Cruise Insurance to buy or not to buy

[maryhou]

Do you purchase travel insurance while cruising? Do you insure only cruise or flights as well if booked separate? Have you ever had to use it? Thanks in advance 🙂

 

[RenoNanaOz]

We buy through insuremytrip dot com. Lots of choices and less than Carnival. Never had to use it but good to know it's there for peace of mind.

[Doggielover68]

24 minutes ago, maryhou said:

Do you purchase travel insurance while cruising? Do you insure only cruise or flights as well if booked separate? Have you ever had to use it? Thanks in advance 🙂

 

It is good to buy it through a third party and not from Carnival, even though their's is technically through a third party. 

 

I always book it for non refundable, expensive trips that involve going out of the country. The big reason is for the medical coverage. I would cover both the flights and the cruise though because it won't affect the price much. 

 

I don't usually book it for road trips. 

 

I have not needed to file a claim yet.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Doggielover68

[shof515]

i always buy travel insurance because of my travel partner medical needs

[GradUT]

I agree with the recommendation to use 3rd party sites such as InsureMyTrip, Squaremouth, etc. to purchase travel insurance.  (I have used InsureMyTrip many times and have been pleased with the way they respond to questions I have had about policies, terms, etc.)

 

You need to read the terms of the policy to determine whether you need to include the airfare and other costs when you state the value you want covered.  Many policies require that all non-refundable costs of the entire trip be included in order for coverage.  That being said, the additional cost of the airfare should not appreciably increase the amount of your premium, but it will significantly increase your benefits. 

 

I have purchased travel insurance for every cruise and expensive trip (e.g. safari) that would have been a financial hit had I needed to cancel. The only time I had to file a claim was for a medical situation that I could have had treated at a walk-in clinic in the US for a $10 copay.  But since we were at sea, the visit to the ship’s doctor was around $250 — and all covered by my insurance. 

[eagletwo]

We always buy travel/medical insurance.  I am in the private air charter business.  A one-way pick-up in a light jet from Nassau back to my home in SC is over $10,000.  Gets more expensive the further down you go in the Caribbean. Mexico gets very expensive, lots of extra fees private operators have to pay the government.  In Cancun, it would be over 14K+ to come home.  The thought of having to use a hospital in a 3rd world country makes me cringe. When we were in Grand Turk on a Segway tour, our guide was telling us how greatful he was that the locals could go to the US for medical procedures.  He said you don't want to have a serious procedure done in our local hospitals.

[tkportersat]

I have purchased every cruise (17) and used once.  I think it is important to have when traveling to a foreign Country.  You just never know when something could happen.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

I have excellent travel insurance with my charge card. Never had to use it. It covers medical reimbursement also.

[glrounds]

32 cruises never bought it, but this time I've bought the insurance as it will be my first cruise where I'm over 80 years old. 🙂

[Bases5]

 It's up to you and what expenses you can cover yourself.  For us we buy it mainly for the medical & med evac. those bills could be whoppers.  If you are good on the finance front then no biggy

 37 cruises and never needed it but you never know. Always glad I have it

[sunonfire]

6 minutes ago, twodaywonder said:

I have excellent travel insurance with my charge card. Never had to use it. It covers medical reimbursement also.

My Citi MasterCard used to have that coverage. It is being eliminated at the end of this month. What credit card do you have?

[cruisin'thrulife]

I have purchased for every cruise but our first one.  On our third cruise, my dad passed away unexpectedly at home and we had to fly back immediately.  So thankful for the insurance.  Never travel without it now as you just never know.

 

[StolidCruiser]

Like any other insurance (homeowners insurance, renters insurance, car insurance, health insurance, home warranty insurance, etc), you need to determine if the coverage is something that would indemnify you of the costs for the risk of a claim would arise.

 

Everyone's risk-benefit situation will be different and would be balanced against any other insurance coverage that may pre-exist.   Summarily, you have to determine your own threshold for expenses if something unfortunate were to happen.

 

I personally do not because I have existing insurance coverages to mitigate my risks while travelling negating the need for separate cruise or air travel policies.

 

 

[Cruiser_1977]

My health insurance covers Emergency Medical Treatment in a foreign country, including transportation. My September cruise + flight are paid for, money is gone and if something happens it won't cause me any sleepless nights. Final payment for my January cruise + flight isn't until end of next month. Money is already earmarked. So, again if something happens it's not going to cause me any financial grief. I am not sure what would make me get into the trip insurance realm. I have enough liquid assets that if I had to leave early for an emergency, I could afford it. That is currently the only thing that has me thinking. Would I want the cost of the part of the trip I missed due to said emergency covered? Hmmm...... 

Edited August 22, 2019 by JennyB1977

[Saint Greg]

I never have but as a solo cruiser in good health who drives to the ship there's been little risk involved for me. I am purchasing it for my next cruise which involves flights. 

