Wondering if you need travel insurance? The answer is yes because....

[dafuser]

Here's a horror story about a Carnival guest that had a medical emergency in Grand Cayman and ended up with $200,000.00 bill between the hospital fees and the cost of a air ambulance back to the US.

 

http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2010/05/26/Holiday-hell-for-tourist/

[KruznKel]

Here's a horror story about a Carnival guest that had a medical emergency in Grand Cayman and ended up with $200,000.00 bill between the hospital fees and the cost of a air ambulance back to the US.

 

http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2010/05/26/Holiday-hell-for-tourist/

 

Sorry for their suffering.. but as they mentioned they were sorry they didn't take out insurance.. for the low cost of insuring yourself.. it is their own fault.. and hopefully those that read this story realize NOBODY is IMMUNE to an emergency away from home..

[dommer573]

ouch, sounds like you terrible time. Glad you pulled through.

[ThatMan]

You make it sound worse than it actually is. $12,000 is what is owed to the Cayman hospital and $10,000 for the air ambulance. The rest is covered by the couple's insurance. Some insurance companies cover the cost of overseas treatment, you just have to pay first and wait to be reimbursed.

[djmaine]

That is just terrible for that couple. I wonder if with travel insurance they accept it or you have to pay cash then get reimbursed?

[Aknot]

Is that total?

[cruisinmeme]

You make it sound worse than it actually is. $12,000 is what is owed to the Cayman hospital and $10,000 for the air ambulance. The rest is covered by the couple's insurance. Some insurance companies cover the cost of overseas treatment, you just have to pay first and wait to be reimbursed.

 

in the world i live in 22,000 is ACTUALLY alot of money. to add to that my insurance only pays 80%, also an out of network clause (paying at 50% only) to me it is all adding up to big bucks.

people do need to wake up and pay the insurance. thinking nothing of running up a liquor bill and other needless crap and don't spend money on insurance. our upcoming cruise the cost of really good insurance is 216.00 if i can't afford that i need to stay home.

[nysingle]

in the world i live in 22,000 is ACTUALLY alot of money. to add to that my insurance only pays 80%, also an out of network clause (paying at 50% only) to me it is all adding up to big bucks.

people do need to wake up and pay the insurance. thinking nothing of running up a liquor bill and other needless crap and don't spend money on insurance. our upcoming cruise the cost of really good insurance is 216.00 if i can't afford that i need to stay home.

 

 

Who did you take out your insurance with? And, is it too late if you have already booked your cruise and will be leaving within 3 weeks? I want to add it now after reading all the insurance post!!

[Shewuf]

Thank you all for your input. My cruise is 75 days away, and I just went online to Carnival and purchased their plan. I feel better, now that I've done it.

[seashinesunshine]

Who did you take out your insurance with? And, is it too late if you have already booked your cruise and will be leaving within 3 weeks? I want to add it now after reading all the insurance post!!

 

insuremytrip.com is where I got my insurance, 150$ can't remember the specific company, but they have many options, I think you can buy up til a few days before you go, but there may be restriction about canceling if you buy it so soon before you leave, would cover the medical issues though. :cool:

[PlayTheAces]

The medical / medical evacuation is the main reason I always take out insurance. The rest of the coverage I consider a bonus. I've been told that if you ever need it, medical evacuation can hit $100,000.

 

We were on a cruise years back when a gentleman suffered a heart attack. He was transferred to a hospital in Mexico and left there with his wife and luggage. If you have insurance, in a case like that you can call the 24 hour emergency number and receive immediate help. Otherwise you're on your own.

 

As it was, the poor guy we left in Mexico didn't have insurance. I really felt bad for them, and I always wondered how they made out.

[bonnie&clydecruzers]

Wow just goes to show you, you never know when something bad will happen. But whats up with the Cayman hospital not finding the stone?:confused: Sounds like it was a whole lot worse than what it should have been. I feel sorry for them. Now I am off to buy myself trip insurance...

[jtm22372]

we don't take additional insurance as our health ins. covers us anywhere in the world and covers medivacs .

[Raven Days]

I would call and verify that. I work in the health insurance industry and I can tell you that its a very RARE case for US health insurance to cover OUTSIDE the US. I have Tricare and I am not covered outside the US unless I am near a MTF. Heck some HMO's dont even cover you outside your own state and PPO's are subject to their networks.

 

And I also wanted to add that even if you are lucky enough to have global health insurance, most if not all foreign countries will not accept it and will expect payment up front or prior to be discharged as in the case of the news story. In most cases you will pay up front and can submit for reimbursement with your own health insurance company.

[UpstateCruizer]

You make it sound worse than it actually is. $12,000 is what is owed to the Cayman hospital and $10,000 for the air ambulance. The rest is covered by the couple's insurance. Some insurance companies cover the cost of overseas treatment, you just have to pay first and wait to be reimbursed.

 

For many people there is very little difference between $22,000 and $200,000. If you don't have that kind of money sitting in a bank it might as well be $200,000.

