MEXICO HOSPITAL NIGHTMARE FOR CRUISE PASSENGER

[BEENSAILING]

This story in NEWSWEEK should be a reminder / wake up call for all to have Cruise Insurance.

https://www.newsweek.com/mexico-cruise-ship-passenger-appendicitis-hospital-cancun-1286350

 

 

 

[GTO-Girl]

How many times have we read where people say they never purchase travel insurance?  And then there are those who are only considering it now because they were getting older.

 

This article is a perfect example that even young, healthy people can get hurt or sick.  In my opinion travel insurance is much more important for situations like this than reimbursing you if you can’t make your cruise.

 

We have always purchased trip insurance (never through the cruiseline) and we always will..

[cruisinfanatic]

9 minutes ago, BEENSAILING said:

This story in NEWSWEEK should be a reminder / wake up call for all to have Cruise Insurance.

https://www.newsweek.com/mexico-cruise-ship-passenger-appendicitis-hospital-cancun-1286350

 

 

 

Even having insurance doesn't necessarily mean you get treatment

[BEENSAILING]

29 minutes ago, GTO-Girl said:

How many times have we read where people say they never purchase travel insurance?  And then there are those who are only considering it now because they were getting older.

 

This article is a perfect example that even young, healthy people can get hurt or sick.  In my opinion travel insurance is much more important for situations like this than reimbursing you if you can’t make your cruise.

 

We have always purchased trip insurance (never through the cruiseline) and we always will..

 

27 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

Even having insurance doesn't necessarily mean you get treatment

 I always  purchase - not from the cruise line - specifically because of  emergency medivac.I have a great travel insurance person. And they will do immediate pay as primary.  I thought about getting a year round cruise insurance policy but coverage caps are different on year round than individual cruises.

Edited January 11, 2019 by BEENSAILING

[Elaine5715]

There have been several stories in the news over the past couple years about similar situations.  Why does this mother think her story will change people when she disregarded the other horror stories herself? 

[BEENSAILING]

24 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

There have been several stories in the news over the past couple years about similar situations.  Why does this mother think her story will change people when she disregarded the other horror stories herself? 

People sometimes believe something would not ever happen to them. Hard lesson to learn.

Edited January 11, 2019 by BEENSAILING

[Elaine5715]

Just now, BEENSAILING said:

People sometimes beleive something would not ever happen to them. Hard lesson to learn.

Probably the biggest difference in people, those who believe it will happen and take precautions and those who don't and then expect the precautions people to bail them out.

[babs135]

Whilst I feel sorry for what this family has gone through they are, quite frankly, stupid.  How can anyone not take out travel insurance and for that reason and that reason alone my sympathy for them is very much muted.

 

DH took ill and needed hospital treatment.  He was discharged just before we were due to go on a cruise holiday over Christmas and New Year but was declared unfit to travel.  Thankfully we have travel insurance and from the first phone call to our insurers to the money going into our account (full amount less a small excess) took only four weeks.  If we hadn't been insured we would have lost the lot.

 

Buying travel insurance should be the very next phone call after you have booked your holiday, be it on land or sea.  

[MicCanberra]

Agreed, insurance is a necessary travel expense that everyone hopes is never needed. Just make sure you have purchased some that actually covers you for what you want and need. Read the T&Cs.

[BEENSAILING]

53 minutes ago, babs135 said:

Whilst I feel sorry for what this family has gone through they are, quite frankly, stupid.  How can anyone not take out travel insurance and for that reason and that reason alone my sympathy for them is very much muted.

 

DH took ill and needed hospital treatment.  He was discharged just before we were due to go on a cruise holiday over Christmas and New Year but was declared unfit to travel.  Thankfully we have travel insurance and from the first phone call to our insurers to the money going into our account (full amount less a small excess) took only four weeks.  If we hadn't been insured we would have lost the lot.

 

Buying travel insurance should be the very next phone call after you have booked your holiday, be it on land or sea.  

absolutely!

[BEENSAILING]

36 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Agreed, insurance is a necessary travel expense that everyone hopes is never needed. Just make sure you have purchased some that actually covers you for what you want and need. Read the T&Cs.

my trip insurance agent knows me well enough that she can almost predict what I will want.

[cello56]

Read her Facebook post - they also didn't have passports! Yes, I know, technically you are allowed to sail with birth certificate and state ID, but this is what can happen. Poor planning all round for this family. 

[GeezerCouple]

10 hours ago, BEENSAILING said:

 

 I always  purchase - not from the cruise line - specifically because of  emergency medivac.I have a great travel insurance person. And they will do immediate pay as primary.  I thought about getting a year round cruise insurance policy but coverage caps are different on year round than individual cruises.

 

What do you mean by "immediate pay"?

 

GC

[CruiserBruce]

While this is about a cruise passenger, it really is about anybody who travels outside their home country. So, ignore the cruise tie, and learn about traveling to other countries and health care.

[Elaine5715]

8 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

While this is about a cruise passenger, it really is about anybody who travels outside their home country. So, ignore the cruise tie, and learn about traveling to other countries and health care.

Tis a shock to the American who is used to walking into any US  Emergency room and getting treatment without credit card in hand finding out that other places operate differently.  

[SRF]

Even if the insurance is pay now, reimburse later, they can and may intervene in situations like this.

