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Travel Insurance coverage amount needed with Carnival


auburn77
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I have only purchased medical travel insurance on past Carnival cruises. However, I just booked a 14 day and have decided to get the full insurance (through an independent policy). Do I need to include port fees in the insured amount or will I only lose the cruise fare?

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15 minutes ago, auburn77 said:

I have only purchased medical travel insurance on past Carnival cruises. However, I just booked a 14 day and have decided to get the full insurance (through an independent policy). Do I need to include port fees in the insured amount or will I only lose the cruise fare?

You do not need to include the port fees...those would be refunded from carnival if cruise was cancelled.

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2 minutes ago, bingomamma19 said:

You do not need to include the port fees...those would be refunded from carnival if cruise was cancelled.

Odds of a cruise being cancelled are slim to none. Will they actually reimburse if you are a no show due to illness, work, etc. and didn't insure through them? If the answer is no, I'd include those fees in the insurance rate.

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4 minutes ago, bahacca said:

Odds of a cruise being cancelled are slim to none. Will they actually reimburse if you are a no show due to illness, work, etc. and didn't insure through them? If the answer is no, I'd include those fees in the insurance rate.

cancelled...as in...for any reason you don't go....they don't keep your port fees if you don't go on the cruise.

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2 minutes ago, bingomamma19 said:

cancelled...as in...for any reason you don't go....they don't keep your port fees if you don't go on the cruise.

Great to know. I figured they would keep them if you were simply a no show.

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7 minutes ago, bahacca said:

Odds of a cruise being cancelled are slim to none. Will they actually reimburse if you are a no show due to illness, work, etc. and didn't insure through them? If the answer is no, I'd include those fees in the insurance rate.

 

I'm only talking about me canceling for a covered reason under my policy. If Carnival cancels, I know I will get everything refunded.

 

 

10 minutes ago, bahacca said:

I always insure for total amount that is charged to my credit card. 

 

 

 

Even prepaid gratuities? I have no doubt you would not be liable for those.

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38 minutes ago, auburn77 said:

I have only purchased medical travel insurance on past Carnival cruises. However, I just booked a 14 day and have decided to get the full insurance (through an independent policy). Do I need to include port fees in the insured amount or will I only lose the cruise fare?

I have dealt with Travel Guard for many years-very easy to work with-just do ballpark figure-cruise, air, hotel-don't include tips, transportation, etc

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i purchase insurance from http://insuremytrip.com and they define total cost as:

Insure all prepaid, non-refundable expenses travelers will have by the time they step out the door to start this trip. Include prepaid airline tickets, cruise expenses, accommodations, and trip extras (such as tours, excursions, event tickets, etc.).

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3 minutes ago, shof515 said:

i purchase insurance from http://insuremytrip.com and they define total cost as:

 

 I am going through them, also.  But they say insure 'non-refundable' cruise expenses. Hence my question as to whether port fees are non-refundable. On this 14 day cruise they are over $600. I'm not going to include them if they will be refunded by Carnival. I believe different cruise lines may have different refund policies.

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you can include them if you want, it makes no difference

 

When you submit a claim to the insurance company, they will request a copy of the cancellation notice and then some other paperwork showing what carnival refunds back to you. With both of these documents,, the insurance company will calculate the amount they need to refund you.

 

if the total cost of the cruise is $2000 for an example and carnival only refunds you the port taxes of $600, the insurance will cover the remaining difference of $1400 or whatever amount is left over based on the documents you submit to them

Edited by shof515
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6 minutes ago, auburn77 said:

 I am going through them, also.  But they say insure 'non-refundable' cruise expenses. Hence my question as to whether port fees are non-refundable. On this 14 day cruise they are over $600. I'm not going to include them if they will be refunded by Carnival. I believe different cruise lines may have different refund policies.

Port fees are refundable

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31 minutes ago, shof515 said:

you can include them if you want, it makes no difference

 

When you submit a claim to the insurance company, they will request a copy of the cancellation notice and then some other paperwork showing what carnival refunds back to you. With both of these documents,, the insurance company will calculate the amount they need to refund you.

 

if the total cost of the cruise is $2000 for an example and carnival only refunds you the port taxes of $600, the insurance will cover the remaining difference of $1400 or whatever amount is left over based on the documents you submit to them

Yes, if you insured the trip for $1400 or more, they will only reimburse you the $1400 (actual damages). If you insure it for more than $1400, you are wasting your money (in your example, you will have paid for $600 coverage that you didn't need. They charge by the total amount you give them. The premium for $2000 is more than it is for $1400.

