Why is insurance through Regent not a good idea?

[Travelcat2]

Is this yet another WC thread?  Would really like to read what people have to say about insurance rates.

[redjetz]

Poss, we just bought insurance for our 2021 Regent trip through USAA, with excellent coverage for less than 10% of the cruise fare. Age will play a part, of course, but I am impressed with the coverage, compared to other insurance we looked into. It might be worth your while. Good luck!

[SWFLAOK]

On 5/16/2019 at 6:18 PM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

I believe you *can* get pre-existing coverage if you buy Regent Care insurance and pay for it in full immediately on booking.  There may be an upper age limit, I can't remember.  I thought about doing that for our world cruise, but I didn't have my ducks in a row well enough to do it within the 10 day post-booking limit.  And it is exorbitant, whatever the percentage is.

 

Viking, on the other hand, allows you to buy insurance (up front), with pre-existing, and it's something like 8%, which is pretty good.  You do have to pay for it right away, but apparently you get medical visits onboard included in the price.  That almost swayed us to switch our WC to Viking, but not quite.

We normally rely on our cruise TA to come up with the possible insurance opportunities. We normally end up with Allianz Travel Insurance which just went up to 8 percent a few months ago . We're both in our 60's.  We have a Viking River Cruise booked next year, and our TA said that their insurance is the best she's seen, and was no more expensive so we took that for our Viking cruise.

[Carol From California]

We got the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card a few years ago. You have $10,000 pp coverage if you put "any portion" of the cruise on the card. Note: preexisting conditions are not covered. There are other benefits to the card besides the travel insurance. 

[1985rz1]

When we buy trip insurance, we look at two separate coverages: trip cancellation/interuption (and all that goes with it) and medical/evacuation (dead or alive).  I haven't  found a credit card that covers medical/evacuation and found the details of cancellation/interuption insurance quite restrictive.

 

Medical/evacuation is of high importance to us as when traveling internationally those costs can easily reach $100,000 or more.  

 

As we have aged (only slightly of course), the cost of cancellation/interruption insurance has spiked dramatically.  We're trying a compromise with annual insurance.  It provides excellent medical/evacuation coverage for each trip in a 12 month period, but carrys only a maximum of coverage of $15,000 per person for all trips in that period.  The medical is secondary.

 

It isn't perfect, but the cost is a fraction of the total cost for all trips in a year.  I don't know is there is a maximum age limit.

 

I don't know how Regent's coverage compares with this (benefits vs cost), but this is one comparison to look at before deciding.

Edited May 18, 2019 by 1985rz1

[Carol From California]

3 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

When we buy trip insurance, we look at two separate coverages: trip cancellation/interuption (and all that goes with it) and medical/evacuation (dead or alive).  I haven't  found a credit card that covers medical/evacuation and found the details of cancellation/interuption insurance quite restrictive.

 

Medical/evacuation is of high importance to us as when traveling internationally those costs can easily reach $100,000 or more.  

 

As we have aged (only slightly of course), the cost of cancellation/interruption insurance has spiked dramatically.  We're trying a compromise with annual insurance.  It provides excellent medical/evacuation coverage for each trip in a 12 month period, but carrys only a maximum of coverage of $15,000 per person for all trips in that period.  It isn't perfect, but the cost is a fraction of the total cost for all trips in a year.  I don't know is there is a maximum age limit.

We also have Am Ex Platinum and they have premium global assistance coverage included with the card. This includes medical evacuation. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/features-benefits/policies/global-assist-hotline/faq.html

[jeb_bud]

41 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

When we buy trip insurance, we look at two separate coverages: trip cancellation/interuption (and all that goes with it) and medical/evacuation (dead or alive).  I haven't  found a credit card that covers medical/evacuation and found the details of cancellation/interuption insurance quite restrictive.

 

Medical/evacuation is of high importance to us as when traveling internationally those costs can easily reach $100,000 or more.  

 

As we have aged (only slightly of course), the cost of cancellation/interruption insurance has spiked dramatically.  We're trying a compromise with annual insurance.  It provides excellent medical/evacuation coverage for each trip in a 12 month period, but carrys only a maximum of coverage of $15,000 per person for all trips in that period.  The medical is secondary.

 

It isn't perfect, but the cost is a fraction of the total cost for all trips in a year.  I don't know is there is a maximum age limit.

 

I don't know how Regent's coverage compares with this (benefits vs cost), but this is one comparison to look at before deciding.

