Travel Insurance

[ShipShapely]

Which travel insurance is best? Do you take Oceania provided coverage. ( they use Aon) . Or do you book thru another company and if so which one? What plan provisions and amounts of coverage are needed? Thanks!

[Flatbush Flyer]

Which travel insurance is best? Do you take Oceania provided coverage. ( they use Aon) . Or do you book thru another company and if so which one? What plan provisions and amounts of coverage are needed? Thanks!

 

 

 

IMO, a cruise line's travel insurance is usually short on coverage items and limits. In addition: while they are contracting with an outside entity, it's a bit "too close to home" if you ever needed to file a claim related to a problem directly related to the cruise line's performance.

As to necessary coverages/limits/etc., it's really different for different folks. For example, if "preexisting conditions" are an issue for you, it's going to definitely affect your options.

BTW, it's amazing how misinformed most cruisers are about what exactly is meant by things like "preexisting conditions" or "medical evacuation" (among other things).

In any case, you may want to start with talking to a broker specializing in travel insurance. One good company is "insuremytrip."

Once you understand your existing insurance (employer medical, Medicare supplements, credit card coverage, etc.) and how it dovetails with any proposed additional travel coverages (e.g., a comprehensive travel/international medical), you'll be in a better position to determine what/how much coverage YOU "need."

[gippy]

I typically book my insurance thru Costco. Can’t recall the company they use, but the coverage has been solid at a good price.

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

I typically book my insurance thru Costco. Can’t recall the company they use, but the coverage has been solid at a good price.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

Last time I checked, Costco offers AIG Travelguard's basic plan at about a 10-15% discount.

Depending on your personal circumstances (health, PEIs, regular insurance et al.) items like its $50k medical might be inadequate.

[GeezerCouple]

Which travel insurance is best? Do you take Oceania provided coverage. ( they use Aon) . Or do you book thru another company and if so which one? What plan provisions and amounts of coverage are needed? Thanks!

 

Here is a link to the "Travel/Cruise Insurance" sub-forum here on CruiseCritic:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=635

 

Lot's of comments/suggestions already, or ask about any specific issues *you* may have.

Otherwise, it's impossible for others to figure out what is "best" for your needs.

 

Also, as you'll see there (or hear in response to your questions), don't forget to consider whether pre-existing conditions might be an issue (for either medical care coverage OR trip interruption/cancellation).

 

We get our travel insurance through http://www.TripInssuranceStore.com.

And we've used Travel Insured, who have paid several claims promptly, which is what matters.

 

GC

[ShipShapely]

Thank you all for excellent info and links to other sources. In 2017 we cruised with Oceania and did not take their coverage. We relied on the insurance from our upgraded Citibank American Airlines card plus our blue cross blue shield covered medical. However Citibank has cut their coverage in half. I actually caught bronchitis on the plane over. Someone across the aisle was coughing the entire time. I got quite sick and high fever and had to be treated and put on IV’s and breathing treatments on the ship. The bill was more than the cruise cost. It took me six months of hassle with BC BS before they paid the claim so this time really want to explored our options.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Thank you all for excellent info and links to other sources. In 2017 we cruised with Oceania and did not take their coverage. We relied on the insurance from our upgraded Citibank American Airlines card plus our blue cross blue shield covered medical. However Citibank has cut their coverage in half. I actually caught bronchitis on the plane over. Someone across the aisle was coughing the entire time. I got quite sick and high fever and had to be treated and put on IV’s and breathing treatments on the ship. The bill was more than the cruise cost. It took me six months of hassle with BC BS before they paid the claim so this time really want to explored our options.

 

 

One of the issues with the "travel insurance" perk on certain credit cards is that they do not waive PEIs for trip cancel/interrupt.

[riffatsea]

Please translate PEIs???

We have a year long policy with Geo Blue for travel medical insurance and evacuation.They cover pre existing conditions.

We use our Chase Sapphire card for other travel related insurance needs.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Please translate PEIs???

 

We have a year long policy with Geo Blue for travel medical insurance and evacuation.They cover pre existing conditions.

 

We use our Chase Sapphire card for other travel related insurance needs.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, meant PECs (pre-existing conditions).