 

My parents had insurance through the cruise line when my mother had issues.  The insurance got involved with both the hospital and the med evac company to negotiate prices and guarantee payment.

[FlyerTalker]

36 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Tis a shock to the American who is used to walking into any US  Emergency room and getting treatment without credit card in hand finding out that other places operate differently.  

 

 

Had to have stiches removed at an ex-pat clinic in Asia.  Before they would even look at the wound, the credit card got processed and charged.

[iancal]

We view travel insurance as one of our biggest financial risks.   DW did end up in a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.   Incredibly good treatment (she is a health care professional) at an astoundingly low cost.  We were not asked for anything until it came time to check out and pay the bill.   Xrays, MRI, two consults, prescription drugs for a week, and a full written report.   $850 CAD four years ago.  BUT, it could have happened somewhere else with much more expensive treatments.   Our out of country medical paid  the claim in full.

 

She merely tripped, fell, and then cracked several vertebrae. It could happen to anyone, anywhere.  On longer trips we look for a policy that has a deductable of $3-5K.   The premium is typically reduced by thirty percent or so.  It is the big bills that pose risk for us and that is want we try to cover off.

Edited January 11, 2019 by iancal

[Philob]

Going into it further, my uncle passed on a trip after spending 2-3 nights in the ICU; the hospital wouldn't release him to the mortuary until their bill was paid in full.  Cash only, no credit cards, no checks, no IOUs.  My aunt was naturally freaking out.  The mortuary picked up on this and made the same demand, cash only, to sign off on the paperwork to release him to her.

Edited January 11, 2019 by Philob

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

We view travel insurance as one of our biggest financial risks.   DW did end up in a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.   Incredibly good treatment (she is a health care professional) at an astoundingly low cost.  We were not asked for anything until it came time to check out and pay the bill.   Xrays, MRI, two consults, prescription drugs for a week, and a full written report.   $850 CAD four years ago.  BUT, it could have happened somewhere else with much more expensive treatments.   Our out of country medical paid  the claim in full.

 

She merely tripped, fell, and then cracked several vertebrae. It could happen to anyone, anywhere.  On longer trips we look for a policy that has a deductable of $3-5K.   The premium is typically reduced by thirty percent or so.  It is the big bills that pose risk for us and that is want we try to cover off.

 

You have a Canadian policy?

 

That would be nice... a higher deductible.  Or *any* deductible.  I think most of the USA-based travel policies don't have any deductible at all, although our regular health insurance does.

 

OTOH, most of our claims, all based upon medical issues, were actually for the costs of the travel that was cancelled, or extra costs added.  Even the time I was in hospital overseas, there was no charge (none!), but the cost of unexpectedly staying someplace we hadn't planned to be (while regular planned accommodations went unused), that added up to a tidy sum, given where we happened to be.  *I* may have been in hospital, but DH stayed where we had spent the previous night, and then I couldn't travel for a few more days.  The insurance did cover a couple of physician visits to the hotel, prior to the ambulance being called.

 

Those have now totaled well into the 5 figures, and started out that way with the very first claim.  We were "ahead" until just this year, when we are almost even.  

And we'd much prefer to pay for these policies and lose money!

 

GC

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, Philob said:

Going into it further, my uncle passed on a trip after spending 2-3 nights in the ICU; the hospital wouldn't release him to the mortuary until their bill was paid in full.  Cash only, no credit cards, no checks, no IOUs.  My aunt was naturally freaking out.  The mortuary picked up on this and made the same demand, cash only, to sign off on the paperwork to release him to her.

 

No charge card accepted?  Truly "cash only" for a significant sum could cause some difficulties, not to mention during such a stressful situation already!

 

GC

[iancal]

Yes.  We needed 6-7 month out of country from a Canadian insurer.  It took time to shop around but we eventually dealt directly with a firm that offered this.  Plus, we were able to extend our policy on line while travelling when we extended our travels  by several days.  The option of a $3K deductable reduced the premium by over 25 percent.    We are now in the 65-70 age group where insurance costs are high.  They get even higher when we reach 70, at least in coverage that we have reviewed. 

 

 Fortunately my pension benefits include 60 days of out of country medical so this has become the limiting time factor on each of our trips. THis is a benefit that can be changed at any time so we are taking advantage of it whilst we can.

[SantaFeFan]

13 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

No charge card accepted?  Truly "cash only" for a significant sum could cause some difficulties, not to mention during such a stressful situation already!

 

GC

 

Since there was no mention of the country this happened in, it leaves me a bit dubious that this actually occurred. Without a country name, it is impossible to fact check such a dramatic claim. 

[Philob]

54 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

Since there was no mention of the country this happened in, it leaves me a bit dubious that this actually occurred. Without a country name, it is impossible to fact check such a dramatic claim. 

 

Have a nice day 

 

Edited January 11, 2019 by Philob

[SantaFeFan]

1 hour ago, Philob said:

 

Have a nice day 

 

 

Oh, I am having a very nice day, thank you very much.  

 

However, you didn't answer the question of which country allegedly did this to your uncle. Without that information, we can only assume your post can't be validated. Sorry, but vague claims with no details are difficult to believe. I am curious which country would be so uncaring and lacking in humanity. It would be helpful knowing what country to avoid in the future. 

Edited January 11, 2019 by SantaFeFan