Insurance much cheaper!

[Joie]

Insurance for our cruise is half what the cruise line wants.....

Do I have to buy cruise travel or just travel insurance....does it matter to the insurance company what our trip is ? cruise or land ?

[Shmoo here]

Insurance for our cruise is half what the cruise line wants.....

Do I have to buy cruise travel or just travel insurance....does it matter to the insurance company what our trip is ? cruise or land ?

 

You can purchase travel insurance from whatever company you wish. Yes, 3rd party insurance (not direct from cruise line) is generally cheaper and has better coverage.

 

You purchase insurance to cover whatever non-refundable costs are involved with your trip/travel.

[moki'smommy]

The companies I have used ask where you will be traveling (main region) and age of each person. Then they ask the cost that you are insuring--this must be reasonably close to the non-refundable cost of the trip. Finally, they want the dates of the trip. There are several private companies that give one complimentary child's policy with each adult policy purchased.

 

OK, exactly what you cover is up to you. If you purchase thru DCL, their coverage stinks. It covers only those parts purchased thru DCL (like if you book air privately, it isn't covered). When you go privately, you choose whether the amount you list covers air and cruise...air, WDW, and cruise, or just the cruise. OK, you can't book a cruise that costs $3000 per person and list the insurance coverage at $1000. And the amount you list is the most you'll get back in the event of a cancelation for a covered reason. You don't need to include things like a rental car or a hotel the night before IF you can cancel that reservation and not have to pay.

 

Start by asking yourself WHY you are buying the insurance. For us, it is because our health insurance doesn't cover us outside of the US. The other stuff is nice, but if I had to, I could lose the cost of the cruise. What I couldn't handle is an emergency hospital charge, and evacuation charge, or whatever. For that reason, I don't buy trip insurance for a WDW vacation. The hospital in Orlando would be covered by my BC/BS. But I do cover the cruises I go on.

 

Many companies sell several levels of coverage. My TA won't sell or recommend the lowest. Typically one notch up gives A LOT more coverage for a minimal premium increase.

 

One great place to compare policies is insuremytrip.com.

[Host Mick]

Insuremytrip.com is a great place to start.

 

Cruise Critic has an article on Travel insurance:

Travel Insurance Primer for Cruise Travelers.

 

I always get trip insurance for international travel mostly for the medical coverage reasons. Chartering a medical evacuation jet from the Caribbean is something that few can afford.

 

I never insure a domestic trip. I can cover those expenses.

[Joie]

Very good info.....thank you so much