Insurance

[lrwl2006]

Booked our 10 day Caribbean cruise this week. Just got insurance documents. The emergency evacuation maximum amount is $20,000. That doesn't seem like enough to me. Should I be concerned? This insurance is not through Princess but connected with a major travel agency.

[highheel girl]

Booked our 10 day Caribbean cruise this week. Just got insurance documents. The emergency evacuation maximum amount is $20,000. That doesn't seem like enough to me. Should I be concerned? This insurance is not through Princess but connected with a major travel agency.

 

Did you get Princess ins?

The standard or upgraded policy?

[eandj]

No that is not very much. Especially reading stories here re costs for med evac. That's why you need to pick the policy that gives you what you need and enough of it. Don't know the company you are with but you sometimes can add to limits. Or you can buy med evac insurance alone.

OR...you can just let it be and cross your fingers. Being in the Caribbean, if a major health evacuation is needed, they might end up taking you to Miami...cross your fingers.;) We like the option of choosing the "hospital of our choice" in a major emergency. But that costs. You just have to choose the option you are most comfortable with.

[paul929207]

Mine is for $100,000.

[Coral]

You may want to look into MedJet Assist.

 

Most travel insurance will only get you to the closest hospital. Once you are there - MedJet Assist will fly you to your home hospital. http://medjetassist.com/

[Pam in CA]

You may want to look into MedJet Assist.

 

Most travel insurance will only get you to the closest hospital. Once you are there - MedJet Assist will fly you to your home hospital. http://medjetassist.com/

I agree. $20,000 is not nearly enough. If you require medical transport, i.e., not able to fly commercially, it can cost $50,000-$100,000. As Coral says, most insurance policies will cover only to the nearest medical center which could be in another country or 3,000 miles away. Some will cover the cost of flying commercially. If you travel for work or pleasure, MedjetAssist is a great plan. We have (fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) had to use them and it couldn't have been a better experience at a time when we were upset and anxious.

[lrwl2006]

Our biggest concern is having to be medivaced from the ship. A poster on this forum says that is done by Coast Guard or something similiar so there is no charge for that. Is that true?

[sirwired]

Our biggest concern is having to be medivaced from the ship. A poster on this forum says that is done by Coast Guard or something similiar so there is no charge for that. Is that true?

 

Yes, that is true, if such services are available in that particular part of the world, the weather is good enough, and a helicopter evacuation is appropriate for your case. In practice, it simply doesn't happen much... the facilities on-board are pretty decent for stabilizing you, and if your condition is really fragile, they are certainly better than what's going to fit on board a helicopter.

 

It is free, but that's actually rather irrelevant. Medevac from land is far more common than medevac from the ship, and land evac is NEVER free, so you need the insurance regardless. If it does turn out to charge, you'll simply claim on the medevac insurance you already have...

[cruiseco]

You may want to look into MedJet Assist.

 

Most travel insurance will only get you to the closest hospital.

 

Actually, every major insurer that I'm aware will not only get you to the nearest adequate hospital but will also get you home on an air ambulance with a doctor and/or nurse in attendance.

 

The advantage with MedJet is that the decision as to when/where to transport you is yours. With the regular insurers that decision is made by the doctor on scene and the insurer's emergency services people.

 

For example, this is from Travelex:

 

"Covered Expenses:

 

expenses incurred by you for Physician-ordered emergency medical evacuation, including medically appropriate transportation and necessary medical care en route, to the nearest suitable Hospital, when you are critically ill or injured and no suitable local care is available, subject to the Program Medical Advisors prior approval;

expenses incurred for non-emergency medical evacuation, including medically appropriate transportation and medical care en route, to a Hospital or to your place of residence, when deemed medically necessary by the attending Physician, subject to the Program Medical Advisors prior approval;"

 

There are circumstances where having MefJet only will actually be the less good choice. Say for instance you break your leg on a shore excursion. You're taken to a local hospital, they set your leg and put you in a cast. Now you have to get home. The regular insurers will pay for that expense. MedJet won't because you did not need in-patient care where you broke your leg and will not need in-patient care at your destination.

