Princess platinum medical insurance questions

[Corgidawgga]

I usually get the Princess travel insurance and have questions as to what it covers under medical expense.

 

For example, if I get a bad cold or have another illness onboard and visit the ships doctor, are those fees and any Rx issued covered under insurance?

 

I will be in Europe, so my domestic insurance doesn’t cover it. I am in excellent health and have no “preexisting conditions”. And if I were younger, would never be concerned....but time is creeping up [emoji3]

 

I have added a supplemental policy thru United that increases coverage for medical, evacuation and repatriation just in case.

 

But my question is for the more mundane illnesses that might crop up.

 

Does anyone have experience with filing claims etc.

 

Most questions on Princess coverage on this blog pertain to cancellation, interruption etc. Not interested in that part.

 

Thanks for any insights you have.

 

 

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[Shmoo here]

I usually get the Princess travel insurance and have questions as to what it covers under medical expense.

 

For example, if I get a bad cold or have another illness onboard and visit the ships doctor, are those fees and any Rx issued covered under insurance?

 

I will be in Europe, so my domestic insurance doesn’t cover it. I am in excellent health and have no “preexisting conditions”. And if I were younger, would never be concerned....but time is creeping up [emoji3]

 

I have added a supplemental policy thru United that increases coverage for medical, evacuation and repatriation just in case.

 

But my question is for the more mundane illnesses that might crop up.

 

Does anyone have experience with filing claims etc.

 

Most questions on Princess coverage on this blog pertain to cancellation, interruption etc. Not interested in that part.

 

Thanks for any insights you have.

 

 

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Typically, if you use the medical services onboard, your charges will be put on your onboard account. Once you're home, you file with your primary health insurer (even if they don't cover you, you need the denial). Once you've gotten the denial, you then file the claim (including the denial) with the travel insurance. Travel insurance is (most of the time) considered secondary coverage, hence the requirement to file with your primary insurer first.

[sailaway2joy]

I usually get the Princess travel insurance and have questions as to what it covers under medical expense.

 

For example, if I get a bad cold or have another illness onboard and visit the ships doctor, are those fees and any Rx issued covered under insurance?

 

I will be in Europe, so my domestic insurance doesn’t cover it. I am in excellent health and have no “preexisting conditions”. And if I were younger, would never be concerned....but time is creeping up [emoji3]

 

I have added a supplemental policy thru United that increases coverage for medical, evacuation and repatriation just in case.

 

But my question is for the more mundane illnesses that might crop up.

 

Does anyone have experience with filing claims etc.

 

Most questions on Princess coverage on this blog pertain to cancellation, interruption etc. Not interested in that part.

 

Thanks for any insights you have.

 

 

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Six years ago I fell on the Emerald Princess breaking my tibia and fibula. We had the premium princess insurance I was taken to the medical center where the doctors xrayed, then immobilized my leg under sedation. We had a bill somewhere in the $1500 range that we settled before disembarking the ship by credit card. The care was excellent The doctor made all the arrangements to fly me home from Aruba to be admitted at my home hospital for surgery. I submitted my bill to my work insurance which was reimbursed in full as emergency treatment. The bills not covered by my insurance for durable medical equipment post op was also picked up by Princess insurance. We also received a refund on the unused portion of the cruise.

We, like you bought the insurance “just in case” We were sure happy to have it.

 

 

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[fishywood]

Here is the language in the actual plan (version for GA residents like the OP) as to when it considered primary vs. secondary:

 

Order of Benefit Determination Rules

When This Plan is a Primary Plan, its benefits are determined before those of any other Plan and without considering another Plan’s benefits.

 

When This Plan is a Secondary Plan, its benefits are determined after those of any other Plan only when, under these rules,it is secondary to that other Plan.

 

When there is a basis for a Claim under This Plan and another Plan, This Plan is a Secondary Plan that has its benefits determined after those of the other Plan, unless (a) the other Plan has rules coordinating its benefits with those of This Plan; and(b) both those rules and This Plan’s rules, as described below, require that This Plan’s benefits be determined before those of the other Plan.

 

Rules

This Plan determines its order of benefits using the first of the following rules which applies:

(a) Nondependent/Dependent Rule. The benefits of the Plan that covers the person as an employee, member or subscriber (that is, other than as a dependent) are determined before those of the Plan that covers the person as a dependent.

(b) Longer/Shorter Length of Coverage Rule. The benefits of the Plan that covered an employee, member or subscriber longer are determined before those of the Plan that covered that person for the shorter time.