 

Who is the provider of your annual insurance?

[1985rz1]

8 minutes ago, jeb_bud said:

 

Who is the provider of your annual insurance?

Allianz.  Haven't had to use it.  This is the first year we're trying it.

 

But we've not filed claims on any of our prior policies, either.

Edited May 18, 2019 by 1985rz1

[SWFLAOK]

8 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

When we buy trip insurance, we look at two separate coverages: trip cancellation/interuption (and all that goes with it) and medical/evacuation (dead or alive).  I haven't  found a credit card that covers medical/evacuation and found the details of cancellation/interuption insurance quite restrictive.

 

Medical/evacuation is of high importance to us as when traveling internationally those costs can easily reach $100,000 or more.  

 

As we have aged (only slightly of course), the cost of cancellation/interruption insurance has spiked dramatically.  We're trying a compromise with annual insurance.  It provides excellent medical/evacuation coverage for each trip in a 12 month period, but carrys only a maximum of coverage of $15,000 per person for all trips in that period.  The medical is secondary.

 

It isn't perfect, but the cost is a fraction of the total cost for all trips in a year.  I don't know is there is a maximum age limit.

 

I don't know how Regent's coverage compares with this (benefits vs cost), but this is one comparison to look at before deciding.

We don't do much diving anymore, but we have kept our Diver's Alert Network insurance that includes medical evacuation insurance for any reason while on vacation. It doesn't need to be diving related, but you need to call their emergency number to arrange it. And you get a nice diving magazine with your membership. I think it's less than 200 a year for both of us.

[1985rz1]

35 minutes ago, SWFLAOK said:

We don't do much diving anymore, but we have kept our Diver's Alert Network insurance that includes medical evacuation insurance for any reason while on vacation. It doesn't need to be diving related, but you need to call their emergency number to arrange it. And you get a nice diving magazine with your membership. I think it's less than 200 a year for both of us.

 

8 hours ago, Carol From California said:

We also have Am Ex Platinum and they have premium global assistance coverage included with the card. This includes medical evacuation. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/features-benefits/policies/global-assist-hotline/faq.html

What we like about the annual policy we chose to try out is that it includes medical ($50,000 pp per trip), evacuation/repatriation ($500,000 pp per trip), and a limited cancellation/delay option ($15,000 pp per year).  We travel some very remote parts of the world on land trips, so we want high evacuation coverage.

 

If you do the minimum cancellation/delay option of $2,000, the cost for a family  is between $400 and $500 per year.  I don't remember the exact amount. For our $15,000 cancellation policy, it was less than $1,400 per year for the two of us.

 

Carol was correct that the AMEX Platinum does include evacuation and repatriation, and I hadn't known that (Thank you Carol).  Apparently so does the high end Sapphire card, but as I read the details on both, they only cover the evacuation/repatriation, but not any medical expenses or cancellations.  Perhaps Carol can correct me on that, since I don't have that card.

Edited May 19, 2019 by 1985rz1

[Travelcat2]

poss - I did a phony insurance request for a 14 day cruise - one person - age 90 - cost of cruise $30K.  Here are the results:  https://www.aardvarkcompare.com/quote?tc=30,000&tct=1&pd=US&df=11%2F23%2F2019&dt=12%2F07%2F2019&nt=1&ta[]=90&cc=US&rc=US&rs=WA&dfp=04%2F11%2F2019&email=mitamejade@outlook.com

 

Note:  In my opinion, it is the evacuation insurance that is super important.  I pretended that our cruise was in November and we paid for it last month.

[Carol From California]

1 hour ago, 1985rz1 said:

 

What we like about the annual policy we chose to try out is that it includes medical ($50,000 pp per trip), evacuation/repatriation ($500,000 pp per trip), and a limited cancellation/delay option ($15,000 pp per year).  We travel some very remote parts of the world on land trips, so we want high evacuation coverage.

 

If you do the minimum cancellation/delay option of $2,000, the cost for a family  is between $400 and $500 per year.  I don't remember the exact amount. For our $15,000 cancellation policy, it was less than $1,400 per year for the two of us.

 

Carol was correct that the AMEX Platinum does include evacuation and repatriation, and I hadn't known that (Thank you Carol).  Apparently so does the high end Sapphire card, but as I read the details on both, they only cover the evacuation/repatriation, but not any medical expenses or cancellations.  Perhaps Carol can correct me on that, since I don't have that card.