Doublecheck the CC coverage. Only a very very few (highest cost) Chase credit cards waive PECs as cause for trip cancel/interrupt.

Also, if spouses have separate accounts of the same credit card, check with that bank (request answer in writing) to see if splitting trip costs effectively doubles coverage limits (this works with Chase's United Explorer VISA).

[riffatsea]

You are correct that our Chase card does not cover PECs but their definition has a 60 day look out from date of purchase of trip for diagnosis and they say a controlled condition for which you are taking meds doesn't count as a PEC so it looks like for us we are OK with that.

Thanks for your info!

[azam71209]

Also think about whether your credit card travel insurance will cover you if a family member or traveling companion gets sick, a work related crisis, etc. Will it cover your spouse's hotel and meal expenses if you are stuck in a foreign country because of your medical condition? What about the helicopter transfer from the ship to the hospital? Always read the small print. Not much good to have insurance that covers the easy stuff but no coverage for the six figure claim.

 

Mary

[riffatsea]

Yes you should check if it covers a family member who might be traveling with you(ours does). The hospital expenses and transportation is covered by our medical travel insurance not the credit card. It is good to have both or else one policy that covers all !

Always important to read all the insurance clauses/definitions carefully!

[Croooser]

Please translate PEIs???

We have a year long policy with Geo Blue for travel medical insurance and evacuation.They cover pre existing conditions.

We use our Chase Sapphire card for other travel related insurance needs.

X2.

 

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[ShipShapely]

:confused:

Also think about whether your credit card travel insurance will cover you if a family member or traveling companion gets sick, a work related crisis, etc. Will it cover your spouse's hotel and meal expenses if you are stuck in a foreign country because of your medical condition? What about the helicopter transfer from the ship to the hospital? Always read the small print. Not much good to have insurance that covers the easy stuff but no coverage for the six figure claim.

 

Mary

 

Yes Mary our credit card covers all of the above even emergency evacuation and other perils actually with much higher limits than other plans. I’ve gotten PDFs of several plans and compared them side by side and Citibank American Airlines ( the upgraded card that costs 450 per yr) meets and exceeds the others including what Oceania has. By far.

The main problem is twofold: 1) for trip cancellation and interruption they have slashed benefits to 5k total per trip. It was per passenger before. That’s obviously way low. 2) it has no medical coverage if you get sick on the trip. We do have blue cross blue shield thru my husband’s employer which did cover us in full last year when I got serious bronchitis but was huge hassle to get payment . We’ve since downgraded that from high option to standard option so doubt they’d still cover in full.

So, we are trying to find coverage that will either close these two gaps in a supplementary fashion or just get one plan that does it and forget Citibank card which kind of seems a shame! I don’t think we have any pre existing conditions however I imagine that’s a slippery slope if you take meds for things like high blood pressure or statins? Not sure.

I’ve been reading all these posts and now more confused than ever. Feel like I need a PhD to figure this stuff out.

So now I’ve given more details maybe someone will have more specific answers.

Thank you all!

This part not fun. That’s the one thing I don’t like about cruises. You have to pay a ton of money up front and way in advance. Go for a trip on land and make hotel arrangements. Fully refundable within 48 hours of arrival in most cases. Only airfare is the issue but manageable. Recently did a great trip to top hotels in Hawaii and no trip insurance needed. :confused:

[LHT28]

easy then do not take cruises

 

 

We get trip Cancellation/interruption ins

 

it is based on several factors age, price of trip, destination, length of trip

over 70 it is not cheap but then again neither is Oceania cruises

 

last trip insurance was close to $2000

no problems during the trip I could have saved $2000 to self insure ;)

YMMV

[cbb]

we use Allianz and never had to make a claim until we were on Regatta in Jan. I racked up $15K doc bill and Allianz paid every last penny of it. Obviously we will continue using them.

 

Our TA with a travel company with a big client base rec'd them and said they have been great to work with.

[Flatbush Flyer]

What about the helicopter transfer from the ship to the hospital?

Mary

 

 

I hope you're not confusing "air ambulance" with "medical evacuation." With a very few worldwide exceptions, recognize that no government's coast guard charges for medically necessary transportation (air ambulance) from a ship to the nearest appropriate land based emergency medical facility. By contrast, "medical evacuation" is transportation from the initial emergency facility to continuing care or to home. BTW, look for insurance that provides YOU with "choice of facility" for med evac.

