Travel insurance yes or no

[papaflamingo]

We always buy it. First it was due to parent's age and health. Then in 2011, 2 weeks before a Med cruise, my Mom passed away. Thankfully I had cruise insurance and was able to recover the nearly $5000 I had spent. That more than covered the cost of insurance for all the cruises I've done.

Now we get it for our health reasons. We are healthy mid-60's retirees. Not to much of a stretch to imagine a possible illness or injury that keeps us from going. Medicare doesn't insure outside the U.S. so Health insurance is pretty much mandatory. People have already mentioned medical evacuation.

So, for me, I always get it. But if you decide, look at what you are most likely insuring, health, job requirements, etc. We cruised with my Military son and his wife a few years ago. I found a policy that would cover "cancellation of Military Leave." If his leave was cancelled then all 4 of us could cancel the cruise. And it nearly. Due to Syria, he was nearly deployed unexpectedly. So, you never know.

Again, look at your situation. Insure or don't based on your lifestyle, health, etc. Consider this.... no one needs insurance, until you need insurance. Oh yeah, also read ALL the threads like "I ended up being diagnosed with....and Royal Caribbean wouldn't refund my money." Or a fairly current one about a Military son having his leave cancelled and Royal Caribbean, the "unpatriots" that they are, wouldn't refund the money. Like I said, you don't need insurance until you need insurance.

[AlaskaNewbie68]

I wouldn't want to risk it. I feel much better having it especially with elderly relatives and hubby having a preexisting condition

 

 

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[Cheezus]

$7,000 cruise fare may be inexpensive to you but it isn’t to me! I understand that many frequent cruisers pay much less than this for their cruises. But those of us taking our families on the only vacation they’ll get all year and paying peak summer prices to do it want to minimize the risk of losing that cash as much as possible.

 

You are missing the point. You paid for the cruise, so the cost wasn't catastrophic. If something happens and you don't go, well, you don't go. But it's not going to have any effect on your financial security, zero. That's why you don't insure it. It's an inexpensive expense compared to catastrophic expenses like evacuation.

 

Insurance companies are in business to make money. The chances of you coming out ahead on trip cancellation are less than if you just didn't insure and put that extra cash away to self-insure. Similar to playing slot machines. It's like a few people who hit a $5,000 jackpot claiming it's always good to play slots. But we ALL know the odds are against you. Insurance is the same way, by design - else they would go out of business. Which is why you only use insurance when you are at ACTUAL risk of financial catastrophe. Else it's just a bad gamble.

[John&LaLa]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought USCG did not charge for a medical evac from ship.

 

 

 

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[Clarea]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought USCG did not charge for a medical evac from ship.

That's my uderstanding also.

[LMaxwell]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought USCG did not charge for a medical evac from ship.

 

 

 

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You are correct, but USCG not always in range.

[Havingfun2010]

First, you need to know what your coverage will cover. Travel insurance is secondary. For most people the idea of emergency airlift is the main sticking point. Than you need to ask yourself, how much is that 4 day cruise? I'm taking one, traveling to Bahamas, driving to port. Less than $1000.00. Am I worried about not going? I won't like it, but I could loose the $1000.00 and not cry too much.

 

Based on your age etc, you can get an annual medical and transport policy for $250.00 for 2 people. You can add on to that if you are concerned about trip cancel, interruption, luggage etc.

 

I wouldn't say, don't travel without it, but certainly, figure out what is most important, and buy it on a annual plan. The trip plans are just to gouge you of your money.

[auggiemom]

Does anyone know if I added Trip Insurance to our cruise with RCCL, but I find it somewhere else, can I cancel it with RCCL?

[Clarea]

Does anyone know if I added Trip Insurance to our cruise with RCCL, but I find it somewhere else, can I cancel it with RCCL?

Unless you tell them otherwise, you don't pay for RC's insurance until cruise final payment. Once you pay final payment, the insurance cannot be cancelled.

[SRF]

So a short, fairly low cost cruise, you can get insurance for the medical and evac and such, but NOT cover the cruise cost.

 

Some companies allow you to just put in $0 for the cost of the trip, and you get all the other coverages, just no coverage for missing the cruise.

[parmagal]

My credit card provides substantial insurance against trip interruption and cancellation, provided I pay for the cruise with that particular credit card. I purchase medical/evacuation insurance from a 3rd party. Insuring my 9 day cruise to Canada and New England this past July cost me less than $50. It was money well spent for my peace of mind. I'd never travel without it.