 

https://affinitytravelcert.com/document/pdfs/PCT_Std_Landing.html

 

So the way I read it the medical coverage is always secondary insurance unless your home insurance is as a dependent on someone else's policy. The language in the brand new September 2018 policy revision does seem more restrictive than the previous versions.

 

I would suggest reading up on the United policy you also engaged as to possibly filing it ahead of the Princess Vacation Plan (unless it has the same effective-date provision as in Rule(b) above). Either way it does seem that at least for shipboard medical center visits you will have to pay upfront, get the denial from your home insurance, and then be reimbursed by PVP.

[Corgidawgga]

Thanks all. I believe I will have to file with my medical insurance and the the others. Princess or United. I will call United tomorrow to verify whether they are primary or not.

 

Having read thru another posting (not under Princess), I am gathering that a GeoBlue policy might be the way to go.....I will look into that for the next cruise outside the US.

 

Thanks all!

 

 

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[cdngrl]

last year i got tonsillitis on a cruise and visited the medical centre. i was given an itemized printout with the doctor's fee plus the antibiotics. i submitted everything to aon affinity with a note that i would go through my BC medical first. within a few days (before i'd contacted bc med), i received a letter that aon were covering it 100% and i was reimbursed promptly for the whole amount. i'm not sure why i didn't have to go through my insurer first.

[fishywood]

last year i got tonsillitis on a cruise and visited the medical centre. i was given an itemized printout with the doctor's fee plus the antibiotics. i submitted everything to aon affinity with a note that i would go through my BC medical first. within a few days (before i'd contacted bc med), i received a letter that aon were covering it 100% and i was reimbursed promptly for the whole amount. i'm not sure why i didn't have to go through my insurer first.

 

Please don't ever confuse service that prompt and efficient with how insurers in the USA do business. Not in a million years.

[cdngrl]

Please don't ever confuse service that prompt and efficient with how insurers in the USA do business. Not in a million years.

but it was a US insurer--aon affinity, princess' insurer.

[fishywood]

but it was a US insurer--aon affinity, princess' insurer.

 

Actually Aon corporate HQ moved from the US to London in 2012.

Since 2007 Aon has been divesting itself of most all its underwriting business, including the two firms whose merger marked the founding of Aon in 1982 and were the direct predecessors of Aon Infinity.

However Aon continues to operate Aon Affinity USA and Aon Affinity Canada as separate subsidiaries. I'm sure the business of selling policies through the cruise lines is just too profitable to sell off.

[PoohUnderstands]

Some policies can be purchased that are primary, not secondary. You pay for the privilege, but they are out there.

 

After doing a bit of research, I found, for us (2 old fuddy duddies -which translates to over 70), that to be covered with just a little self insuring, that the least expensive is Princess insurance (and it gets cheaper as you keep rebooking those lower fares! Grin) The cost is very reasonable as the independent carriers do charge more for us older folks. Then I purchased a two year MedJet Assist policy in case of having to be returned to home. I like this in that you decide if you need it and not to nearest hospital but nearest to your home. So with making several cruises in these two years, this coverage did very well for the lowest pricing.

 

Now when I booked a cruise for us and my kids (40's) and my grandchildren it was way less expensive to buy independently and not the cruise line's(DCL).

 

So I guess do your homework and pick what is best for you.

 

Pooh

[tere247]

Six years ago I fell on the Emerald Princess breaking my tibia and fibula. We had the premium princess insurance I was taken to the medical center where the doctors xrayed, then immobilized my leg under sedation. We had a bill somewhere in the $1500 range that we settled before disembarking the ship by credit card. The care was excellent The doctor made all the arrangements to fly me home from Aruba to be admitted at my home hospital for surgery. I submitted my bill to my work insurance which was reimbursed in full as emergency treatment. The bills not covered by my insurance for durable medical equipment post op was also picked up by Princess insurance. We also received a refund on the unused portion of the cruise.

We, like you bought the insurance “just in case” We were sure happy to have it.

 

 

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Did Princess Platinum cover the airfare home too?

[sailaway2joy]

Did Princess Platinum cover the airfare home too?

 

 

 

Yes. First class on Delta!

