Travel insurance

[Cruising Jake]

I usually don't buy it, but am considering it for my November cruise. I would like some help. What kind do you usually buy? Do you buy it through your travel agent, cruise line or online?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Access America - we have been pleased with them.

Had to submit a claim 1 couple of years ago when DH's mother died 7 days before a cruise.

Also friends of ours were in Singapore on a 72 day cruise when she was hospitalized with pneumonia for a couple of weeks. They were also pleased with the way everything was handled.

[FlorenceItaly]

CJ - I encourage you to purchase it. For my cruise last week on the Veendam, I did NOT purchase it...(trying to cut expenses, since cruising so much)...and lo and behold, I had to see the doctor for a condition(not contagious) and be prescribed antibiotics. I will NOT cruise again without insurance. Lucky for me, it was not an expensive lesson learned.

 

Marie

[sail7seas]

We do not buy travel insurance because:

 

1) Our regular health insurance covers us out of our regular service area ....anywhere both domestic and internationally.

 

2) We have AmEx Platinum which includes emergency medical evacuation coverage.

 

3) We are willing to self insure for the price of the cruise if we need to cancel for some reason.

 

4) Most usually our air tickets are fully refundable.

[Cruising Jake]

I have Amex Platinum. I did not realize it covered anything.

[elmorejj]

We always purchase Insurance since my husband has a lot of ailments (thank you Viet Nam!!) We buy Berkely through AAA. I have three medical insurances but none of them offer coverage outside of the country. We were in San Juan once, a night prior to a cruise and my sister died in the UK. I had to get back to the mainland and then to England. The cruise line and airline and hotel were wonderful in getting me out of there and I was fully re imbursed for everything. On another occasion, our flight was cancelled and therefor couldn`t use our pre night hotel stay and again was fully reinbursed.

I would never sail without some kind of insurance....jean :cool:

[sail7seas]

I have Amex Platinum. I did not realize it covered anything.

 

You may wish to look into it. AmEx Platinum's Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage is a wonderful benefit. If we did not have that coverage as a benefit of membership, we definitely would write other travel insurance just to have that coverage. That could run into many tens of thousands of dollars if one of us needs to be taken off a ship while at sea or repatriated from who knows where.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sail7seas

We have the Am Ex Plat card - have a question.

Our health care insurance covers nothing if we leave our area - nothing.

Does the Am Ex cover visits to the ship's doctor?

Does it cover visits to, say, for example, San Diego, Ft Lauderdale?

[mhshapiro]

For most people travel insurance is an excellent idea. Particularly if your health insurance does not cover you outside the US, and you don't have something like AmEx Platinum (expensive) that covers emergency evacuation if necessary for health reasons (this can cost upwards of $50, 000 in some more remote locations).

 

Note that Medicare by itself does not cover health expenses outside the U.S. although a supplement to Medicare policy may cover you.

 

We always buy the insurance, and we had to use it once when I had an illness just days before a scheduled cruise.

 

Access America or TravelGuard are good choices. If you have preexisting conditions, make sure that you choose the option that covers them.

[Orcrone]

Cruising Jake,

 

Check http://www.insuremytrip.com. It will give you a comparison of coverages from many different companies.

[dakrewser]

2) We have AmEx Platinum which includes emergency medical evacuation coverage.

You've mentioned this before and I keep meaning to ask about it, so this time I will.

 

I tend to throw away the monthly invitation to sign up for the platinum card, but after seeing you state this some time ago, I checked the benefits in the letter as well as on the platinum web site and while they mention AD&D coverage, baggage coverage and rental car coverage there's no mention of med evac coverage. Could you, briefly, outline what they cover, under which circumstances and what the limits are? Thanks,

 

-dave

[imsulin]

4) Most usually our air tickets are fully refundable.

 

Sail7Seas - what kind of air tickets do you get that are "most usually fully refundable"?? I'd be really interested to know!! Thanks.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sail7seas

Several of us have had questions the last few hours.

Please answer.

[dakrewser]

Sail7seas

 

Several of us have had questions the last few hours.

 

Please answer.

Sail's last post was that she was on the way out of the house, so it may be tomorrow before she gets back. I think we should allow her to have a "real life", don't you? :)

 

-dave

[dakrewser]

4) Most usually our air tickets are fully refundable.

Sail7Seas - what kind of air tickets do you get that are "most usually fully refundable"?? I'd be really interested to know!! Thanks.

