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I buy NCL insurance. Am I crazy?


david_sobe
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Ok really curious what you guys think because even the most loyal NCL cruisers are not big on their insurance.  I have on my flame retardant suit, so flame away if you wish.  I am not big on extended warranties, etc.  I think they are a waste of money.  I have cruised several times including the Haven with no insurance.  However, when you go with other family members in the Haven, something is bound to come up.  I purchased NCL insurance mostly for the cancel at anytime clause.  Now that the Haven is more expensive than ever, its wise to protect over $10k  I have struggled to pay off in 1.5 years.  The rate of the insurance is based on the price of the cruise.  So while the cost of the Haven has doubled, so has NCL insurance.  Most seem to buy insurance to protect themselves from illness which there are many insurance companies that cover this.  Others buy insurance for travel related delays.  IMHO, the most likely scenario is called LIFE.  I may not be sick and since I live in Miami, the chance of travel delays to the port are small.  My dog could get sick or a far away family emergency.  I like the protection that if any reason comes up, I can postpone and reschedule the cruise with only losing 25%.  If I was in a regular cabin, I don't think I would take any insurance.  However, am I wasting money?  The price of the insurance is almost $1k !!!!!!

 

* I don't wear designer clothes.  If my bags got lost, it would be an inconvenience but my clothes are old and not valuable

* I live in Miami and don't need airfare to the port

* I have good health insurance.  If I die at sea, let me be fish food.  If somehow I almost died, the transportation cost to a US hospital would be the last care in the world.  And this is a    statistically low chance of happening

* Family is arriving from Argentina days before the cruise so even though they are also covered, even if their plane is delayed or cancelled, they are still bound to make it

 

So is the high price of travel insurance simply to "cancel at any reason" worth it to you if you were traveling with 3 others in the Haven?  For me, its the only reason I buy the insurance. Once that final payment is made, your fate is sealed.

Edited by david_sobe
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There's nothing wrong with buying insurance if it gives you what you want to protect and piece of mind.  You do what you want with your money.  Some may say your crazy for paying high prices for the Haven and then high insurance costs for it ..... Opinions vary ...... and so do pocketbooks. 

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Is travel insurance expensive in the US?

I can buy an individual annual policy for £35 ($46) for 50-65 year olds (my bracket), about double for a couples policy (supercheap for younger and obviously more expensive for over 65's).

I would not consider traveling without, especially as I travel a lot and also covers me for domestic travel, I never understand why these questions come up unless it is much more expensive in the US?

Edited by ziggyuk
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36 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

So is the high price of travel insurance simply to "cancel at any reason" worth it to you if you were traveling with 3 others in the Haven?  For me, its the only reason I buy the insurance. Once that final payment is made, your fate is sealed.

Hi David,

 

Whatever people decide to do (or not do) with insurance is a totally personal decision. I wouldn't even try to offer an opinion on whether or not you are doing the right thing.... but with one exception. Going through places like insuremytrip will probably result in you finding equivalent insurance plans (or perhaps even better coverage) for less money. FWIW

 

 

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I think the thing about NCL insurance is that it allows “any reason” cancellation right up till departure pretty much. You don’t need to be sick, have an emergency, etc... I think the “cadillac” version of their insurance allows for carte-blanche cancelation minus a certain percentage. Regular travel Insurance doesn’t have that. 

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@david_sobe.....as an aside, you were one of the main influencers who got me to sail NCL more often.  It’s been a good decision.

 

Insurance......$1K premium?  That’s steep.

 

Frankly, I book with my AMEX card.  They cover most of what I would need, particularly any big health emergencies, which is my main concern.  Coverage for “any reason” isn’t something I’d pay for.  I plan my vacations carefully.  I get a check up before I leave.  So, odds are in my favor.

 

If you want it, take it....especially if it make you feel better!

