Best place to buy trip insurance?

[bride93006]

I'm a little confused when thinking about trip insurance. I don't want to pay a lot for it, but I want to make sure I have good coverage during hurricane season.

Is it cheaper to go through RCI or another source? How much is trip insurance that covers hurricanes?

 

Thanks!

[denamo]

We usually get insurance for medical and cancellation concerns. We are both in excellent health, but if anything drastic were to happen, at least we'd be covered. Basically, the plans cover what your regular insurance won't. Also when we are booking a time period out, I always worry about not being able to get there due to some unforeseen circumstance. (My dad is not in great health, and we've had scares.)

 

I think if a cruise line completely cancels a trip due to weather, they will make good on it another time. If they change itinerary, well, they do it for safety reasons. We've watched a hurricane move around the week before we went on one cruise.

 

For the small extra that trip insurance costs and the peace of mind, we believe it to be a part of our trip expense. We've never had to use it and that is great!

 

Have fun on your cruise!

 

denamo

[emdia43]

I just bought mine from www.insuremytrip.com a site I saw recommended on this board. I usually buy direct from Travelex but this site does comparison shopping for you. I ended up buying Travelex coverage from them as it was cheaper for some reason.

I wouldn't arrange a vacation without it.

Friends recently went to Dubai- no travel insurance- husband got ill and spent several days in hospital there- wow- cash ONLY- and the stress involved all around!!

Not for me.....

[momofslg]

check out www.statravel.com they have very reasonable rates as you pay for how long your trip is. You do NOT have to be a student to purchase from them. thier coverage is comparable to many others. I have read many good things about them.

[Happy ks]

Never, ever buy from the cruiseline. The above mentioned choices are where you want to start, with www.insuremytrip a great place for comparison. I've checked the sta before, it was more expensive than what I've found elsewhere, but I'm sure that is not always the case.

 

Don't overbuy your insurance, either. You only need a basic policy to cover medical coverage/evacuation and the cost of the trip if you have to cancel at the last moment.

 

Be aware of pre-existing conditions. If you, or any in your travel party have a medical condition that can prevent you from travelling at the last moment, you need to buy coverage within a certain time frame of the booking.

[elleluv]

It is a bit overwhelming the first time you buy trip insurance. We just purchased insurance for the first time for our trip in October. The insurance is always a good idea, but since we are traveling during huricanne season, it was an absolute must as far as I was concerned.

 

The first thing I did was to figure out how much insurance coverage we needed. I totalled up the money we would be out if we ended up not being able to go at the last minute. Our car rentals and hotel rooms were completely cancellable reservations, so I didn't include them.

 

Then I went to www.insuremytrip.com and clicked the "quote" button in the upper left hand corner... you input your trip information, but are not asked any personal information at this point... It will bring up a list of policies available and their cost. Click the boxes of the ones that you are interested in looking at in more detail and then click the "compare" button at the bottom of the page. I had read good things on the CC boards about claims experiences that people had with both CSA and TravelEx, so I did pick several of those polcies to compare. I went through the coverage and read the explaination of benefits by clicking on each coverage amount. Then removed the policies whose coverage did not meet my criteria until there was only one left. We ended up buying the CSA comfort policy.

 

The premiums vary by a lot of different factors... time of year you are traveling, number of pax, age of pax, amount of coverage.... We ended up paying about $140 for coverage for my husband and I... Well worth it for the peace of mind. Like all insurance, hopefully we don't use it! ;)

[w770496]

I always use travelex lite and buy directly through them to save the $5 insuremytrip.com fee. Had a claim once and it was paid with no provlems.

[Sun Lover]

On the insurance are you paying for each passenger, even if it's kids, or are you just paying based on the total cost of the trip?

[Mark O]

looks like the star travel plan is per person, and it doesn't seem to offer pre-existing condition coverage, which many of the companies on insuremytrip.com and squaremouth.com offer, providing you purchase the insurance within a certain number of days of paying your initial deposit for the cruise/trip.

[emdia43]

I bought Travelex thru insuremytrip and under 16's are covered free with the policy purchaser. I bought the Travel Plus -for 3 of us it cost $155.00 which was cheaper than I paid last year booking direct with Travelex.

I always buy the 'plus'- for peace of mind- the last thing I want to be told if in a crisis situation is "Sorry that's not covered with your policy"....