[SevenSeas1492]

We always purchase it. Nobody ever thinks a serious medical condition will happen to them. As the Boy Scouts say, “Be Prepared.”

[nhraformula00]

My wifes cousin,55 years old and first ever cruise, became ill in May on NCL cruise out of Miami. He went down to medical to see the doctor. $1400.00 later he was quarantined to his room for 1 day and night. He was in sticker shock when he received the bill for services. No insurance.

[Cheezus]

My wifes cousin,55 years old and first ever cruise, became ill in May on NCL cruise out of Miami. He went down to medical to see the doctor. $1400.00 later he was quarantined to his room for 1 day and night. He was in sticker shock when he received the bill for services. No insurance.

 

Would travel medical have covered this bill? I know the coverage is generally limited. Did he call his insurance provider? Sometimes it's just a matter of paying out of pocket then filing for reimbursement.

 

Everyone reading this, who doesn't know already, should reach out to their primary health insurer to find out exactly what is covered abroad and how that works.

[boatclub1]

we are sailing Symphony on a 4 day cruise in 2019, due to such a short cruise I am debating rather or not I need to purchase royal caribbeans cruise insurance or purchase travel insurance through 3rd party or just for go it since it is short cruise. Does anyone else buy travel insurance through royal or do you just travel with out it? Please give me your thoughts....

 

 

Hello....I never travel without Travel Insurance, I buy the extra insuance with the cruise line. I just came off the Anthem of the Seas this past August 2018. There was 4 Medical Evac's on the ship that I know of. We watched one person being taken off the ship by a medical helicopter - rumor had it that medical helicopter ride was $36,000 !! Hope they had the extra travel insurance.

L~NY

Edited September 4, 2018 by boatclub1

[Tntt]

Can anyone recommend a good travel I esurance company that is reasonably priced?

[molly361]

never mind

[John&LaLa]

You are correct, but USCG not always in range.

4 day Bahamas cruise as I recall.

 

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[John&LaLa]

My wifes cousin,55 years old and first ever cruise, became ill in May on NCL cruise out of Miami. He went down to medical to see the doctor. $1400.00 later he was quarantined to his room for 1 day and night. He was in sticker shock when he received the bill for services. No insurance.

Blue Cross policy has covered us two or three times for ships services. In all cases visit was under $150

 

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[Desert Cruizers]

Our Medical Insurance through my husbands Federal Plan under UHC saved us when my husband had a heart attack aboard our TA cruise last September. The big hit was on my Credit Card on board for his expenses during the evening & next day but they sent me a check to pay the CC off.

[Clarea]

Can anyone recommend a good travel I esurance company that is reasonably priced?

Look at these sites:

 

 

www.insuremytrip.com

 

www.squaremouth.com

 

www.quotewright.com

 

www.tripinsurancestore.com

[mjkacmom]

We always purchase it. Nobody ever thinks a serious medical condition will happen to them. As the Boy Scouts say, “Be Prepared.”

Lol my family has a black cloud following us, last year both my teenager son and I had appendicitis requiring surgery/hospitalization, my 21 year old dislocated her knee, the year before my 16 year old broke her wrist and needed surgery, while ds14 needed a second surgery on his ankle he broke previously and needed surgery. Travel insurance? You bet, since our health insurance doesn’t cover us outside the US.

[Freqentflyer]

I would recommend calling your insurance company to see if they cover you abroad. This thread got me curious, so I called mine. We have Blue Cross Blue Shield and it turns out we are covered on the ship and out of the U.S. as if we are in network. I might have to pay up front, but I will be reimbursed after I submit expenses.

 

To cover medical evacuation up to $100,000 and some add on benefits, I have a family membership to DAN (Diver Alert Network). It costs $55 per year and you don't need to be a certified diver. A friend's son got extremely ill while in China and the evacuation cost him over $50,000 to get his family back to the U.S. His story motivated me to join DAN.

 

As for protecting the cost of the trip, I come from the camp of only insure what you can't afford to lose. Missing our cruise would save me money :-). The cost of the cruise would be a sunk cost, but the cost of the cruise is merely the beginning of cash drain.

[John&LaLa]

You will definitely have to pay up front with your medical insurance, but Royal uses the std US billing forms so it's easy to get reimbursed. It is out of network though, so no negotiated costs and you will probably pay 20% of total

 

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[johnjen]

YES to travel insurance. On our way over the Atlantic to a 12-day med, DW looked at me and said "glad we didn't forget anything, we DO have travel insurance, right?"

 

My blank stare told everything.

 

The one thing I forgot! Yet nothing happened, luckily!