I have the medical coverage through the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum for the evacuation. 

Here's a good article I found: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/credit-card-travel-accident-evacuation-insurance/

Here's another article on the Chase Sapphire Reserve card: https://www.valuepenguin.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-credit-card

Edited May 19, 2019 by Carol From California

[Travelcat2]

2 minutes ago, Carol From California said:

I have the medical coverage through the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum for the evacuation. 

Here's a good article I found: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/credit-card-travel-accident-evacuation-insurance/

 

Too tired to read article.  My only question is whether it will cover people that are 90+ years of age.

[Carol From California]

47 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Too tired to read article.  My only question is whether it will cover people that are 90+ years of age.

I did not ready any age restriction  but if you are considering getting the card you should call and ask.  

[Travelcat2]

4 minutes ago, Carol From California said:

I did not ready any age restriction  but if you are considering getting the card you should call and ask.  

 

Thanks - I was asking for the TS!  It is amazing how many companies have age restrictions.  I find MedJet to be the best company for evaluation insurance but they have age limits.

 

Thanks for the information!

 

P.S.  We do have Chase Sapphire Reserve ..... dumped Amex Platinum 3 years ago and don't miss it a bit.  We have been flying First Class within the U.S. (for Regent and personal flights) using points from Chase and find them considerably easier to deal with than Amex.

Edited May 19, 2019 by Travelcat2

[travelwell]

We are huge Medjet fans. You are flown back to the hospital of your choice, for us and most people this is home.  

[poss]

I'm back on the thread simply to thank those who responded so thoughtfully.    We were already onboard Explorer (Barcelona-Southampton) when many new comments were posted, so I didn't get back to thank those people.   I truly am grateful for the gracious folks who responded to my post.    (The whole subject still makes me dizzy  — I just don't have the head — or the patience at this point in my life — for this kind of thing, but presumably I'll get something figured out.

Thanks!

[cruiseluv]

1 hour ago, poss said:

I'm back on the thread simply to thank those who responded so thoughtfully.    We were already onboard Explorer (Barcelona-Southampton) when many new comments were posted, so I didn't get back to thank those people.   I truly am grateful for the gracious folks who responded to my post.    (The whole subject still makes me dizzy  — I just don't have the head — or the patience at this point in my life — for this kind of thing, but presumably I'll get something figured out.

Thanks!

Hi Poss, how was the cruise? Was this your first time on Explorer?

[lesliebe]

This is making my head spin too!  We have our first Regent cruise in May...on Explorer.  Traveling with us folks 62-86...what do you recommend?  Dizzy, I'm so dizzy!  lol

[rallydave]

10 minutes ago, lesliebe said:

This is making my head spin too!  We have our first Regent cruise in May...on Explorer.  Traveling with us folks 62-86...what do you recommend?  Dizzy, I'm so dizzy!  lol

Since everybody is different and has different needs, strongly suggest you contact tripinsurancestore.com either the website or on the phone at 888-407-3854.  Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and will guide you thru the process.   Steve is the owner and sometimes answers but, the rest are extremely good and helpful.

[1985rz1]

2 hours ago, lesliebe said:

This is making my head spin too!  We have our first Regent cruise in May...on Explorer.  Traveling with us folks 62-86...what do you recommend?  Dizzy, I'm so dizzy!  lol

Insuremytrip.com is also a very good broker/resource.  We've been quite happy with their service and policy comparisons.

[poss]

lesliebe:  I've long used tripinsurancestore, precisely because I can't seem to sort and weigh these things myself.   I don't remember why I zeroed in on Steve et. al, rather than insuremytrip, about whom one also hears very good reports.   I think, though (I could be wrong), that trip insurance store only deals with certain insurance companies, not all the ones out there.  I'm not sure they write for all of the companies mentioned by others on this post, Allianz e.g.?

Another thing that stymies me is the exact meaning of "pre-existing" condition.   Steve and crew have tried to explain it to me more than once, but I still don't get it.   Insurance is less expensive without it, and can be bought late rather than right after deposit on cruise, so I'd like not to need the "pre-existing" coverage.   And I think we don't need it, but then I suspect that insurance companies have various ways of calling a problem "pre-existing" and thus refusing to cover it.   Btw, we bought CSA through Steve for our last cruise (over $4,000 for the two of us, ouch!).   I had to see ship's doctor twice, to the tune of close to $500.   It has been exhausting trying to collect that money.  Before CSA kicks in, Medicare has to have refused first (CSA won't even look at the claim until that happens).   I've been trying to get Medicare to act (to deny claim, i.e.) for a number of weeks: round in circles it goes.   Good luck!

