Do you recommend RCI Insurance or other Travel Insurance

[ocay4me]

I would like to know if the majority of cruisers purchase cruise insurance and if so, do you use Royal Caribbean CruiseCare Insurance or travel insurance from some other company?

[mustangjoe]

We always purchase trip insurance and recently we have used RC. I plan any sort of trip without trip insurance. There too many things that can go wrong. I would rather be safe than sorry.

[SLCBoys]

I have purchased 1 time with RCI and found it very expensive. The last couple of cruises I used Travel Guard or Travel Select, both were quite a bit cheaper and had more coverage.

[Paul65]

I don't tend to use their insurance, because you can get good coverage from reputable insurance companies for considerably less. I've used different ones, but went with Travelex on my recent booking.

[SandyMc]

Because of health issues, we always purchase insurance and it is ususally the insurance offered by the cruise line. Two years ago we had to cancel an RCI cruise and found the process easy and stress free. We have again purchased insurance through RCI for our upcoming cruise on the Radiance.

[lablvr2]

Used RCi once. Since have used insuremytrip dot com. You can sift thru many policies - ones that suit you best. Why pay for rental car coverage if you never intend to rent one? etc. Do your homework and save some bucks better spent on the islands!

[birdylady]

We buy our insurance with CSA Travel Protection as that's what is affiliated with our TA. When priced it in comparison to RCCL's it seems much more affordable for more coverage. I figure there are to many variables not to invest the few dollars to protect us in a number of ways.

 

Erika

[oh2cruisemore]

Always Travel Select because I can cover cruise and air fare.

[IWORK2CRUISE]

This is an interesting question that we have recently pondered.

We have always taken the cruise insurance that is offered through the cruiselines. However, when we fly to a cruise we book our own air. That would not be included in the coverage and we have seen more travel difficulties recently.

We don't have a next cruise planned just yet but will try to do some homework on other inclusive options for the future.

[Soxfan04]

Is it really worth buying the insurance? I mean if your health insurance covers you medically, then all you are really insuring is if for some reason you can not make the trip they reinburse all or part of the cruise itself?

[steponboard]

Is it really worth buying the insurance? I mean if your health insurance covers you medically, then all you are really insuring is if for some reason you can not make the trip they reinburse all or part of the cruise itself?

BINGO! I do buy an annual insurance policy to cover a medical evacuation (mediJet and runs $300 annually for a family) because that can run 6 digits. The cost of regular insurance is higher then loosing a piece of luggage or a trip to the doctor which i find affodable.

[ValerieJo]

Is it really worth buying the insurance? I mean if your health insurance covers you medically, then all you are really insuring is if for some reason you can not make the trip they reinburse all or part of the cruise itself?

 

We are both fairly young and healthy, however I always get travel insurance. Luckily we've never had to use it, but just over $100 I feel much better having it. On our last cruise they had to medi-vac someone off the ship out in the ocean by helicopter. The person had appendicitis. I'm sure that it costs way more than I make in a year to medi-vac.

 

Also, we book our trips so far in advance, you can never tell what could happen by the time cruise time comes.

[megr1125]

I've used both...I have had to files claims twice with RCCLs cruisecare...both were paid very quickly...one was just last november for a cancellation....

 

i have used travelex and CSA...i filed a claim with CSA as mom had to visit the infirmary...it hasn't been paid yet but it's secondary insurance and i have to submit to her medicare and supplemental, but i am sure it will be fine.

 

i would never go anyplace without it. i look for one with a pre-existing condition waiver....there are specific timelines in which to buy it to have these covered...

 

do your research, read the policies carefully and know what YOU'RE comfortable with!

[megr1125]

many health plans do not cover out of the country..some do, some do not....

 

and trip insurance, in many cases, will cover illness of non traveling family members...thus if someone such as a parent or sibling were taken ill, or worse, you could be covered....again, you need to read the policies carefully.

 

there are many people who are normally healthy, then something happens, they need to cancel, are not covered and poof...thousands of dollars are thrown away over a couple hundred bucks of travel insurance

[Soxfan04]

many health plans do not cover out of the country..some do, some do not....

 

and trip insurance, in many cases, will cover illness of non traveling family members...thus if someone such as a parent or sibling were taken ill, or worse, you could be covered....again, you need to read the policies carefully.

 

there are many people who are normally healthy, then something happens, they need to cancel, are not covered and poof...thousands of dollars are thrown away over a couple hundred bucks of travel insurance

 

Fortunately my health insurance does cover me all over the world. Guess its good insurance. And maybe the fact I did not pay thousands of dollars for my cruise plays a role. Im not saying people should not get it. Just that how many times has someone actually used it. IMHO I think it is just like getting an extended warranty,of course the sellers want you to buy it so they can make money on selling it. How many times out of the thousands and thousands of people each year that cruise actually need to be med flighted off the ship? I would love to know that number because it could just change my mind.

[philnpen]

We always purchase travel/trip interupetion insurance through our TA. Had to use it this past Sept. when I developed blood clots in my leg after minor knee arthscopic surgery. Our TA helped with all the paperwork and submitted it for us. Entire amount for airfare and trip were quickly paid back. We have a great TA.

[PudgiPoo]

I was on the Voyager cruise last week. I saw this gentleman taken from the ship. He is okay now, but what if they had not had RC insurance. Would RC contact out side insurance company? Ever since we aged to the over 60 year mark I find RC insurance beats most others.

 

Copied from our Voyager Group Thread.