Edited by graphicguy
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I look at a 15k base cost for two people and found plans at around 950 with cancel for any reason plus the medical benifit...  but most of the rest dont apply. Like baggage etc.  So it's the same price with some added benifits... 

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19 minutes ago, erdoran said:

Why ”cancel for any reason”?  Why not just regular travel insurance?

 

15 year old chihuahua. If our little girl got sick a day or two before departure there’s no way we’re leaving her with a dog sitter or family member. 90% back for a haven cabin is well worth it to us.

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4 minutes ago, aeroo777 said:

 

15 year old chihuahua. If our little girl got sick a day or two before departure there’s no way we’re leaving her with a dog sitter or family member. 90% back for a haven cabin is well worth it to us.


If you have NCL insurance, so you really get "90% back", or a cruise credit, perhaps with a time limit?

 

With most third party policies, it is actual cash back, to use as one sees fit, for another cruise with any line, any time, or for a land trip or whatever.  But those CFAR coverages usually pay 75% cash back.

 

GC

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28 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:


If you have NCL insurance, so you really get "90% back", or a cruise credit, perhaps with a time limit?

 

With most third party policies, it is actual cash back, to use as one sees fit, for another cruise with any line, any time, or for a land trip or whatever.  But those CFAR coverages usually pay 75% cash back.

 

GC

Thanks for the clarification, for us a 90% cruise credit good for a year on NCL is like money in the bank as we will have no problem using it.

Edited by aeroo777
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I have a Chase Sapphire credit card. If I pay for the entire cruise with my card, I have complete ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage. The $95 annual fee seems like a good investment. My medical coverage is up to date so I think we’re covered. 

Any thoughts?

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2 hours ago, Bright1 said:

I have a Chase Sapphire credit card. If I pay for the entire cruise with my card, I have complete ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage. The $95 annual fee seems like a good investment. My medical coverage is up to date so I think we’re covered. 

Any thoughts?

Does your coverage include medical evacuation?  That can be quite expensive.

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8 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

Is travel insurance expensive in the US?

I can buy an individual annual policy for £35 ($46) for 50-65 year olds (my bracket), about double for a couples policy (supercheap for younger and obviously more expensive for over 65's).

I would not consider traveling without, especially as I travel a lot and also covers me for domestic travel, I never understand why these questions come up unless it is much more expensive in the US?

 

The cost of the policy for US travelers is variable depending on the amount of coverage, etc.

For example medical expense coverage (the amount covered by the policy, not the cost) can range from $25,000 to $250,000.

 

You can get an idea of the cost at insuremytrip.com.  As an example the insurance for a single one week $10,000 trip is on the order of $1,000 for age 60+.  

 

An annual plan with low limits (eg $3000 trip cancellation and $20,000 medical) may be $135 for age 60+.

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6 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

Does your coverage include medical evacuation?  That can be quite expensive.

For Medical evacuation, American Express offers a very affotdable policy. It’s appr $100 for my dh and myself. I don’t even have an Amex card. 

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If you determine that insurance is worth it to you, then it is also worth it to you to shop elsewhere for it.  You can get much better coverage for a fraction of the price that NCL charges.  Check InsureMyTrip.  

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12 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Frankly, I book with my AMEX card.  They cover most of what I would need, particularly any big health emergencies, which is my main concern.

 

Which AMEX card do you have? What do they cover? I've been thinking about going Plat; my health insurance would cover visits to the Medical Center (albeit at a out-of-network rate), so I really just care about evac, and I think Plat would cover that.

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I stopped being paranoid* about buying travel insurance from the venue with which I'm traveling a long time ago.  No matter where you buy it, the bottom line is that if you need to ask for a payout and your actual situation doesn't match up with the rider text you're going to be out of money.  At some point you have to accept that you did your due diligence and relax and enjoy the trip.  The cruise line is going to cut a few corners but in doing so they bring the price down.  Figure out which of those corners matters to you and that's all you can do.

