TRAVEL INSURANCE

[piscean]

With Covid 19 having stopped people taking cruises this year we are possibly looking at cruises for 2021.

However there is a problem with this.

My annual travel insurance is due shortly but like many insurers they have removed the cover for Covid 19.

We have a cruise booked for April 2021(having transferred the deposit from an August cruise). So we will not now be covered for anything related to Covid 19......

Since this has been the cause of all cancellations this year what would you do?

[LHT28]

You could  check out the ins forum  on CC  as many people are asking the same question

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

 

Options

Shop around  for a policy that will cover Covid

take a chance  & hope you do not  have an issue

 stay home

[tgg]

UK insurance options may be different from those elsewhere.

[Petoonya]

Be sure your insurance covers default.

[Hawaiidan]

5 hours ago, piscean said:

With Covid 19 having stopped people taking cruises this year we are possibly looking at cruises for 2021.

However there is a problem with this.

My annual travel insurance is due shortly but like many insurers they have removed the cover for Covid 19.

We have a cruise booked for April 2021(having transferred the deposit from an August cruise). So we will not now be covered for anything related to Covid 19......

Since this has been the cause of all cancellations this year what would you do?

I would analyze what are the  risks you might face.     If you were to have payed by credit card you might have $20,000 pp insurance...   Check your Medical situation  what are your potential risk?... Talk to your doctor get a risk evaluation.... you  might be facing little if any real risk other than worry.     Don't scare yourself...   Insurance companies love scared people.

Some insurance you already have may be good anywhere. ( Kaiser for one)        

 

 Dont buy too much insurance that duplicates what you have already.    Many do..  and the fine print to many polices is they will "Assure you get X$   If another policy you have covers  the same thing  they will only cover any overage in within the policy limit.  If you have 2 polices that are for $10,000 each   for the same coverage....   Your only going to get $10,000 max  not $20,000.

So think  what do I really need.... 

I have done this in the past and  discovered I am totally covered with  my Credit Card and Current Health insurance...   If you have to get taken off the ship at sea  it will be  by either out Navy/Coast guard or another countries..  By treaty agreement   you will not be charged anything.       

Edited May 26, 2020 by Hawaiidan

[clo]

On 5/26/2020 at 11:56 AM, Hawaiidan said:

 

I have done this in the past and  discovered I am totally covered with  my Credit Card and Current Health insurance... 

This topic came up so long ago that I'm not certain but didn't people say that most insurance doesn't cover pandemics? And Medicare doesn't cover outside the US.. Isn't that your primary? If they don't pay, does Kaiser then pick up the tab?

[Hawaiidan]

15 hours ago, clo said:

This topic came up so long ago that I'm not certain but didn't people say that most insurance doesn't cover pandemics? And Medicare doesn't cover outside the US.. Isn't that your primary? If they don't pay, does Kaiser then pick up the tab?

Yes....Kaiser is the secondary   to medicare  and Yes  Kaiser will pay any non elective medical bill anywhere in the world....  I have sent claims from Peru, Italy,  Malta   and 100%  no deductible  and no upper limit....  They have paid 5 figure  bills for treatment that lasted 12 days in non Kaiser facilities.  In the states  they have paid 6 and 7 figure bills for me.

There are different levels of Kaiser and they only insure  very select areas of residence...  Had them for 50 years.....  If you qualify for Kaiser then check it out

[clo]

13 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Yes....Kaiser is the secondary   to medicare  and Yes  Kaiser will pay any non elective medical bill anywhere in the world....  I have sent claims from Peru, Italy,  Malta   and 100%  no deductible  and no upper limit....  They have paid 5 figure  bills for treatment that lasted 12 days in non Kaiser facilities.  In the states  they have paid 6 and 7 figure bills for me.

There are different levels of Kaiser and they only insure  very select areas of residence...  Had them for 50 years.....  If you qualify for Kaiser then check it out

Thanks. Knock wood I've not (yet) needed medical care outside the US. Our supplement is with USAA. I should check with them as to their coverage. I appreciate the heads up.

[Silver Sweethearts]

5 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

In the states  they have paid 6 and 7 figure bills for me.

There are different levels of Kaiser and they only insure  very select areas of residence...  Had them for 50 years.....  If you qualify for Kaiser then check it out

 

They have paid your 7 figure bills?

[Hawaiidan]

55 minutes ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

They have paid your 7 figure bills?