If you make the purchase within 21 days of putting down your deposit the pre-existing clause is waived. If not there is a 6month pre-existing limit.

Thank goodness I have never claimed:)

[dannyt818]

If you make the purchase within 21 days of putting down your deposit the pre-existing clause is waived. If not there is a 6month pre-existing limit.

Thank goodness I have never claimed:)

 

I am thinking about buying insurance from travelex and I am confused about this pre-existing stuff? Can someone explain .. it has been well over 21 days since my down payment.

 

This is my second cruise incoming up. My first cruise I didn't buy any insurance and was fine but I also didn't know much about cruising at all. Now I ahve been doing more research and the more read the more I think I should have it. Also, I already paid in full my cruise for August can I still buy insurance from RCCL?? THANKS!

[Ella2]

If you want a policy that covers pre-existing medical conditions and you have not yet made final payment, try csatravelprotection.com and their COMFORT PLAN. That covers pre-existing conditions as long as you buy the policy within 24 hours of FINAL PAYMENT. That is different from most policies.

 

A pre-existing condition as defined by CSA (and remember, every policy is different) is "an illness, disease or other condition during the 180-day period immediately prior to your effective date for which you or your Traveling Companion or Family Member is scheduled or booked to travel with you:

 

1. received, or received a recommendation for a diagnostic test, examination or medical treatment; or,

 

2. took or received a prescription for drugs or medicine.

 

Item 2 of this definition does not apply to a condition which is treated or controlled soley through the taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled without any adjustment or changes in the required prescription throughout the 180-day period before coverage is effective under this Policy."

 

Hope that helps to explain at least this one plan for you. :)

[cruisecookie]

Do any of these policies offer you a "cancel for any reason" provision if you made your initial deposit a long time ago? RCCL's Cruisecare offers you a cruise credit of 75% of the cost of your cruise if you cancel for any reason other than the authorized reasons.

[Cuizer2]

For travel insurance try some of these links ...

 

http://www.quotewright.com/?refer_id=go_con_ti&gclid=CNGToau0noQCFTxMGAod6TkEhg

 

http://www.travelinsured.com/cruise.html

 

http://www.quotetravelinsurance.com/?linkid=googlecpc&gclid=CKP37Ly0noQCFQ8cGAod5nFyfQ

 

http://www.csatravelprotection.com/

 

http://insuremytrip.com/?linkid=13521

 

http://www.worldtravelcenter.com/

 

http://www.tripinsurancestore.com/

 

http://www.travelguard.com/

[Twaincruisers]

Never buy insurance directly from the cruiseline unless you are willing to bet your deposit that they will not go out of business or have other problems; also, other companys may give you more for less. insuremytrip.com is the best place to start because there you compare prices and coverage of many different companies. Don't choose a website that offers only one insurance company. And, no matter what, if you are "older" be prepared to pay a lot more! Maybe I should price my insurance separately since I am married to a sweet young thing...OK, Ok, she is not THAT young, but younger!

[CRUISEALLDAYLONG]

Does Rccl cover any pre-existing conditions to some degree?

[johnjen]

I noticed travelguard is barely mentioned here. This is what we have. Anyone ever have any problems with them?

[Tricia28]

Not supposed to say this as I am a travel agent.....but I use insuremytrip.com and usually buy a CSA policy. I was reimbursed by CSA when I was on the Conquest out of New Orleans when Katrina struck. They even reimbursed the cost of photocopying everything at Kinko's that was needed to file my claim. I was most impressed. That being said, my policy was almost twice as expensive when I just bought it for this years sailing in August. The payout last season have really bumped up the rates!

[SUZCRUZ]

I noticed travelguard is barely mentioned here. This is what we have. Anyone ever have any problems with them?

 

We bought the premiun policy for a cruise in Europe.

When we cancelled the cruise, we lost the $$ spent for the policy.

If we'd bought RCCL's insurance,I believe they would have refunded the $$.

[Aprille]

We bought the premiun policy for a cruise in Europe.

When we cancelled the cruise, we lost the $$ spent for the policy.

If we'd bought RCCL's insurance,I believe they would have refunded the $$.

I thought with Travelguard (and some others) you could transfer the policy to a future cruise. And I don't believe any insurance company will refund you the price of the policy.