Insurance through cruise line or 3rd party

[Cann]

The coverage through insurance companies is cheaper but I feel like going through the cruise line would be more efficient if I ever file a claim. Any advice or experienced input?

[iancal]

IF we purchase insurance, we never purchase it through the travel provider or the travel agency.   Nor do we buy it from an auto club or a bank.

 

We prefer to buy from an insurer direct or through  a broker that specializes in travel insurance.  Our experience is threefold.  The information we get direct for the insurer or specialized broker  is invariably better and more accurate, the coverages are almost always better, and the price is sometimes quite a bit less.   Plus, we do not want to rely on the travel vendor to subsequently 'buy' the insurance on our behalf.

 

We never buy cancel for any reason insurance so cannot comment on that.

Edited March 31, 2020 by iancal

[Bo1953]

Many insurance carriers 'may not' cover the same items/issues or have the same coverages, it is best to do a comparison of policies before deciding that it is efficiency you only want to base your decision on.

 

Many of us choose 3rd party policies due to restrictions and/or coverage which does not meet muster.

 

Then again, you may very well find and believe that cruise line insurance coverage does meet your minimum requirements and that is fine.

 

You can do a search of this forum to find the various discussions about both types of coverages with pros/cons.

 

bon voyage

 

bon voyage

[klfrodo]

3 hours ago, Cann said:

 I feel like going through the cruise line would be more efficient if I ever file a claim. Any advice or experienced input?

 

Absolutely no reason for it to be more efficient.

The cruise line has NOTHING to do with the insurance other than they sold it to you.

Yes, they went to an insurance company and negotiated a special policy with certain coverages at a certain price point, but that's the end of it other than they made money off you by selling it to you.

If something goes TU,,,, the cruise line has nothing to do with helping you file a claim, helping you prove your claim, nothing. Everything to do with your claim is between you and the travel insurance company.

 

There are some good things about the cruise line policies they sell.

Such as they almost always include Cancel For Any Reason. These policies also allow you to cancel up to scheduled departure time. (However, when you call the cruise line to cancel,,, nobody automatically says "oh, you're invoking the Cancel For Any Reason? let's process that for you." Nope, they just tell you that you need to file a claim.

 

The HUGE bad thing about cruise line policies,,, low medical coverage. Most only have $10K in coverage. Remember that couple from Atlanta that Tylor Perry bailed out of trouble because they were stuck in Mexico cause they couldn't pay their medical bill in full?  The bill was $14K, so even if they had cruise line insurance, it wouldn't have covered the bill.

(NOTE: Medical insurance in most cases with travel insurance is based on reimbursement. So, YOU have to pay, then file a claim when you return)

Edited March 31, 2020 by klfrodo