Correct.....  to be exact  1.27 mil   and another 675 K, 2 years later!...   $50 .deductible...  When I lived In Kona, they would fly me and my wife to HNL put us up in a hotel  for tests  or a procedure they could  not do in Kona.!!!.... On O they payed about 7K for  medical on the ship in Easter Island....zero deductible........    Pretty cool insurance. I got my money's worth, ya' think?

 

55 minutes ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

They have paid your 7 figure bills?

 

[Paulchili]

27 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Correct.....  to be exact  1.27 mil   and another 675 K, 2 years later!...   $50 .deductible...  When I lived In Kona, they would fly me and my wife to HNL put us up in a hotel  for tests  or a procedure they could  not do in Kona.!!!..

HNL is not exactly in a foreign country, is it?

Kaiser is expected to cover you in the USA

Edited May 29, 2020 by Paulchili

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Silver Sweethearts said:

 

They have paid your 7 figure bills?

Insurance paying a seven figure bill is unlikely to mean that they actually paid that amount. Insurance companies normally have negotiated rate schedules with hospitals so while you, the patient, may see a seven figure bill in all likelihood your insurance company is paying far less. The same is true for Medicare. Any hospital accepting Medicare will actually be reimbursed only a fraction of the bill presented to the patient.

[clo]

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

Insurance paying a seven figure bill is unlikely to mean that they actually paid that amount. Insurance companies normally have negotiated rate schedules with hospitals so while you, the patient, may see a seven figure bill in all likelihood your insurance company is paying far less. The same is true for Medicare. Any hospital accepting Medicare will actually be reimbursed only a fraction of the bill presented to the patient.

I had a procedure a few years ago that the EOB (explanation of benefits) was $97k. We paid not a dime out of pocket with our USAA supplement. I need to check with them on out of US claims.

[clo]

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

Insurance paying a seven figure bill is unlikely to mean that they actually paid that amount. Insurance companies normally have negotiated rate schedules with hospitals so while you, the patient, may see a seven figure bill in all likelihood your insurance company is paying far less. The same is true for Medicare. Any hospital accepting Medicare will actually be reimbursed only a fraction of the bill presented to the patient.

So what? He didn't have to pay it.

[njhorseman]

42 minutes ago, clo said:

So what? He didn't have to pay it.

 

But neither did the insurance company pay the 7 figures. I am just trying to educate anyone who thinks that "the insurance company paid a 7 figure bill" means they actually paid out that much money. What it actually means, at least in the US, is that the hospital has typically agreed to accept a payment far less than the amount billed. 

 

[clo]

56 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

 

But neither did the insurance company pay the 7 figures. I am just trying to educate anyone who thinks that "the insurance company paid a 7 figure bill" means they actually paid out that much money. What it actually means, at least in the US, is that the hospital has typically agreed to accept a payment far less than the amount billed. 

 

Oh, I agree and totally know what you mean. When you look at a routine EOB it's shocking - to me - how little the doctors and others get paid. But the point of this is that HE didn't have to pay it. The other is likely cause for total reform of our health care system...which is way beyond my pay grade.

[YoHoHo]

A poster who at one time on several threads wrote about how he would self insure and save mega bucks - so those who bought insurance were doing it wrong. Some time later the other shoe dropped where he posted that he had this great medical insurance so he was insured after all (but not as a separate policy for travel.) Granted it does not cover trip cancel etc. but saying how smart it is to self insure when already has super medical coverage is disingenuous. Some of us mostly purchase insurance for medical coverage as that is where the virtually unlimited loss can be, Moral of the story is take everything you read with a grain of salt (passing the shaker as you read this too)

[ORV]

15 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Insurance paying a seven figure bill is unlikely to mean that they actually paid that amount. Insurance companies normally have negotiated rate schedules with hospitals so while you, the patient, may see a seven figure bill in all likelihood your insurance company is paying far less. The same is true for Medicare. Any hospital accepting Medicare will actually be reimbursed only a fraction of the bill presented to the patient.

To add to this, someone that is uninsured will be billed the whole amount, not the adjusted part. Will they pay it? Doubtful, and that is one of the many things that drive up health care and insurance costs for the rest of us. 

[LHT28]

I  am one that takes out trip cancellation  (had to use it  a few times)

Yes the money will be spent on the cruise/trip  & if we had to cancel & lose the $$  it is still gone  but  I prefer to spend a bit  to get most of the  $$ back should we need to cancel   & can travel another day

 

 My travel budget is limited   so I like to make the most  of  it  ..even if it means paying  for the trip cancellation policy

 We get out of  Country medical coverage  with DH retirement plan

Everyone needs to do what works best for them  ..there is no right or wrong  way

JMO