Anyone had to use Insurance

[MadManOfBethesda]

For example, here's what happens if you have a $70,000 medical claim with a travel insurance plan that has $50,000 Primary coverage:

 

1) You submit the $70,000 medical claim to the travel insurance. It pays $50,000 (its maximum)

2) You submit the remaining $20,000 to your medical insurance plan. Let's say it has a $5,000 deductible with a 20% copay.

3) Of the remaining $20,000 your medical insurance plan will pay $12,000 and you will be liable for $8,000.

 

Secondary Medical Coverage means your medical bills are paid after any other coverage you have pays their share. This means that Secondary coverage will pay any deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses or co-pays up to its coverage limit.

 

That's an interesting scenario. If I'm reading your example correctly, it appears that one would be better off buying travel insurance that provides secondary coverage. For example, if my BCBS coverage is primary, they will pay first and then my travel insurance provider will pay the rest (up to their limit), including the deductible and co-payments I had to pay to BCBS. So I won't have to pay anything. However, if I select a travel insurance carrier whose coverage is primary, then I'll get stuck paying BCBS a significant amount of change if my medical expenses exceed the travel insurance policy's limit.

 

Very interesting.

[GB Chicago]

I work for BC. Please keep in mind if your travel insurance pays primary to the providers (hospitals and physicians, etc) do not have to apply the BC discount so the billed charges may be quite higher. I would check carefully and call your BC customer service number on the back of your ID card before you make a decision.

[MadManOfBethesda]

I work for BC. Please keep in mind if your travel insurance pays primary to the providers (hospitals and physicians, etc) do not have to apply the BC discount so the billed charges may be quite higher. I would check carefully and call your BC customer service number on the back of your ID card before you make a decision.

 

That appears to be EVEN MORE justification for picking a travel insurance provider whose coverage would be secondary rather than primary. In both your scenario and the one above, I would be much better off with BCBS paying first rather than second. This seems counterintuitive, lol.

[iamtrustworthy]

That's an interesting scenario. If I'm reading your example correctly, it appears that one would be better off buying travel insurance that provides secondary coverage. For example, if my BCBS coverage is primary, they will pay first and then my travel insurance provider will pay the rest (up to their limit), including the deductible and co-payments I had to pay to BCBS. So I won't have to pay anything. However, if I select a travel insurance carrier whose coverage is primary, then I'll get stuck paying BCBS a significant amount of change if my medical expenses exceed the travel insurance policy's limit.

 

Very interesting.

 

Hi MadManOfBethesda,

 

Unless a particular travel insurance plan with primary medical coverage has distinct benefits to a specific traveler, I'll recommend a secondary medical coverage as the first choice.

 

I used to sell group & individual medical insurance. I hope to never find myself in the position of explaining to an angry client why their travel insurance plan is forcing them to pay hundreds or thousands of extra dollars on their claim.

 

One of my pet peeves is the widespread myth that primary medical coverage travel insurance is better than a secondary plan. Sometimes it is, but often it's not.

[iamtrustworthy]

I work for BC. Please keep in mind if your travel insurance pays primary to the providers (hospitals and physicians, etc) do not have to apply the BC discount so the billed charges may be quite higher. I would check carefully and call your BC customer service number on the back of your ID card before you make a decision.

 

Hi GB Chicago,

 

Thank you for pointing out the lack of getting the BC discount so the billed charges may be quite higher!

 

This never dawned on me as the case, but it's seems pretty obvious now that you mentioned it. I'll be using this as another reason for getting secondary medical coverage in a travel / trip / cruise insurance.

[GB Chicago]

You're welcome Steve. So many people have given me advice it's nice to finally have something I can help with.

 

Gayle

[Candleshoe]

Thanks for the reply about printing. I'll have to locate and print now.