Posted by: Nancy2453

On: January 28th, 2010 04:58 PM

 

My husband got sick Thursday on the ship. We went to the ship's doctor and he wanted us to get another opinion. He put us in an ambulance in Jamaica and sent us to a hospital. BIG MISTAKE.... Hospital in Jamaica is not where you want to be. We were there for 3 days and finally the insurance co agreed to air ambulance him to Florida. Our car is in Galveston, our home is in Illinois, and we are in FL. Long Long story short, he had a bleeding ulcer and is now doing much better. Just a big word of caution, DO NOT let the ship doctor send you to a hospital in Jamaica. Stay on the ship until you reach the USA. Expiring on the ship would be safer. I will say we had the cruise insurance and they were great. RCL contacted the insurance co who in turn contacted us and did everything they could for us. BE SURE to take the insurance.

[SA Traveler]

We usually buy the RCI insurance because at our age it is cheaper than the others. It is based on the price of the cruise rather than age. It does cover personally booked air as well and pre-existing conditions as long as there has been no change in treatment , medication, etc. in the six months prior to the purchase date.

 

Unfortunately, we do have a pending claim because FIL who was going with us on the Voyager on 1/10 fell and broke his hip. This will be our first experience with a Cruise Care Claim. In the past for other non RCI trips we have had claims with both Travelguard and Access America and were happy with both. These days for cruises they are too expensive for us but I would recommend either of them.

[critterchick]

Is it really worth buying the insurance? I mean if your health insurance covers you medically, then all you are really insuring is if for some reason you can not make the trip they reinburse all or part of the cruise itself?

 

Fortunately my health insurance does cover me all over the world. Guess its good insurance. And maybe the fact I did not pay thousands of dollars for my cruise plays a role. Im not saying people should not get it. Just that how many times has someone actually used it. IMHO I think it is just like getting an extended warranty,of course the sellers want you to buy it so they can make money on selling it. How many times out of the thousands and thousands of people each year that cruise actually need to be med flighted off the ship? I would love to know that number because it could just change my mind.

 

I only purchase insurance for longer, more expensive cruises. We also have insurance that covers us worldwide, so we're mainly insuring against cancellation.

 

When we do purchase insurance we buy it through RCI (or whatever line we're on). Since we're mainly looking at cancellation, not medical, insurance, we want a "cancel for any reason" policy. Any time I've added it to the price of an independent policy, it ends up costing far more than the line's insurance would.

[Rancher Dave]

We usually buy the RCI insurance because at our age it is cheaper than the others. It is based on the price of the cruise rather than age. It does cover personally booked air as well and pre-existing conditions as long as there has been no change in treatment , medication, etc. in the six months prior to the purchase date.

 

Unfortunately, we do have a pending claim because FIL who was going with us on the Voyager on 1/10 fell and broke his hip. This will be our first experience with a Cruise Care Claim. In the past for other non RCI trips we have had claims with both Travelguard and Access America and were happy with both. These days for cruises they are too expensive for us but I would recommend either of them.

 

 

Hope your FIL has a speedy recovery.

 

On our next cruise we have mom and dad going along with DW and DD...should be a lot of fun. Dad may well hang out with me and skip the shows...I still hear about skipping most of the shows last April.

 

As for the insurance thread...it is key to know what coverage is needed/wanted and compare that to what RCCL or others say Travel Guard etc...offer and pick the policy that provides the coverage desired.

[xxoocruiser]

Insurance purchasesd through the Cruise Lines will NOT cover pre-exisiting conditions. Also has very limited medical evacution coverage , if any at all. Always best to purchase from another source to ensure all you needs are met. Following are links to sites that allow you to compare travel insurance from multiple sources :

http://www.insuremytrip.com/

http://www.squaremouth.com/

[Cruiser 1998]

I would like to know if the majority of cruisers purchase cruise insurance and if so, do you use Royal Caribbean CruiseCare Insurance or travel insurance from some other company?

 

HI:

 

I use Travel Guard. When we needed to use the insurance in 2005, they came through, and the price is good, too.

 

Sue

[Raven33]

We always get insurance. We use CSA. In 2008 we had to cancel a cruise because of illness. We got back every dollar except the insurance premium. No hassel or problem. Because of our ages we would not leave home for a cruise without the insurance.

[castle701]

If you have children - Travelex offers free insurance for them if they are under 18. I just did this for our upcoming cruise.. I used them before a couple of years back also when my son got sick on board and we had a $750 infirmary bill - when we got back I submitted the forms and was reimbursed within 2 weeks.

[SA Traveler]

Insurance purchasesd through the Cruise Lines will NOT cover pre-exisiting conditions. Also has very limited medical evacution coverage , if any at all. Always best to purchase from another source to ensure all you needs are met. Following are links to sites that allow you to compare travel insurance from multiple sources :

http://www.insuremytrip.com/

http://www.squaremouth.com/

 

RCI's Cruise Care does cover pre-existing conditions that are treated solely with medication and there has been no change in the medication in the 60 day period before the policy became effective. There is a $25,000 emergency evacuation benefit and a $25,000 repatriation benefit and neither of those is subject to the pre-existing exclusion.

 

From the website:

 

In Parts A & B [ except Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation) we will not pay for any loss

caused by or incurred resulting from a Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion as defined below.

“Pre-Existing Condition” means an illness, disease, or other condition during the 60-day period

immediately prior to your effective date for which you or your Traveling Companion, Business Partner or

Immediate Family Member who 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 solely through the

taking of prescription drugs or medicine and remains treated or controlled without any adjustment or

change in the required prescription throughout the 60-day period before coverage is effective under this

Policy.

 

Dave - FIL is doing remarkably well. We never thought he would make it through the surgery for his broken hip. Unfortunately he did have a mild heart attack after surgery and his meds have changed so in the event he does recover enough to go on another cruise before the Voyager leaves Galveston we may be looking for insurance to cover his pre-existing heart condition other than Cruise Care if he has additional changes to his meds. At 90 years old it is hard to beat that $29 premium.