 

It's a rediculous for anyone to rely on their own medical insurance to cover anything that may happen while cruising. The OP posted this as a reminder/educational tool for those who may not realize the impact traveling without insurance may result in. I'm not sure why you would challenge them on this. If you want to take the financial risk then that's your choice but please don't make it sound like this incident in merely an inconvience financially for those without travel insurance.

[goofytoo]

Yes insurance is a good thing to have. But if you want to buy insurance you may want to look somewhere else than Carnival. I bought insurance for 3 people for B2B 7 day cruises and 3 days at Disney World for $111.00. Way cheaper than what Carnival charges.

 

I mainly wanted the emergency evacuation coverage, the extra stuff is just a bonus:)

[UpstateCruizer]

Yes insurance is a good thing to have. But if you want to buy insurance you may want to look somewhere else than Carnival. I bought insurance for 3 people for B2B 7 day cruises and 3 days at Disney World for $111.00. Way cheaper than what Carnival charges.

 

I mainly wanted the emergency evacuation coverage, the extra stuff is just a bonus:)

 

I totally agree~! I buy my own insurance through Insure My Trip which allows me to select the coverages that I feel are important to me. It can be overwhelming the first time when trying to select a company but after the initial purchase it's a breeze.

[cruz.n.carebear]

Thank you for the "insure my trip" suggestion. I just got insurance for all 4 of us for $67.

 

I never sailed with cruise insurance before, but on my last cruise one of my girlfriends fell ill on the very last day and by the time we got home, she had to go to the ER with horrible back pain. Turned out to be gall stones. The thought that if it would have happened two days prior, she would have been SOL because of no insurance scared me straight!

[Ken076]

Who did you take out your insurance with? And, is it too late if you have already booked your cruise and will be leaving within 3 weeks? I want to add it now after reading all the insurance post!!

 

You can generally buy Carnival's Berkely Policy up to 14 days before sailing; you can buy the (usually better & less expensive) 3rd Party Policies almost up to the last minute (you're too late to be able to get the "Waiver of Pre-Existing Conditions".

 

If you're not into Research, checkout CSA Comfort and CSA Freestyle, and TravelInsured Trip Protector and AIG TravelGuard Premier Protect.

ken

[Ken076]

I would call and verify that. I work in the health insurance industry and I can tell you that its a very RARE case for US health insurance to cover OUTSIDE the US. I have Tricare and I am not covered outside the US unless I am near a MTF. Heck some HMO's dont even cover you outside your own state and PPO's are subject to their networks.

 

And I also wanted to add that even if you are lucky enough to have global health insurance, most if not all foreign countries will not accept it and will expect payment up front or prior to be discharged as in the case of the news story. In most cases you will pay up front and can submit for reimbursement with your own health insurance company.

 

Surprisingly, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employees Plan plan includes decent out-of-country coverage including a Network of Providers.

 

The 3rd party CSA Policies similarly include a Network of Providers and the Policy includes an up-front Hospital Guarantee for admission.

 

It IS important to check your Policy for Out-Of-Country coverage: one recent poster boasted that her Company Policy included unlimited benefit for Medical anywhere in the world (not likely) - when we checked the Policy, this was merely a referrral service that refers you to a local provider at which point you're on your own for payment.

 

ken

[dan40]

Cruise insurance is the same as any other insurance. We all hate paying it unless something happens and it saves us a ton of money. If nothing happens, we forget about it until the next cruise.

NOT buying cruise insurance is a $100 or $200 bet, saved, against a potential loss of many thousands. Not a smart bet.

[Sargent_Schultz]

If all you are looking for is medical insurance there is no need to buy more expensive trip insurance which can include extra coverage for things you don't care about.

 

I don't fool with trip insurance.

 

My regular group medical covers me worldwide and I have a backup annual medical that covers me whenever more than 150 miles from home, also worldwide. The backup plan is about $120 per year.

 

Many policies will have preexisting condition clauses and it is common for policies to exclude anything that occurs while under the influence of alcohol or other substances.

 

Medicare covers nothing outside of the country.

[deborahjo]

That is just terrible for that couple. I wonder if with travel insurance they accept it or you have to pay cash then get reimbursed?

 

I found an Access Travel Plan that paid the medical expeness up front. A little more expensive but well worth it if you ask me.

[airhead22]

If all you are looking for is medical insurance there is no need to buy more expensive trip insurance which can include extra coverage for things you don't care about.

 

I don't fool with trip insurance.

 

My regular group medical covers me worldwide and I have a backup annual medical that covers me whenever more than 150 miles from home, also worldwide. The backup plan is about $120 per year.

 

Many policies will have preexisting condition clauses and it is common for policies to exclude anything that occurs while under the influence of alcohol or other substances.

 

Medicare covers nothing outside of the country.

 

 

Does it cover evac???????

[Sargent_Schultz]

Does it cover evac???????

 

Annual policy does up to $100k.

 

Similar policy is available here:

https://www.globaltravelshield.com/rootGTS/GTS1001.jsp