 

 

Also, what do ya'll mean by "BC"?:confused:

[MadManOfBethesda]

Also, what do ya'll mean by "BC"?:confused:

 

BC = Blue Cross

[stainedglasslady]

You may have already found my previous responses on this issue as we did have personal experience with using our travel insurance company last December when my husband had a heart attack on the Liberty, on our way to Grand Cayman. I could do a commercial! We used insuremytrip dot com, and went with TravelSafe. The ship infirmary pretty much saved his life (they were fabulous). He had to be taken by air ambulance (over $20,000) from GC to Miami, where he underwent surgery (stent). We had ship infirmary bill (including $3000 clot buster shot), Cayman Islands hospital bill, Miami hospital and doctors, and trip interruption for myself and our two college kiddies, which covered their transportation to Miami, our hotel, meals, transportation in Miami and back home, etc. Also got reimbursed for half the cruise that we missed. Total expenses over $110,000. The cost of insurance for the four of us $164 ($41 each). TravelSafe was great to deal with, paid very quickly, etc. The best investment we ever made.

 

I didn't get insurance because I fly standby a couple of days before our cruise and always make sure I have a couple of extra days on the way home also. My health insurance through my husbands job covers all medical expenses (even airlifting from another country). I figured if anything happened I would just be out the money for the trip and would take the gamble since it was less than $700. Now that I know I can get it so cheap I will purchase it for our next trip. Especially since our next trip will be with my husband and we will be paying for 2 people instead of 1. So thanks for the info.

[IDcruising]

Hello, Travel insurance is worth it. ALWAYS!! My insurance carrier at the time did cover out of the country medical insurance and emergency evacuation. I also paid for seperate travel insurance. We were on the Mariner of the Seas and at the time my 12 year old son broke his foot in 3 places. He needed a cast. We had one put on in St. Martin(Theywould only take cash or charge) very expensive. When I came home I filed with my insurance company and the travel insurance paid the rest. I was only out of pocket for a small dollar amount. Accidents happen, those who Say I don't need it I guess you won't mind a second mortgage on your home in case you need to be air lifted

off of a cruise ship could cost $50,000 to $100,000. Buy Insurance it is well worth it.

The cast by itself was over$5000 in St. Martin.

[XRAYDAVE]

I have always purchased insurance for all my cruises.

 

The only time I had to use it was in 2006 when I became ill two days before the cruise and ended up in the hospital in ICU for 5 days.

 

The insurance paid for the cruise and Carnival refunded the taxes and port charges. The only cost I was out was the price of the insurance. The amount I was refunded for that trip has a lot more than I had paid for all the cruise insurance for all my trips in the past.

 

I also got credit for the cruise from Carnival even though we were never on the ship.

 

I would not consider a cruise without it.

 

David

[sallyb]

I called my insurance company and asked what coverage I have if something happens out of the country. They were clueless. Maybe I should call back and speak to someone else.

[iamtrustworthy]

I called my insurance company and asked what coverage I have if something happens out of the country. They were clueless. Maybe I should call back and speak to someone else.

 

Hi sallyb,

 

Call back your insurance company and ask this: "If I get hit by a cement truck in the Caribbean (or another destination), how much will I have to pay out of pocket?"

 

As silly as this sounds, this will work to find out how much your insurance pays. The main reason it works is because insurance company customer service reps often talk to complaining and / or whining people who are sometimes rude, too.

 

I (& many others) have found that using a silly example like this brings some much-needed humor into the customer service rep's day. And, of course, anything you can do to brighten someone else's life is a good thing.

 

Plus, asking "If I get hit by a cement truck in the Caribbean (or another destination), how much will I have to pay out of pocket?" reveals exactly what your deductibles and copays are.

 

If you just ask, "Am I covered by my insurance in the Caribbean?" and they say "Yes", that tells you nothing of any value.

 

I hope this helps you.

[MadManOfBethesda]

I called my insurance company and asked what coverage I have if something happens out of the country. They were clueless. Maybe I should call back and speak to someone else.

 

I wouldn't rely on any verbal information you receive from a csr. What if the next person tells you you are covered, but they turn out to be clueless as well?

 

What you should do is call back and have them send you a copy of your plan's explanation of benefits brochure. Then you can determine for yourself exactly what coverage you have rather than relying on someone who may give you erroneous information.