(*I use the word paranoid to describe myself, not anyone else who is concerned about losing money to an insurance company)

Edited by MotownVoice
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47 minutes ago, dcipjr said:

 

Which AMEX card do you have? What do they cover? I've been thinking about going Plat; my health insurance would cover visits to the Medical Center (albeit at a out-of-network rate), so I really just care about evac, and I think Plat would cover that.

I have the Platinum.

 

It does cover medical, especially for medical issues where you need a Dr or Hospital stay while on a cruise or docked in a foreign country.  There some other benefits like transportation costs to get you home, or transported to/from home because of various issues.  Not sure exactly what they are.  Call AMEX and ask them.

 

Further, you don’t need to book with AMEX Platinum to receive the goodies like OBC, etc.  You just need to book with a TA who accepts AMEX Platinum.

 

Here’s a quick link outlining that.

 

https://www.americanexpress.com/idc/en/benefits/the-platinum-card/cruise-privileges-and-discounts.html

 

It runs $500/year for membership.  But, I usually cruise 2x year.  The OBC alone for that covers my annual fees.  Plus, I get access to airline lounges (Delta Sky Club, Priority Lounges, Centurion Lounges).  I get $200 for peripheral charges when I fly (to be used for things like baggage fees, food/drink on the plane, etc).  And, I get rental car insurance, different discounts on hotels, and a bunch of other stuff.

 

I deduct the fee on my taxes given I use it mainly for booking work travel (and get the points).

 

Well worth it for me.  But, I travel quite a bit.

 

This is for the American Express Branded Platinum.  I think the other branded AMEX cards (like Delta) has different benefits (not necessarily better).

Edited by graphicguy
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10 hours ago, Bright1 said:

I have a Chase Sapphire credit card. If I pay for the entire cruise with my card, I have complete ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage. The $95 annual fee seems like a good investment. My medical coverage is up to date so I think we’re covered. 

Any thoughts?

 

There are limits - up to $10k per person, up to $20k per occurrence (so if you had 3 people on a $10k pp trip you'd only get $20k back not $30k) and a limit of $40k total per year. It doesn't cover things like pre-existing conditions or work issues though. Or cancellations by airlines or cruises not due to weather. It also has no medical coverage - though will pay for the days missed if you injure yourself on the trip. 

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12 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

There are limits - up to $10k per person, up to $20k per occurrence (so if you had 3 people on a $10k pp trip you'd only get $20k back not $30k) and a limit of $40k total per year. It doesn't cover things like pre-existing conditions or work issues though. Or cancellations by airlines or cruises not due to weather. It also has no medical coverage - though will pay for the days missed if you injure yourself on the trip. 

 

12 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

There are limits - up to $10k per person, up to $20k per occurrence (so if you had 3 people on a $10k pp trip you'd only get $20k back not $30k) and a limit of $40k total per year. It doesn't cover things like pre-existing conditions or work issues though. Or cancellations by airlines or cruises not due to weather. It also has no medical coverage - though will pay for the days missed if you injure yourself on the trip. 

There are only 2 of us and take only 1 trip a year. We have excellent medical coverage and Medical Evacuation coverage. I think we need only Cancel for any Reason which is why I use Chase Sapphire. 

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6 minutes ago, Bright1 said:

 

There are only 2 of us and take only 1 trip a year. We have excellent medical coverage and Medical Evacuation coverage. I think we need only Cancel for any Reason which is why I use Chase Sapphire. 

 

Yeah...you might want to read through the information. I don't see anything about cancel for any reason anywhere in their benefits. It specifically says change in plans is not covered. 

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59 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Further, you don’t need to book with AMEX Platinum to receive the goodies like OBC, etc.  You just need to book with a TA who accepts AMEX Platinum.

 

Thanks so much, @graphicguy, that's super helpful -- have you received the Platinum goodies when booking directly with NCL? I usually go through NCL to avoid the middleman when calling for price adjustments (prior to final payment) or paid upgrades (post-final payment).

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