Cdn. buying U.S. travel insurance?

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Don't you just love that TD Travel Visa card, I did not bother with cancellation insurance as I booked my last cruise a few weeks in advance and get 14 days medical insurance with the card, also had enough points to cover airfare to Ft. Lauderdale and back home again. :)

Also to get extra days for travel insurance is pretty cheap also

And Expedia has some good group rates , got a transatlantic with a drink package for less then listed on anyone's website

[pxy cda]

We have a CIBC adventura card. It covers interruption and cancellation. The interruption is important - a co-worker was stranded in paris with the ash cloud from the volcano a couple years ago. She was fully covered for 3 extra days in hotel, upgrade to 1st class for flight home.

 

Look into travel cc if you don't need the health insurance (Im well covered from work for that)

[Milhouse]

Had to throw my two bits on a few tangents this thread has gone in...

Just to summarize my thoughts, note the different types of travel insurance, understand what coverage you currently have, assess your situation, assess your risk tolerance to potential scenarios, and then work out the math & convenience factor.

 

--

 

<snip>I wonder what cost would for medical evacuation , one time we were a day out of Madeira, heading to FLL, a person had a heart attack , they had turn the ship around and head back for 3 hours just to meet a helicopter .

 

Paying for a ship travel for 6 hours would not be cheap

 

Not exactly the scenario you mention but here are a couple of emergency medvac quotes that I came across recently reading about some very unfortunate situations in the local paper. Both essentially took a tumble, had a head injury, and did not have travel health insurance.

Jyoti Tronson is a BC resident that had a head injury accident in Japan. His family received an initial quote of $188k [that is a fricken insane figure!] for a medical flight back to BC. Instead, they're now looking at flying him back to BC in first class accompanied by a doctor. Rough cost $10k.

Anna Leibenko, a former Toronto Argonauts cheerleader, hit her head falling off a catamaran in Croatia. Head/brain injury, coma, etc. It cost her friends/family $90k to fly her home.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

When I was looking for coverage with TD insurance , I ask about flights home and if you had to air lifted from a ship , they said it would be covered

[bunnyrab]

Thanks to everyone for your help. I am still studying this. Will let you know when I have picked a plan. Always busy in A.M. and 3 p.m. comes to fast. 3 is 5 p.m. in east. This week for sure. I know there is a time limit for the best coverage. Heather.

[jaspercat]

Insurance isn't for everyone - people don't have apartment insurance 'cause they think they don't need it. You might not have set the fire but your unit is toast -- even bigger if you did, accident or not. With things happening (Brilliance or Grandeur) I'd rather spend the money.

 

I also suggest looking into Cdn insurance/banks. I have no affiliate to them but always buy RBC Travel Insurance and buy an annual package. You can travel all year with a bit of peace of mind. Not just a "one-trip" policy.

[bunnyrab]

There is a lot of information in this thread

 

Canadian Medical Insurance discussion

 

Personally I use travel safe. Underwritten in Canada. Covers pre-existing if purchased within two weeks of booking cruise. Has $ 1 million coverage. Much better than the $10,000 supplied by the cruise line.

TravelSafe

 

TravelSafe is a great plan. HOWEVER it only has $100,000. emergency medical and not $1 million for pre-existing conditions. Maybe its changed? $1 million is for emergency medical evacuation.

 

I am 69. I have common problems. High cholesterol, high blood pressure sometimes etc. but I worry that insurance co's. could say that's what caused whatever. They are good at getting out of paying.

 

Since we are going to Europe and 1 Euro costs about $1.45 Cdn. it has to be $1 million minimum.

[dmk]

With TD visa, if you keep $5000 in TD account you get their best card free

And get travel points

 

I also have this card. The only thing that it is missing is cancellation insurance. They have trip interruption but if you find that you have to cancel your trip due to illness then your out of luck.

[LiftLockCouple]

TravelSafe is a great plan. HOWEVER it only has $100,000. emergency medical and not $1 million for pre-existing conditions. Maybe its changed? $1 million is for emergency medical evacuation.

 

I am 69. I have common problems. High cholesterol, high blood pressure sometimes etc. but I worry that insurance co's. could say that's what caused whatever. They are good at getting out of paying.

 

Since we are going to Europe and 1 Euro costs about $1.45 Cdn. it has to be $1 million minimum.

 

I think you are looking at the American plan. There should be a choice " for Canadians". Then the numbers change. I haven't looked at the site recently so i could be wrong, but those numbers sound like the plan for Americans.

