WHAT DO I NEED TO FILE WITH MY TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR COVID EXPENSES/LOSSES FOR COVID ON BOARD ON

[vinonme2]

 

I am a solo cruiser, currently on a HAL cruise and was diagnosed yesterday with Covid  .

I asked for a copy of my medical visit and diagnosis,  was told there is a charge for that and I  could get in a few days. 

Is there anything else I need get or do while still on board?

 

Thank you. 

[Mary229]

Insurance will only reimburse cost of medical treatment and some policies include evacuation and early transport home.  You will need the medical bill and bills for any costs of leaving the ship early and having to reschedule flights.   Read your own policy carefully, it is not one size fits all

[#55worktoplay]

I’m curious, would they cover the missed port days and days isolated in cabin?

[Mary229]

53 minutes ago, #55worktoplay said:

I’m curious, would they cover the missed port days and days isolated in cabin?

We don’t know which policy the OP has.  If it were a run of the mill travel policy it will not cover isolation days.  Missed ports are covered but only if you are not refunded for a shore excursion or similar expense.  
 

insurance, by and large, covers for expenses not time, not suffering, not inconvenience 

[sue1898]

My experience in June was I received copies of my medical record as well as two different certifications of isolation. This was all delivered to my stateroom and I believe there was a $5 charge. I had the platinum coverage through HAL and have been in contact with them. I must wait to see if my health insurance pays for the medical (it should since I was in Alaska). Once that is determined I can file my claim. According to the FAQ on the HAL website I should get some $’s for my isolation days. Here’s what the website says:

“What if I am isolated in my stateroom for part of my voyage due to COVID-19?

CPP Platinum provides reimbursement for any days that you are confined to your stateroom if the confinement is ordered by a medical professional.”

HAL also issued Future Cruise Credits to my Mariner account for the days I was isolated. Those showed up about 7 weeks later.

Edited August 13, 2023 by sue1898

[FOPMan]

Your insurer is the best entity to tell you what information they require to substantiate a claim.

 

My GUESS is that they would want medical information, including diagnosis and treatment/procedures provided and a statement from the physician regarding thir medical necessity. I am sure they would want billing information. 

 

I expect the insurance company would also want a copy of an order requiring quarantine. They would also want descriptions of any events ,including reveipts/pricing) you could not participate in due to quarantine and the cancellation policy for each of those events.

 

If you incurred additional expenses due to travel restrictions resulting from infection/quarantine and they are coveted by your policy/you got any necessary preapproval), I expect they would want all relevant  receipts.

[BobbiSox]

I'm sorry you are having to deal with this. What bad luck! Hope you can settle all the details without too much inconvenience. 

[terrydtx]

Last August my wife caught Covid on the Oosterdam the last 5 days of our 14 day cruise of Greece. She was in isolation and then we spent 3 days in quarantine in Venice. I was negative until we got off the ship. Our Travel insurance was bought through our TA's company, it is with Travel Guard. My TA handled the insurance claim for us after the cruise and all we needed was the medical papers from HAL showing the positive test and the 5 days of quarantine and receipts for our 3 days on Land. The insurance pro-rated the 5 days of ship's isolation and reimbursed us that cost for both my wife and I and all of our hotel and meal costs for the 3 days on land. The only thing not covered was $42 for the cough syrup on the ship. We received about $5500 in compensation from Travel Guard. This is one of many reasons why we use a TA, as she handles everything for us. It is important to know what is and isn't covered with any insurance policy you buy.

Edited August 13, 2023 by terrydtx

[3rdGenCunarder]

47 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Last August my wife caught Covid on the Oosterdam the last 5 days of our 14 day cruise of Greece. She was in isolation and then we spent 3 days in quarantine in Venice. I was negative until we got off the ship. Our Travel insurance was bought through our TA's company, it is with Travel Guard. My TA handled the insurance claim for us after the cruise and all we needed was the medical papers from HAL showing the positive test and the 5 days of quarantine and receipts for our 3 days on Land. The insurance pro-rated the 5 days of ship's isolation and reimbursed us that cost for both my wife and I and all of our hotel and meal costs for the 3 days on land. The only thing not covered was $42 for the cough syrup on the ship. We received about $5500 in compensation from Travel Guard. This is one of many reasons why we use a TA, as she handles everything for us. It is important to know what is and isn't covered with any insurance policy you buy.