[stainedglasslady]

Our trip is all paid for and the cruise leaves on Feb. 1. Can I still buy insurance?

[sallyb]

I'm going to their website to find the explanation of benefits.

[sallyb]

In reading through the explanation of benefits, etc., this is the only thing I could find. Does this mean I have out of plan coverage for an emergency and I should then purchase secondary insurance?

Sally

I am not covered if-

Confinement, treatment, services or supplies received outside the United States. This only applies if they are not the type

and nature of medical confinement, treatment, services or supplies available in the United States.

[CruiseHealing]

Back in 2005 we had to cancel a cruise the night before because our 14 yr old son came down with the flu and 104 temp. It was hard to admit that we had to cancel and the depression was long and hard.

 

Anyway, we called the cruise line to let them know we were not cruising that weekend and they helped us through the claim process. The insurance company was prompt in getting us the documents to file the claim. The most difficult part was getting the doctor to sign off on the form. He kept forgeting. My wife had finally had with him and one day camped out in his office until he signed it. This was the most frustrating part of the entire event.

 

They processed the claim quickly and got our money back in about 2-3 weeks. I told my wife to keep the money for a shopping spree. I wrote off the cruise and did not want to think about the good times missed. And besides she earned it with the hassel of getting the dr to signed the forms.

 

We made up the cruise about 10 months later and had great time. We will always get insurance. It is small expense that protects you.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

Also we do not have good credit nor do we have the funds to handle emergencies like you are all talking about -- 30000! yikes!... any experience or thoughts on what would happen should my husband or I suffer a medical emergency and not have the money to pay up front?

 

 

TIA,

Sherry

 

Good question - though I don't have an answer for you..

 

Anyone?

 

Tom

[jame_g]

Our trip is all paid for and the cruise leaves on Feb. 1. Can I still buy insurance?

 

Yes, you can. You just won't be eligible for many of the waivers/optional coverage. (Things like pre-existing conditions, cancellation for any reason, cancelling for work reasons, financial default, terrorism.)

 

Glad we got our coverage. My partner unexpectedly ended up in the hospital this week, 3 weeks before we cruise. It was serious and could have prevented us from travelling, and there is a small chance that it still could. But for now things have worked out well. I'm just glad I had the piece of mind that we got travel insurance and that we don't have to worry.

[iamtrustworthy]

I wouldn't rely on any verbal information you receive from a csr. What if the next person tells you you are covered, but they turn out to be clueless as well?

 

What you should do is call back and have them send you a copy of your plan's explanation of benefits brochure. Then you can determine for yourself exactly what coverage you have rather than relying on someone who may give you erroneous information.

 

Hi MadManOfBethesda,

 

That's a good point about seeing it in writing. From now on, we'll tell people to have a copy of their plan's explanation of benefits in front of them when the CSR is explaining what's covered.

[cruisinmeme]

after reading three pages of postings i have not seen one person that mentioned using the travel insurance sold by carnival. so has anyone had any experience with that? maybe i am just being lazy and taking it for granted we want need it and take what is offered.

[sallyb]

OK, so I will call my ins co and ask them to explain while I have this in front of me. I have always bought primary ins thru a carrier on insure my trip, but have never had to use it. I am most concerned about medevac or having to stay behind when the ship leaves.

[Donray]

In reading through the explanation of benefits, etc., this is the only thing I could find. Does this mean I have out of plan coverage for an emergency and I should then purchase secondary insurance?

Sally

I am not covered if-

Confinement, treatment, services or supplies received outside the United States. This only applies if they are not the type

and nature of medical confinement, treatment, services or supplies available in the United States.

 

Sounds like you not covered.

 

I hope evryone knows that Medicare does not cover outside of the USA.

[sallyb]

It would be so nice to get a straight answer. Why is it so difficult? Either you are covered out of plan in another country or not. Is it so unusual for people to travel outside the US? I understand if there is a larger copay, etc, that is why I would purchase travel insurance, but just trying to find out what you need is so hard for some reason.