[maryann2]

I agree you need to check the coverage for Canadians. It says you must have valid hospital and medical insurance under a Government Health Insurance Plan of a province or territory of Canada to get the accident and sickness medical Expense of $1,000,000.

 

If you do a quote on line it will switch over to the benefits for Canadians.

[Milhouse]

I also have this card. The only thing that it is missing is cancellation insurance. They have trip interruption but if you find that you have to cancel your trip due to illness then your out of luck.

 

Which card are you referring to?

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card which is an option for the Select Chequing Account/Package seems to have Trip Cancellation.

• Earn 3 TD Points for every $1 you spend on purchases1
  
• Earn triple (9) TD Points for travel purchases made online with your TD First Class Travel Card through Expedia For TD5
  
• Includes 15 days (4 days if age 65 or greater) of Travel Medical Insurance2 , Trip Cancellation3,4 and Trip Interruption Insurance3,4
  

 

We just opened a Select Chequing account yesterday (had to consolidate our accounts and love their hours) and had been researching what you get with it. And will likely dump our CIBC Aventura card if TD replaces CIBC as Aeroplan's financial partner.

[dmk]

Which card are you referring to?

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card which is an option for the Select Chequing Account/Package seems to have Trip Cancellation.

• Earn 3 TD Points for every $1 you spend on purchases1
  
• Earn triple (9) TD Points for travel purchases made online with your TD First Class Travel Card through Expedia For TD5
  
• Includes 15 days (4 days if age 65 or greater) of Travel Medical Insurance2 , Trip Cancellation3,4 and Trip Interruption Insurance3,4
  

 

We just opened a Select Chequing account yesterday (had to consolidate our accounts and love their hours) and had been researching what you get with it. And will likely dump our CIBC Aventura card if TD replaces CIBC as Aeroplan's financial partner.

 

Thanks for straightening me out. I hadn't realized that it had full coverage for trip cancellation.

 

Is there any news that TD will hook up with Aeroplan. That would be ideal for me.

[Milhouse]

In a nutshell, CIBC's partnership ends with Aeroplan this year. TD made an attractive bid for the business. CIBC has the right of first refusal so they essentially have to make a decison whether or not to match TD's offer by early August.

 

http://business.financialpost.com/2013/06/27/td-makes-grab-for-cibcs-aeroplan-business-as-retail-banking-competition-heats-up/

[dmk]

In a nutshell, CIBC's partnership ends with Aeroplan this year. TD made an attractive bid for the business. CIBC has the right of first refusal so they essentially have to make a decison whether or not to match TD's offer by early August.

 

http://business.financialpost.com/2013/06/27/td-makes-grab-for-cibcs-aeroplan-business-as-retail-banking-competition-heats-up/

 

Thanks for the info. Right now I have a CIBC visa and the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card . I would love to give up my CIBC visa and just have the TD card because the TD card is not costing me anything.

[bunnyrab]

Maryann2 and Lift Lock Couple. Do you book medical etc. travel insurance on line yourself or call somewhere for Travel Safe. When I call the Cdn. # they tell me to call M H Ross or Trip Mate. So I called the American #. She said she could do it for me but it wouldn't work because the trip has to be less than 15 months away. Today is July ll, 2013. We are leaving Oct. 11, 2014. Looks like 15 mths. to me. She even tried different dates and it wouldn't work. She told me to call back next Tuesday and she would try again. Tuesday is 21 days which is when you have to purchase to get no pre-existing conditions coverage. :confused::confused::confused: I am getting blocked at every turn.

[maryann2]

Maryann2 and Lift Lock Couple. Do you book medical etc. travel insurance on line yourself or call somewhere for Travel Safe. When I call the Cdn. # they tell me to call M H Ross or Trip Mate. So I called the American #. She said she could do it for me but it wouldn't work because the trip has to be less than 15 months away. Today is July ll, 2013. We are leaving Oct. 11, 2014. Looks like 15 mths. to me. She even tried different dates and it wouldn't work. She told me to call back next Tuesday and she would try again. Tuesday is 21 days which is when you have to purchase to get no pre-existing conditions coverage. :confused::confused::confused: I am getting blocked at every turn.

I'm sorry. I don't have any Celebrity cruises booked so don't check this every day.

 

I always book insurance on line through the travelsafe site. When you put in your country it goes to a different area.

Having said that I have not used the site recently as many of my cruises are booked way ahead, often 18 months or so. Have even changed dates of travel and they have changed dates on the policy by emailing them.