 

I have used Travel Guard for years. The one time we had to make a claim (not Covid), I dealt with them directly. Didn't occur to me to use my TA. Travel Guard was great about paying hospital bills (we were out of the country), cancelled travel, and getting us home. 

 

The problem with covid coverage is that it's now considered a foreseeable event (or some wording like that), and insurance varies as to what they cover, especially the hotel bills for a quarantine period. So check the "fine print" before you buy a policy. 

 

@FOPMan is right. Save all receipts and paperwork to back up your claim. 

[terrydtx]

9 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I have used Travel Guard for years. The one time we had to make a claim (not Covid), I dealt with them directly. Didn't occur to me to use my TA. Travel Guard was great about paying hospital bills (we were out of the country), cancelled travel, and getting us home. 

Our claim last year was out first with any travel insurance and I figured I would have to file the claim. My fabulous TA told us on the way home she would handle our claim and not to stress out.

[baggal]

54 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Last August my wife caught Covid on the Oosterdam the last 5 days of our 14 day cruise of Greece. She was in isolation and then we spent 3 days in quarantine in Venice. I was negative until we got off the ship. Our Travel insurance was bought through our TA's company, it is with Travel Guard. My TA handled the insurance claim for us after the cruise and all we needed was the medical papers from HAL showing the positive test and the 5 days of quarantine and receipts for our 3 days on Land. The insurance pro-rated the 5 days of ship's isolation and reimbursed us that cost for both my wife and I and all of our hotel and meal costs for the 3 days on land. The only thing not covered was $42 for the cough syrup on the ship. We received about $5500 in compensation from Travel Guard. This is one of many reasons why we use a TA, as she handles everything for us. It is important to know what is and isn't covered with any insurance policy you buy.

Interesting that HAL let you disembark in Italy.  Last October we were on the Celebrity Apex and my husband came down with Covid.  He was also put into isolation for the last 5 days of our 12 days cruise.   But, my Covid liaison crew member adamantly insisted that the Italian government would not let anyone who was still testing positive (he was) to disembark in Italy.  What to do since the next cruise was a transatlantic back to the U.S. with a few stops in Spain?  Celebrity graciously offered to let us stay on board free of charge for the continuing 2 week cruise back to the U.S. but at that point, we only had an extra week of meds and we just wanted to go home.  3 days later we got off at the first point in Spain - Valencia - and began our  journey to fly home.

 

A few days after we got home I read here on cruise critic that Celebrity was reimbursing quarantined passengers for their days spent in isolation.  Sure enough, after a few phone calls to reach the right department he was told yes they would reimburse him (they tested me only once and at the time I was negative so I stayed in our original cabin) for time in isolation.  Two weeks later our credit card was credited for the pro-rated 5 days.

 

I can't say whether this is still Celebrity's policy but we were very pleased with the outcome at that time.  We did submit new travel expenses to our insurance company (purchased through the big box store) and they reimbursed us for that.   

[terrydtx]

1 hour ago, baggal said:

Interesting that HAL let you disembark in Italy.  Last October we were on the Celebrity Apex and my husband came down with Covid.  He was also put into isolation for the last 5 days of our 12 days cruise.   But, my Covid liaison crew member adamantly insisted that the Italian government would not let anyone who was still testing positive (he was) to disembark in Italy. 

We were not given any other options, in August the Italian government required that we get off the ship at the end of our cruise in Venice and stay at a government approved quarantine hotel. We would have preferred to stay on board  for the next cruise to Rome.