Travel Insurance through Carnival?

[King10Sooted]

I have heard you can get cheaper coverage if you buy outside of Carnival. Is there any benefit to purchasing through Carnival? I have never bought any type of vacation or travel insurance before, so any tips or help anyone has to offer would be appreciated.

[GradUT]

I never buy insurance from the cruise line. You can generally get more coverage for less money if you buy independently. Two reliable websites for comparing and purchasing travel insurance are InsureMyTrip.com and SquareMouth.com. I have used InsureMyTrip many times to buy insurance and it's easy. They also provide a lot of support for answering questions, etc.

[poz222]

As a rule of thumb, never buy insurance from the company providing the goods or services. Conflict of interest. Use insuremytrip the cruise policies are very comprehensive and affordable...

[CA_Cruzing]

I have heard you can get cheaper coverage if you buy outside of Carnival. Is there any benefit to purchasing through Carnival? I have never bought any type of vacation or travel insurance before, so any tips or help anyone has to offer would be appreciated.

the answer is better coverage, not cheaper coverage.

 

buy within 10 days or up to 20 days of initial trip payment, depending on your plan, and you'll secure pre-existing conditions coverage.

 

you're then buying medical coverage (primary pay or pay-then-reimbursement coverage), actual coverage amounts, evacuation costs, re-ticketing costs (airlines, if an emergency causes such) and in extreme situations, repatriation costs.

 

there are a few threads on CC covering this topic and coverages/strategies.

 

i sell such coverage to my clients (i own an insurance agency) and this coverage is invaluable. it's the only way to protect your vacation investment and it's very cost reasonable.

[happy cruzer]

I buy the cruise line policy only when I want the cancel for any reason coverage (most affordable for me). The cruise line offers covered reasons 100% refund like other policies, any other reason a 75% future cruise credit. It does have very limited medical and evacuation coverage amount. I bought other policies when I was concerned about aging relatives and needing to get home quickly.

 

What are you main concerns to be covered? That will determine which policy they are all different. Insure my trip has policies that you can compare.

[CA_Cruzing]

price is a direct result of coverage. before you buy anything, get educated with what you seek, need and are about to buy.

 

only then can you determine if you paid a fair price AND have the coverages that are most important to your needs.

[King10Sooted]

Thanks for the advice and tips. I am assuming you probably have to buy the insurance close to when you book the cruise? I plan on booking a cruise within the next couple weeks. And buying insurance at the same time.

[WPTNGirl]

I buy the insurance through Carnival mainly for the ease of their cancellation. We have had to cancel 4 cruises over the years, each within 3 days of sailing and had no problems at all getting 100% refund quickly. The forms are easy to complete and my PVP was glad to help in any way. Fortunately, I've never had to use the insurance for any other reason. Each cruiser has to decide for themselves what coverage is best for their piece of mind.

[13cheermom]

I buy the insurance through Carnival mainly for the ease of their cancellation. We have had to cancel 4 cruises over the years, each within 3 days of sailing and had no problems at all getting 100% refund quickly. The forms are easy to complete and my PVP was glad to help in any way. Fortunately, I've never had to use the insurance for any other reason. Each cruiser has to decide for themselves what coverage is best for their piece of mind.

 

 

Thanks for this information, never had to use the insurance before but it's good to know Carnival insurance is easy to deal with. I like the fact I can wait until final payment and add it to the cruise at that time.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

Thanks for the advice and tips. I am assuming you probably have to buy the insurance close to when you book the cruise? I plan on booking a cruise within the next couple weeks. And buying insurance at the same time.

 

Many insurers will offer pre-existing condition waiver if you purchase their policy within a certain period of booking your cruise (typically 14 days).

[jakesnana]

There are pros and cons to each scenario. The cruise line bases their premium on the cost of the trip only. A third party insurance carrier bases their premium on the cost of the trip AND the age of the traveler. Therefore, if you are young and healthy you can get better coverage for a more reasonable cost through a third party carrier. IF you are older than to purchase insurance through a third party carrier will be much more expensive than going through the cruise line.

 

Before you purchase anything, make sure you know what constitutes a pre-existing medical condition if you need coverage for that.

[ryano]

I am purchasing insurance for myself and 5 year old nephew through insuremytrip.com. My mother will be covered through the insurance from the cruise line. She is 72 and the premium is almost double what the insurance Carnival sells.

[pe4all]

I am purchasing insurance for myself and 5 year old nephew through insuremytrip.com. My mother will be covered through the insurance from the cruise line. She is 72 and the premium is almost double what the insurance Carnival sells.

As long as she doesn't have any pre-existing conditions, that works.