[bunnyrab]

Well I was going to go with Travel Safe Medical etc. travel insurance because of the no pre-existing conditions coverage. You have to buy it within 21 days of putting a down payment on travel. Canadians can only buy insurance 15 months before the trip with them anyway. Even though I had 5 days to the good it wouldn't let me buy it. When I phoned they said it was too many days even though they advertise months. Not ment to be I guess. So I still have no insurance. Changed my cholesterol pill in June so have to wait 90 days before doing anything.

 

Thanks again to everyone for your help. Heather.

[Christine Frances]

We use Johnson (Medoc) annual plan http://www1.johnson.ca/travel-insurance We are 63 & 68 and we pay around $21 a month (for both of us) with DH having a pre existing condition. Great trip interruption and cancellation coverage as well as the medical.This is on top of our Provincial Coverage (free) and DH's extended benefits from work (free - he is retired). I think Annual Plans are the way to go - we are covered for unlimited trips per year of 40 days or less. We don't even have to think about it any more. I had a small injury on the Eclipse 3 weeks ago and the bill was more than our total annual cost with Medoc and we are getting it all back! Blue Cross, RBC have good insurance and CAA travel insurance covers pre existing (you don't have to be a member. We do not self insure as you can tell :D but our insurance is priced reasonably.

[maryann2]

Well I was going to go with Travel Safe Medical etc. travel insurance because of the no pre-existing conditions coverage. You have to buy it within 21 days of putting a down payment on travel. Canadians can only buy insurance 15 months before the trip with them anyway. Even though I had 5 days to the good it wouldn't let me buy it. When I phoned they said it was too many days even though they advertise months. Not ment to be I guess. So I still have no insurance. Changed my cholesterol pill in June so have to wait 90 days before doing anything.

 

Thanks again to everyone for your help. Heather.

I am sorry you have had so much trouble with booking this.

I booked another cruise yesterday for departure Aug 30th 2014. When I went to book online as I always do ,like you found there was a problem. Would not go through. I did phone and they took my info and tried to do it for me but there was a computer glitch and they couldn't do it either.

They just phoned back after sorting it out with their IT and have confirmation so all booked and I have my pre-existing covered. You might want to try the number I called.

877 851 4523.

 

Perhaps you could cancel and rebook your cruise if the price is the same.

[maryann2]

We use Johnson (Medoc) annual plan http://www1.johnson.ca/travel-insurance We are 63 & 68 and we pay around $21 a month (for both of us) with DH having a pre existing condition. Great trip interruption and cancellation coverage as well as the medical.This is on top of our Provincial Coverage (free) and DH's extended benefits from work (free - he is retired). I think Annual Plans are the way to go - we are covered for unlimited trips per year of 40 days or less. We don't even have to think about it any more. I had a small injury on the Eclipse 3 weeks ago and the bill was more than our total annual cost with Medoc and we are getting it all back! Blue Cross, RBC have good insurance and CAA travel insurance covers pre existing (you don't have to be a member. We do not self insure as you can tell :D but our insurance is priced reasonably.

I checked all these annual plans and they have so many exclusions. I really thought that I was covered with Blue Cross but read the fine print especially when over 65.

[southernbreezes]

Cruise insurance is not for everyone, if this was the case it would be required by law just like auto insurance and soon to be health insurance.

 

Many people depending on their health and age really should purchase cruise insurance. At this time of my life it's a waste of $$money$$.

 

And for your own good I suggest you always use your seatbelt. :)

 

Think twice before not buying travel insurance. Does your insurance company cover you out of the US? Even healthy you could fall, get hit by a car, etc. who will pay the bill. I do not buy insurance to insure the trip we buy to insure us. The insurance the TA and cruise line sell is not near enough and is expensive. For around $167.00 (each trip) for myself and wife we buy $1,000,000 of medical coverage including pre-existing conditions $00.00 deductible, plus $500,000 medical Evacuation. :cool::cool:

[Host Walt]

This thread was copied from the Celebrity Cruises forum on 7/21/13 and includes all discussion up to the time the thread was copied.

[YoHoHo]

Don't you just love that TD Travel Visa card, I did not bother with cancellation insurance as I booked my last cruise a few weeks in advance and get 14 days medical insurance with the card, also had enough points to cover airfare to Ft. Lauderdale and back home again. :)

Sorry for the OT.

Not me. I keep declining their many offers (though I am starting to weaken). I cannot believe that a CC touted as as 'travel' card charges a foreign transaction fee. If we paid for say a US$10k cruise on that card through a US line there would be a $300 FTC.

 

Am I missing something?