[palakika]

We use AIG Travel Guard and have been pleased with them. Recently made a claim and they paid off promptly.

[Flatbush Flyer]

:confused:

 

 

 

......I don’t think we have any pre existing conditions however I imagine that’s a slippery slope if you take meds for things like high blood pressure or statins? Not sure......

 

An unchanged chronic condition present during the insurer's "lookback" period is not a PEC. However, a CHANGE in that condition (e.g., treatment, prescribed medications, etc.) can be interpreted as a PEC. That's why getting the waiver is always a good idea.

BTW even though most CCs do not waive PECs as causes for trip cancel/interrupt, it never hurts to split the cost of your trip onto two cards if you and spouse both have separate account CCs from to same issuer. This effectively doubles your cancel/interrupt coverage.

[riffatsea]

Interesting idea about splitting the cost on 2 cards to get more coverage.

Never thought of that before!

[GeezerCouple]

Interesting idea about splitting the cost on 2 cards to get more coverage.

Never thought of that before!

 

Make sure how the coverage is for 'unlinked' cabin mates if one gets sick or otherwise cancels, especially if unrelated (but also double check if they are related).

It might be covered for A, but would B also be covered? Do there need to be "covered reasons", etc.?

 

 

GC

[Croooser]

FWIW:

 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has $10,000/pp trip cancellation benefit with a max of $20,000/trip.

 

We use that for it's trip cancellation benefit and self insure for anything over $20,000.

 

• Covers trips when travel arrangements for a pre-paid tour, trip or vacation have been purchased with an eligible Chase card or with rewards earned on an eligible Chase card
  
• Up to $10,000 per covered trip and a maximum limit of $20,000 per occurrence and a maximum benefit amount per 12-month period of $40,000
  

We use the annual Geo Blue policy for medical and evac.

 

It's important to understand the details to see if they meet your individual requirements.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Make sure how the coverage is for 'unlinked' cabin mates if one gets sick or otherwise cancels, especially if unrelated (but also double check if they are related).

 

It might be covered for A, but would B also be covered? Do there need to be "covered reasons", etc.?

 

 

 

 

 

GC

My "split payment" to "double" certain coverages refers to spouses using individual accounts for the same CC company/type. Put cruise deposit on card 1 and final pay on card 2. And do check that your CC honors this. Chase's United Explorer VISA does.

[Flatbush Flyer]

FWIW:

 

 

 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card has $10,000/pp trip cancellation benefit with a max of $20,000/trip.

 

 

 

We use that for it's trip cancellation benefit and self insure for anything over $20,000.

 

 

 

• 
   
  
• Covers trips when travel arrangements for a pre-paid tour, trip or vacation have been purchased with an eligible Chase card or with rewards earned on an eligible Chase card
   
  
• Up to $10,000 per covered trip and a maximum limit of $20,000 per occurrence and a maximum benefit amount per 12-month period of $40,000
   
  

We use the annual Geo Blue policy for medical and evac.

 

 

 

It's important to understand the details to see if they meet your individual requirements.

 

 

Despite the hefty annual fee, this card is a good bet for some very frequent travelers since travel charges rebates help neutralize the card fee.

As for its travel insurance, i can't remember if the Sapphire Reserve card waives PECs for trip cancel/interrupt (and if it does, that statement should appear in its T&Cs. Most CCs do not waive.

We considered Sapphire Reserve but chose to stick with the United Explorer card since pretty much all our air travel is on United or a code share Star Alliance partner. With that card, there are baggage Club and spending perks as well as no expiration of FF miles (a key item in the equation).

[JimandStan]

My "split payment" to "double" certain coverages refers to spouses using individual accounts for the same CC company/type. Put cruise deposit on card 1 and final pay on card 2. And do check that your CC honors this. Chase's United Explorer VISA does.

 

Excellent point! Otherwise, the bugbear of which coverage will be "Primary" is likely to rear its' ugly head.

Insurance isn't simple, which, I suppose, is one reason that Brokers became part of the landscape.