[donaldsc]

Booked our 10 day Caribbean cruise this week. Just got insurance documents. The emergency evacuation maximum amount is $20,000. That doesn't seem like enough to me. Should I be concerned?

 

Definitely yes.

 

DON

[sail7seas]

 

 

<snip>

 

There are circumstances where having MefJet only will actually be the less good choice. Say for instance you break your leg on a shore excursion. You're taken to a local hospital, they set your leg and put you in a cast. Now you have to get home. The regular insurers will pay for that expense. MedJet won't because you did not need in-patient care where you broke your leg and will not need in-patient care at your destination.

 

 

I actually wondered about just this scenario and this week renewed our annual MedJetAssist policy with that being one of the reasons I want to continue that coverage in addition to the medical/evacuation policy I buy for each cruise.

 

Small investment for a lot of peace of mind. IMO

 

But that is what insurance is all about.

 

[Keith1010]

I would see if you can augment your plan to have the medical evacuation amount increased.

 

Keith

[The Mitchells]

In spite of the fact that my Husband's heart attack in 2005 gets further into the distant past, each year it becomes more difficult to find someone to insure us and if so at a prohibitive price. He is only 61! Does anyone know of a company who takes the time to evaluate individual cases rather than just tick boxes??? Soon the insurance will cost more than the cruise

[cruiseco]

In spite of the fact that my Husband's heart attack in 2005 gets further into the distant past, each year it becomes more difficult to find someone to insure us and if so at a prohibitive price. He is only 61! Does anyone know of a company who takes the time to evaluate individual cases rather than just tick boxes??? Soon the insurance will cost more than the cruise

 

iTravelinsured has plans available to residents of any country and they have the pre-existing condition coverage/waiver terms typical of the US travel insurance industry. If you (under age 70) buy your policy within a certain time frame after making the deposit on the trip and if you are medically able to travel as of that date they'll cover pre-existing conditions. Here's some wording from the plan info:

 

"Pre-Existing Condition:

 

1.Pre-Existing Conditions: With respect to the Emergency Medical/Dental Expense benefit and the Emergency Medical Evacuation/Repatriation benefit, We will not pay for medical expenses incurred as a result of a condition for which the Insured Person received medical treatment or advice, or took prescribed drugs or medicine, or for which treatment was recommended by a Physician, during the 60 days immediately preceding and including the Insured’s Effective Date, unless the condition is controlled through the taking of prescription drugs or medication and remains controlled throughout the 60 day period.

 

With respect to the Trip Cancellation / Interruption Benefit, We will not pay for loss or expense incurred by the Insured Person as a result of Injury or Illness of the Insured Person which manifests itself during the 60 days immediately preceding and including the Insured?s Effective Date, unless the condition is controlled through the taking of prescription drugs or medication and remains controlled throughout the 60 day period. An Illness or Injury has manifested itself when:

 

a) medical care or treatment has been given; or

b) there exists symptoms which would cause a reasonably prudent person to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; or

c) prescription medication has been altered or changed.

 

This Pre-Existing Condition exclusion is waived for all Insured Persons under the age of 70 if coverage is purchased within 14 days of the date of the Insured Persons initial deposit paid to the Travel Supplier for the trip"

 

Here's a summary of their most popular plan found on Squaremouth.com :

 

http://www.squaremouth.com/travel-insurance-providers/itravelinsured/picture-perfect-vacation/692

[Herfnerd]

Always look for emergency evac of no less than $50k - usually get $100K.

 

I also have MEDEX thru my work's employee benefits package. It says that in a medical emergency, MEDEX will arrange and pay for transportation to the nearest medical facility to treat illness/injury and when able to, arrange and pay for travel home.

 

Just like travel insurance, never had to use it and don't know of anyone that has used it but at least I have it......