So, why would I include the port fees if I have to pay an extra premium to cover them, yet they won't be paying them if I cancel. I understand the concept of over insuring, which is exactly why I asked my question.

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50 minutes ago, auburn77 said:

Yes, if you insured the trip for $1400 or more, they will only reimburse you the $1400 (actual damages). If you insure it for more than $1400, you are wasting your money (in your example, you will have paid for $600 coverage that you didn't need. They charge by the total amount you give them. The premium for $2000 is more than it is for $1400.

So, why would I include the port fees if I have to pay an extra premium to cover them, yet they won't be paying them if I cancel. I understand the concept of over insuring, which is exactly why I asked my question.

 

depending on the claim that needs to be submitted, they might ask for a booking confirmation or some other kind of invoice that gives a break down of like cruise fare, port taxes and so on. This confirmation then shows a total cost of cruise that is the cruise fare plus port taxes and any other costs to that booking. If you under insure and put in a less amount of the total cost, then they might be a problem with the insurance. Whereas, if you submit the costs that is on your documents then the insurance process will be smooth with no issues.

 

Insurance is very very picky and will find a way to decline a claim, why make it easy on them? If you have proof of the total cost of the cruise, use that cost

Edited by shof515
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2 hours ago, shof515 said:

 

depending on the claim that needs to be submitted, they might ask for a booking confirmation or some other kind of invoice that gives a break down of like cruise fare, port taxes and so on. This confirmation then shows a total cost of cruise that is the cruise fare plus port taxes and any other costs to that booking. If you under insure and put in a less amount of the total cost, then they might be a problem with the insurance. Whereas, if you submit the costs that is on your documents then the insurance process will be smooth with no issues.

 

Insurance is very very picky and will find a way to decline a claim, why make it easy on them? If you have proof of the total cost of the cruise, use that cost

Thanks, but I will be comfortable insuring cruise fare only if Carnival says that is all I will be liable for if I have to cancel. The insurance company should be satisfied that I covered 100% of my liability.

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Make sure you are not confusing ‘port fees’ with ‘port taxes’.  The former is an often used term on TA invoices but which should really be called ‘Non Commisionable Fare’ and which you don’t see on most booking websites unless the TA breaks it out for you.  This is not refundable.  

 

The port taxes are the extra add-on taxes that you see on the advertised pricing pages, usually in the small print, and are required by law to be mentioned when booking the cruise.  These are the refundable amounts.

 

I only bring this up because your stated port taxes of $600 for a week cruise seem very high-my next cruise is 27 days in Europe and Asia and our port taxes are $500 and I checked some 7 day Alaska cruises (one of the higher port tax itineraries) and they are around $250 pp.  What itinerary are you booked on?

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2 minutes ago, cherylandtk said:

Make sure you are not confusing ‘port fees’ with ‘port taxes’.  The former is an often used term on TA invoices but which should really be called ‘Non Commisionable Fare’ and which you don’t see on most booking websites unless the TA breaks it out for you.  This is not refundable.  

 

The port taxes are the extra add-on taxes that you see on the advertised pricing pages, usually in the small print, and are required by law to be mentioned when booking the cruise.  These are the refundable amounts.

 

I only bring this up because your stated port taxes of $600 for a week cruise seem very high-my next cruise is 27 days in Europe and Asia and our port taxes are $500 and I checked some 7 day Alaska cruises (one of the higher port tax itineraries) and they are around $250 pp.  What itinerary are you booked on?

 

14 day Panama Canal

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Is the $600 for 2?  Transcanal taxes should be around $335 per person.

 

Wanted to also mention that insurance rates are in $500 bands, meaning you pay the same for $2000 worth of coverage as you do for $2499.  You are safe removing the taxes from your total, but unless it crosses one of the bands on a pp basis, it won’t make much difference.

Edited by cherylandtk
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1 minute ago, auburn77 said:

 

14 day Panama Canal

 

And the problem is that they do not break the charge down. It only says port fees and taxes. The Carnival contract says Cruise Fare, transfer services, pre/post cruise vacation packages and air supplements will not be refunded. I'm just trying to find what is meant by 'Cruise Fare' (does it include pf&t?). I suppose I will have to call them. I don't want to because I would never obtain the insurance from them.

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2 hours ago, cherylandtk said:

See above where I added to my post and wrote about insurance bands.  Also, if given the option, get your insurance quoted on individual cost for two, not total cost for two. If you are in different age brackets, it makes a difference.

Thanks. Already do this because of my child bride. (We're actually both in our 60's)

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