 

 

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[bobby3334]

Many covered by Medicare do not realize despite many warnings that it is worthless outside the US and certain US possessions. Therefore you are only covered by your gap insurance which varies greatly. I always get the insurance from Princess despite Tricare for Life. Since I have been elite for many years the cancel for any reason is a great extra benefit for the same modest cost. Mike

 

 

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[dicksue]

Many covered by TRICARE FOR LIFE don't realize that it is TRICARE OVERSEAS that will be the TRICARE that you file with when getting covered for any illness or accident that happens when out of the country. Personal experience when wife broke her leg with on a Princess cruise in Greece. They are the first payer and the princess protection covers anything that they don't cover.

[famski740]

dicksue -- Did your wife break her leg on board the ship or on land in Greece?

 

Medicare will not cover on board a ship unless it is registered in the US. Tricare for Life has the same restrictions.

 

I believe Tricare Overseas is not available for retired veterans.

[bobby3334]

Many covered by TRICARE FOR LIFE don't realize that it is TRICARE OVERSEAS that will be the TRICARE that you file with when getting covered for any illness or accident that happens when out of the country. Personal experience when wife broke her leg with on a Princess cruise in Greece. They are the first payer and the princess protection covers anything that they don't cover.

 

 

 

Correct. Tricare for Life is good overseas as principal payer..it is good anywhere On the other hand Medicare is no good on the ship once it leaves US waters. The ship is not a little US no matter where it is as some must think. Most are not even registered in US..This is the problem. Some think ship is a little piece of the US. It isn’t.

Mike

 

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[bobby3334]

Tricare for life covers anywhere in the world. It matters not whether on or off ship...it is only first payer. Princess insurance is second payer. Medicare is no payer. This I am certain of. Mike

 

 

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Edited September 8, 2018 by bobby3334

[bobby3334]

Tricare for life is not available for Vets but only retired active or reserve military. If a vet has the required # of years to retire, usually 20, then they do have Tricare for Life at 65. Being a vet and a retiree are different matters. Mike

 

 

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[bobby3334]

I hope everyone realizes I am

referring to US only. I have no idea how other countries operate. Mike

 

 

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[famski740]

I got sick on a cruise a few years ago. I had Travel Guard Insurance, and had to claim through Medicare and Tricare for Life first. Both Medicare and Tricare for Life denied my claim stating they do not cover anyone on a ship if it is not US registered. I then sent my claim to Travel Guard along with both denials and they paid the claim.

 

This is what happened to me and that is why I wrote what I did.

[bobby3334]

Medicare will definitely not pay. I have had Tricare for Life pay no matter whether I am on land or sea.....however if you buy other insurance as I now do for cruises they may make it a first payer and then they, Tricare for Life, second payer. If you had no other insurance they would be first and only payer. A bit complicated and depends on info you give. Of course various other factors are key: a pre existing condition, how the ship’s doctor and your doctor code the illness or procedure, etc. Every circumstance is slightly different but can result in big differences. I have a legal background. Military However, I couldn’t analyze a case for certain without reviewing all the documentation and circumstances. Mike

 

 

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[dicksue]

All I said about TRICARE FOR LIFE is that they are not the one that pays the claim, it is TRICARE OVERSEAS, which has the same coverage as TRICARE STANDARD, with the deductibles, but operates from a different office. TRICARE FOR LIFE doesn't come into play at all because there is not a MEDICARE claim filed. It doesn't matter whether the claim occurred on a ship or on land, if you are physically outside of the US. TRICARE FOR LIFE will tell you to file the claim with TRICARE OVERSEAS. Princess Protection becomes the second payer if you have that coverage. You don't have to be lawyer to understand the rules. I was speaking of the manner in which to file a claim. There is much confusion among those eligible for TRICARE FOR LIFE on the correct procedure to do so.

[bobby3334]

I am sorry but we are writing past each other. I care not who pays or where to send. I am merely making the point that for retired military out of the country Tricare for Life takes the place of Medicare which only exists in US itself. Perhaps the best way to avoid misunderstanding is to google Tricare for Life. Mike

 

 

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[bobby3334]

I realize we have gone down an unintended route in this thread which should be about the Princess insurance policy. A military route. The Princess insurance policy is definitely worth it in my opinion and especially the cancel for any reason. Mike

 

 

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[moki'smommy]

I A military route. The Princess insurance policy is definitely worth it in my opinion and especially the cancel for any reason. Mike

 

 

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We found the price of travel insurance thru Princess to be far higher than purchasing private coverage thru my TA (which was the same price as the policy would have been on line.) It also had better coverage. You might want to price privately before automatically accepting the Princess coverage.