popular in the U.S.A. sure isn't inexpensive. ICU beds in the hospital run upwards of $1,500/day. My mothers final illness had her in the hospital for only 7 days. The hospital bill alone was $135,000. Then you have the doctors to pay.

 

Sure, that high yeild account might look good on the surface BUT, it will only pay out ONE large claim! Then what would you do? What would you retire on once your personal savings was wiped out?

 

Yep, insurance is a BIG rip-off. At least until the time you need it the most. Then you'll be glad you have it. And what if you never need it? Then consider yourself a very lucky individual. You've made it through life without any major hospital bills (pretty darn hard to do), you've made it through life without a car accident and you've made it through life without any major catastrophe to your home caused by mother nature, fire or theft.

 

I don't know about you but it sure is tough to save enough money in a "high yeild" account to cover ALL the possiblities and risks associated with life. But then again, that's why we have insurance.

 

BTW, if YOU run into ME on the street by accident and you don't have adaquate insurance, it's me you won't like, not the other way around.

 

Insurance is to protect your assests, including that high yeild account, from day one. Claims don't happen only after you've been saving for 25 + years. They can, and do, happen from day one.

[Andros]

I'm sorry if I offended anyone with my post. I agree that insurance can save your Butt if you ever need it. My point was that they prey on possibilities. Most likely they will never happen. I live by what does happen and deal with it accordingly. Not the what ifs. So, in my eyes it is a waste of money.

 

BTW, If I were to run into you on the street you would not know who I was or what type of insurance I had. For your information my policy covers up to 300,00 and I feel safe. It cost me 500.00 a year for this coverage. I don't know where you got the figure of 200.00 but, that 500.00 a year for 25 years adds up to 12,500 and would be gaining interest. If I had a nicer car it would be even more. I choose to spend my money cruising and traveling.

 

I don't understand the point about the social security remark. I actually live on it and get by quite well. I have a terminal illness that will end up being my demise. I have health insurance and I don't pay a dime for it. I actually have had over 15,000 in medical expences this year and am glad my insurance covered all of it, including my medications which cost well over 2 grand a month. I also have already opened an account for my burial expences. I would rather do this than waste money on a policy that won't pay off or that I cannot get because of my illness. Both of my parents commited suicide when I was younger, and the policies they had paid all of there lives, paid zip. I would have much rather had that money go to their estate instead of the insurance companies.

 

So, in conclusion, this is my opinion. Something that I am entiltled to. So, blast me all you want, as I learned from day one it is a rip offfff.

[BeachBumMama]

Like anything else, its a personal preference on what type, kind and if you choose insurance at all. I guess we actually pay for 'peace of mind', knowing that if we need it, its there.

 

As for cruising insurance, I always looked at it as an option (which it is) that I could do without. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't. Then I got it for a cruise and the day before we left almost had to cancel and was glad I got it. Ended up we didn't need to cancel, and didn't need to use it, but that 'almost' convinced me it's very little money for the peace of mind I had.

 

It's one of those things that peope think, 'oh, nothing will happen, what could go wrong?'... but things can and do go wrong.

[dougp26364]

I'm sorry if I offended anyone with my post. I agree that insurance can save your Butt if you ever need it. My point was that they prey on possibilities. Most likely they will never happen. I live by what does happen and deal with it accordingly. Not the what ifs. So, in my eyes it is a waste of money.

 

BTW, If I were to run into you on the street you would not know who I was or what type of insurance I had. For your information my policy covers up to 300,00 and I feel safe. It cost me 500.00 a year for this coverage. I don't know where you got the figure of 200.00 but, that 500.00 a year for 25 years adds up to 12,500 and would be gaining interest. If I had a nicer car it would be even more. I choose to spend my money cruising and traveling.

 

I don't understand the point about the social security remark. I actually live on it and get by quite well. I have a terminal illness that will end up being my demise. I have health insurance and I don't pay a dime for it. I actually have had over 15,000 in medical expences this year and am glad my insurance covered all of it, including my medications which cost well over 2 grand a month. I also have already opened an account for my burial expences. I would rather do this than waste money on a policy that won't pay off or that I cannot get because of my illness. Both of my parents commited suicide when I was younger, and the policies they had paid all of there lives, paid zip. I would have much rather had that money go to their estate instead of the insurance companies.

 

So, in conclusion, this is my opinion. Something that I am entiltled to. So, blast me all you want, as I learned from day one it is a rip offfff.

 

You're right, it's a matter of opinion. Yours is valid for your point of view.