First class/Business class/Full Fare?

 

-dave

[sail7seas]

Sail7Seas - what kind of air tickets do you get that are "most usually fully refundable"?? I'd be really interested to know!! Thanks.

First class/Business class/Full Fare?

 

-dave

 

 

 

Yes, First Class Tickets.

[sail7seas]

I do not have an Am Ex Platinum 'handbook' at the moment that I can reference for exact verbage.

 

But.....We have verified on no fewer than three occasions that, were one of us to become seriously ill, would Am Ex provide air evacuation and cover the cost of same. The answer is YES....If you notify them of the emergency, they arrange whatever is necessary including sending along nurse and/or doctors as needed.

 

I then verified it with a GRM on HAL ship. My question was: "When you have to deal with a pax being airlifted from the ship and they have insurance coverage, which is the one you are happiest to hear they wrote with?" The response was: "I am happiest to know they have Am Ex Platinumn coverage as we have never had any problem with them when we needed to have someone lifted from the ship."

 

 

As to whether they pay plain, ordinary medical bills incurred while you are traveling, I am not absolutely positive but I am almost sure the answser is No.

If you were to have an accident and need to see the ship's doctor, I do not think AmEx would cover that.

 

We have never had an occasion to seek medical treatment while traveling (very most thankfully) anything more extensive than needing a refill for a sinus infection med. My DH was finishing up one course of the med he usually took when we boarded a ship and he knew he needed another course prescribed for him. We went to the ship's doctor who took care of him. We simply paid that bill and never sought reimbursement from anywhere.

[dakrewser]

I do not have an Am Ex Platinum 'handbook' at the moment that I can reference for exact verbage.

I emailed Amex and just got their reply:

 

"Medical Evacuation—If an accident should happen, the Premium Global Assist medical department will assess the need for transportation to the nearest appropriate medical facility that will provide a suitable quality of care, and coordinate the transport. American Express will pay for the cost of the transport to the nearest medical facility."

 

It's only available to Platinum and Centurion card holders. I just filled out the acceptance form. :)

[sail7seas]

Sorry.....meant to add:

 

As to limits of coverage for evacuation, I do not believe they set a fixed sum limit. I believe that they, in concert with medical staff wherever you are receiving emergency treatment, coordinate what is necessary to get you to a facility capable of treating you properly or home....

 

 

 

BTW.....Dave......

 

Thank you for noticing I commented I was on my way out. DH and I went for a wonderful steamed lobster dinner. It was great!!!! :) A wonderful Maine hardshell lobster sure beats those previously frozen South African tails they serve on the ships.

 

 

 

 

 

[sail7seas]

I emailed Amex and just got their reply:

 

"Medical Evacuation—If an accident should happen, the Premium Global Assist medical department will assess the need for transportation to the nearest appropriate medical facility that will provide a suitable quality of care, and coordinate the transport. American Express will pay for the cost of the transport to the nearest medical facility."

 

It's only available to Platinum and Centurion card holders. I just filled out the acceptance form. :)

 

Thanks,Dave. But, what concerns me in that verbage is 'accident'. I specifically inquired from them as to 'illness or injury' and was informed either is covered. I think I may need to request an updated Member's Handbook from them.

 

 

When I was researching this topic with Am Ex, I asked what if either of us had a heart attack while traveling and they assured me we would be airlifted as necessary. That in conjunction with the 'practical application' that GRM could share with me made me feel very comfortable about this coverage.

[gizmo]

I emailed Amex and just got their reply:

 

It's only available to Platinum and Centurion card holders. I just filled out the acceptance form. :)

We purchase the insurance policy from Amex. It is a yearly policy. :)

[sail7seas]

Does it cover medical expenses?

 

Trip cancellation?

Trip interruption?

 

Bankruptcy of providers?

 

What is the name of the policy?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the information.

Would love to know about that Amex policy that gizmo mentioned and what all it covers.

[FlorenceItaly]

Thanks for the information.

Would love to know about that Amex policy that gizmo mentioned and what all it covers.

 

I would too. We do have an Amex Platinum, but from what I gather on this board, there are two types of Platinum's..is that correct...I believe our annual fee is over $100, exact amount escapes me, but they send us a companion ticket yearly to compensate for the fee.

 

Marie

[elmorejj]

Marie, that sounds like the Delta Skymiles Platinum AMEX card. Its the regular platinum that costs $300 or more a year that gives the travel bennies....jean :cool: