Never Again RCI

[nascarcruiser]

On 2/19/2024 at 2:53 PM, dliteu said:

 

 

 

  Between the $2700 that RCI charged us for about 1 hour in the emergency room on the ship and the hospital in Cozumel holding us hostage (literally would not treat her without a down payment of $4,000 Then another $2,000 and finally another $1998 before they would release her the next day to an air ambulance back to Texas.  The RCI contact in Cozumel actually stiffs us for $6. Gave him $100 to cover the $47 dollars each Mexico charged us to come into the country he kept the change.  The contact's name was Daniel..  Not a big deal, but really....Never did hear from him again after he delivered the forms we needed for Mexico. Not can I get you a hotel, would you like some food, Not let me help try to get you home.  not spit.  The hospital was in the middle of a very poor neighborhood without any resources close by. 

Ok as far as RCI billing you for services on board,insurance should cover that. As far as the hospital wanting multiple payments upfront yes that is the way its done. Known several people who have been admitted for things like broken bones, heart attack and dive accident resulting in paralysis so yes this is the way it's handled.  As far as the hospital being in a poor area, there are only 2 hospitals they would have sent you to. You were in Cozumel so yes its a poor country but knowing where the hospitals are there are resources nearby and the hospital would have helped if you asked.  You may just not have seen the resources you were thought you might see but I assure you you could have found them.  I understand you were upset and frustrated but the situation was handled as it typically is. Sadly it wasn't the way you wanted it handled.  I hope your mom is doing better 

[MichaelCMTX]

On 2/23/2024 at 8:50 PM, not-enough-cruising said:

If you have found a policy that continues to offer primary medical  benefits once back in the states then you have found a unicorn. 

I do not get why the need is so impossible to grasp.  

 

If you receive an injury or illness, it pays for treatment of that illness or injury without running out the clock when your cruise was supposed to end.  The point of buying insurance is greatly reduced if they have to evacuate you to a foreign land someplace on Day 6 and then the insurer leaves you hanging after day 7.  Everyone assuming "your major medical kicks in after that", you realize your major medical will also have your deductible and copays and whatnot. After what happened, happened; we had the pleasure of running up a few grand in expenses that would've been 100% covered if, all treatment had occurred prior to Day 7.

 

I wouldn't call a "unicorn hunt" but more like finding the car you want with the features you want.  Just have your T/A earn that commission and do a little more research - and our T/A was definitely grateful to get some real-world education on what happens when insurance doesn't. 

 

[kmorg1234]

I am glad that others had positive experiences with Allianz, but my experience was vastly different- I submitted document after document, only to be told after a full year that the claim was denied because it was “timed out.”  Granted, it was during covid, yet this claim had nothing to do with covid.  But because of the huge delays in processing, they took forever to get back to me, and then denied in the end because of elapsed time.  Quite frustrating.  Also know they are not primary insurance, they will only cover what your usual insurance does not.  

[not-enough-cruising]

8 hours ago, MichaelCMTX said:

I do not get why the need is so impossible to grasp.  

 

If you receive an injury or illness, it pays for treatment of that illness or injury without running out the clock when your cruise was supposed to end.  The point of buying insurance is greatly reduced if they have to evacuate you to a foreign land someplace on Day 6 and then the insurer leaves you hanging after day 7.  Everyone assuming "your major medical kicks in after that", you realize your major medical will also have your deductible and copays and whatnot. After what happened, happened; we had the pleasure of running up a few grand in expenses that would've been 100% covered if, all treatment had occurred prior to Day 7.

 

I wouldn't call a "unicorn hunt" but more like finding the car you want with the features you want.  Just have your T/A earn that commission and do a little more research - and our T/A was definitely grateful to get some real-world education on what happens when insurance doesn't. 

 

Calm down; I’m just starting the facts, I never said you could t find what you are describing. All I said was a travel policy that continues primary medical coverage upon return to your country of residence is very rare-that’s a fact. 
 

I don’t need a TA to handle insurance for me. I have used annual policies for a long time; one for travel related issues, one SOLELY for primary medical and evacuation. I know exactly what they cover, and have no surprises. 

[Iamthesea]

8 hours ago, kmorg1234 said:

I am glad that others had positive experiences with Allianz, but my experience was vastly different- I submitted document after document, only to be told after a full year that the claim was denied because it was “timed out.”  Granted, it was during covid, yet this claim had nothing to do with covid.  But because of the huge delays in processing, they took forever to get back to me, and then denied in the end because of elapsed time.  Quite frustrating.  Also know they are not primary insurance, they will only cover what your usual insurance does not.  

 

From the following article, I believe that you need to choose the correct Allianz Plan for it to be Primary.  HERE  What I did not know is that Allianz will try to get paid back by your personal health insurance company.  🤔

 

2 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I don’t need a TA to handle insurance for me. I have used annual policies for a long time; one for travel related issues, one SOLELY for primary medical and evacuation. I know exactly what they cover, and have no surprises. 

 

Forgive me if this has already been asked, but did you share the names of your plans?

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, Iamthesea said:

 

Forgive me if this has already been asked, but did you share the names of your plans?

I use Trawick International for travel related issues and Geo Blue for medical and evacuation. 

[MichaelCMTX]

4 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Calm down; I’m just starting the facts, I never said you could t find what you are describing. All I said was a travel policy that continues primary medical coverage upon return to your country of residence is very rare-that’s a fact. 

The word "unicorn" comes to mind.

There's seeing a comment and thinking "this person doesn't know what they're talking about" , and there's  making sure to imply it for all the Forum to see.

 

The current policy of choice from Travel Guard covers 1) Benefits ONLY for an injury or sickness that occurs on your trip and 2) only expenses within 365 days of that injury or sickness. Not unreasonable, and does the job. 

If you've been the one who has to help your loved one recover from an injury that snapped their humerus bone just below the joint into a bunch of trail-mix sized pieces AND dealt with all the paperwork, payment, insurance and lawyer aspects of it - you gain a little too much perspective on what you expect of the insurance and what the fine print says. From Cruise #1 my folks literally said "you're fools if you don't get the insurance" but more lessons were to be learned.  Painfully.

Go cheap on insurance and it'll bite you.  Be an Allstate driver and get rear-ended by an Allstate driver.  Been there.
 

Edited February 26 by MichaelCMTX

[Mum2Mercury]

20 minutes ago, MichaelCMTX said:

Go cheap on insurance and it'll bite you.  

Thing is, it probably won't.  Why?  Because very few of us ever need to file a claim with our cruise insurance, BUT if you're the one who has an accident ... well, you know.  

[Iamthesea]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I use Trawick International for travel related issues and Geo Blue for medical and evacuation. 

 

Thank you.  We have the Trawick International, which I probably already mentioned, and it appears to have enough medical and evacuation for our International trip in May.  Safe Travels Voyager plan.  

 

We are looking into a MedJet year round policy for the future.  One drawback about Medjet that I found that will prevent us from getting it to help cover our next 3 cruises coming up in March and May is the following:

 

What are the exclusions for Medjet?

Medjet medical transport services are not available to a Member for any injury, illness or condition existing at the time of enrollment where inpatient medical care has previously been scheduled or recommended by a healthcare provider.

 

I am in the process of getting scheduled for surgical procedure when returning from the March trip.  

Edited February 26 by Iamthesea