 

Hi cruiseluv:   Actually we were on Explorer for last summer's cruise as well:   Copenhagen-Oslo, all that fjord stuff, probably our favorite cruise yet.   First time, I wasn't madly in love with Explorer.   It's too "rich" for our taste, too jazzy, too sparkly, too showy, too "conspicuous consumption."    I loved the wood, the pottery, the photos on the deck halls, the prayer wheel at Pacific Rim (liked that restaurant a lot too).   I could do without that much glitz, gold, crystal, and certainly the blue lights in CR.   I liked the size of F2 and the bathroom.   But as I believe I mentioned somewhere else, I (ironically) felt somehow more closed-in in our Explorer suite than on G Mariner suites.   When the curtain between bed and sitting area was closed at night, everything was so very close, a little tomb-like (I'm exaggerating, obviously), i.e. the curtain virtually touched the bed, so that when I got up to use the bathroom at night, I brushed against the curtain, there was no space at all; that made me feel uncomfortable.   Mainly I much disliked the configuration of the wall out to the lanai, the way it's broken up.   I thought that little window in the corner was essentially useless, and I felt more enclosed in the room than I remember feeling when we were in Mariner sitting area or bedroom.    I felt that I couldn't see outside as well, that there was less view, that the sliding door was smaller than on Mariner.   Now I could be simply mis-remembering.   We're scheduled for a Mariner cruise (Panama Canal) this coming May (for my husband's 90th birthday!)   I'm eager to see how Mariner will seem to us; in fact, I'm a little concerned that the suite — which always suited us just fine in the past — may seem small after the two Explorer experiences.   I hope not, and we really don't require a whole lot of space.  

 

What I should also say, though, is that this 2nd time on Explorer, for some reason I wasn't quite as turned off by all the glitz.  It is for sure a remarkably stunning ship, in so many ways outstandingly tasteful (by my lights).    I couldn't ever be completely comfortable being among such richness, it does still seem "over-the-top" to us, but I didn't cringe all the time, the way I did on our first go-round.   And we enjoyed the ports and excursions (the main reason we cruise), though not to the extent that we've enjoyed some other itineraries.   It was all great though.   In fact, I think we liked our land part of the vacation as much as the actual cruise: 4 days pre-cruise in Barcelona (a city we always enjoy) and 6 days in England post ( 2 days in Oxford, which we've visited and enjoyed in the past, and 2 in Cotswolds — new for us, — and then Windsor for two.   Wish I were somewhere other than south Florida right now!   A Regent ship would be just fine and dandy.   

Edited July 4, 2019 by poss

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've wrestled with the meaning of pre-existing exclusions too in the past.

 

The simplest explanation I've come up with is that if you have a major condition, like heart disease or COPD, it must be *stable*, and your medication mustn't have changed for whatever the "look-back period" is, often six months, sometimes three.  Cancer is another story, not sure how that works.

 

So for instance, the fact that I had a heart bypass five years ago wouldn't exclude that condition, as long as my doctor has not changed any of my medications, nor ordered any tests (I believe), for that period.  So when we pay for our WC about a year from now, next July, I'm going to have to plan our visits to our doctors very carefully, since they usually take place in the spring, and review the clauses in the insurance I've set up (luckily my annual cardiology visit is in the fall). But the bottom line is that the insurance would still cover me for lots of other reasons that weren't pre-existing, like breaking my leg, or accidental death, or being diagnosed with some dread disease (just not heart disease, lol.)

 

I think I've got the general idea more-or-less correct, but feel free to correct me.

[Ladys Mom]

Wendy you have done a masterful job of explaining what can be very confusing.  Thanks.

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

15 minutes ago, Lady's Mom said:

Wendy you have done a masterful job of explaining what can be very confusing.  Thanks.

 

Thanks.  I had to figure it out because I was arranging insurance for our WC in 2021, last fall, and realized that my husband had had a change in medication recently and we had to wait several months before I actually bought the insurance.  Luckily we were able to cover just our deposits then, and be able to add to the policy when we do final payment--what I'm not sure of is whether there is a new 'look-back period' at that point, or not.

Edited July 4, 2019 by Wendy The Wanderer