[ObstructedView2]

1 hour ago, maryhou said:

 

Do you purchase travel insurance while cruising? Do you insure only cruise or flights as well if booked separate? Have you ever had to use it? Thanks in advance 🙂

 

 

If you need further information, there's an entire section here on Cruise Critic devoted to travel insurance located @:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/

 

 

✌️

[amyh13]

Best $97 I have ever spent over Spring Break on the Sunshine.  My son got a pretty bad concussion while playing basketball at Amber Cove.  The ship doctor would not allow him to sail without a CT scan.  And since the ship was departing in 30 minutes, my husband and son had to depart the ship.  It covered the $500 deductible for medical treatment in a foreign country, transportation to the airport, bout $2000 in airfare back to the states and meals.  My daughter and I had to continue on (only 1 day left) as our car was in Port Canaveral.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

32 minutes ago, sunonfire said:

My Citi MasterCard used to have that coverage. It is being eliminated at the end of this month. What credit card do you have?

Bank of America Premium Rewards. This card charges $95 a year. We chose it because of the insurance. We cruise 4-7 times a year and it certainly pays for itself along with the rewards I receive.  Our Citibank had it for free and then as your card. No longer has it. So we looked and chose this one because of the excellent travel insurance it offers. Google bank of america charge cards and check it out completely. Might or might not be what you would like. We still have the Citibank because of the 1% and 1% but do not use it at this time because of the amount we have in our savings and checking which add tot he percentage of our bank of America cards rewards. We have had many different bank cards over the years and so far really like what we have now. We have another one of there cars and the rewards for gas is 4.5% cash back. No charge for that card. Groceries is 3%.

[carib1]

We just get travel medical insurance.  I have a pre-existing condition and it is covered under GeoBlue.  It connects to my primary insurance thru Blue Cross.  Even though it is secondary coverage, it will process and pay upfront as the primary payor then subrogates to my primary coverage.  Its relatively cheap, we pay $55 for 2 people for $500,000 medical with a $500 deductible and I buy it 2 weeks before we leave.

[sunonfire]

Thank you “two day wonder”.  I hadn’t considered the annual fee credit cards. I will look into them and check their benefits. Thanks again.

[HerbertandB]

Yes, we buy insurance for any vacation not on the US mainland.  I not so concerned with recovering the cost of the vacation as I am the medical coverage,  evacuation and...repatriation.

[Elliern]

On 8/22/2019 at 11:44 AM, GradUT said:

I agree with the recommendation to use 3rd party sites such as InsureMyTrip, Squaremouth, etc. to purchase travel insurance.  (I have used InsureMyTrip many times and have been pleased with the way they respond to questions I have had about policies, terms, etc.)

 

You need to read the terms of the policy to determine whether you need to include the airfare and other costs when you state the value you want covered.  Many policies require that all non-refundable costs of the entire trip be included in order for coverage.  That being said, the additional cost of the airfare should not appreciably increase the amount of your premium, but it will significantly increase your benefits. 

 

I have purchased travel insurance for every cruise and expensive trip (e.g. safari) that would have been a financial hit had I needed to cancel. The only time I had to file a claim was for a medical situation that I could have had treated at a walk-in clinic in the US for a $10 copay.  But since we were at sea, the visit to the ship’s doctor was around $250 — and all covered by my insurance. 

I just looked at insure my trip and it does not cover cruise or air fare if we have to cancel our trip at the last minute for some reason.  Stuff happens when you get old   😊 

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, Elliern said:

I just looked at insure my trip and it does not cover cruise or air fare if we have to cancel our trip at the last minute for some reason.  Stuff happens when you get old   😊 

 

You might want to speak directly with a broker,  there or at www.TripInsuranceStore.com

 

There are quite a few policies that cover last minute changes, especially if for "covered" reasons, such as medical emergencies (self or family member), but also some other reasons.

Then there is the CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason), which usually gives 75% cash back (but check each policy, as with ALL coverage issues), if you cancel without a "covered reason". This has an extra charge usually (always?).

(This sometimes doesn't allow true "last minute", but needs to be something like at least 48 hours prior to planned departure, or such.)

 

GC

[Elliern]

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I appreciate your response 

[Walfam]

20 hours ago, Elliern said:

I just looked at insure my trip and it does not cover cruise or air fare if we have to cancel our trip at the last minute for some reason.  Stuff happens when you get old   😊 

 

Stuff does happen, but if the reason is medical, it should be covered.  You have to read the policy.  Back in 2007 I hurt my back badly, three days before leaving for Europe.  Out trip insurance policy required a doctor's letter if we had to cancel.  I immediately went to the orthopedic doc first, so the documentation (X-rays, exam, visit) would be there if I had to cancel.  Fortunately, I was able to make the trip with the promise I would not lift a suitcase.