Insurance requirements for UK cruisers

[TouchstoneFeste]

On 5/2/2021 at 2:37 PM, david,Mississauga said:

 

The wearing of masks in some parts of the ship is the least of my concerns about the on-board protocols.  If I was a UK resident wanting to take one of the earlier cruises, this information regarding travel insurance would cause me concern because you can be denied boarding “at your own expense” if at the time of embarkation your policy is deemed to be not sufficient.  This is not a criticism of Cunard. It is their ship so they make the rules. This I can quote:

 

“It is mandatory for all UK guests to take out comprehensive travel insurance for their voyage with us. While we hope you never have to use it, the policy will ensure you’re able to relax and enjoy your voyage with the peace of mind that you’re protected should you need it. When travelling with us, your insurance must include a combined medical and repatriation cover of £2 million minimum that includes cover for emergency evacuations and medical expenses related to Covid-19.

You must also ensure your policy includes cover for travel, cancellation and curtailment and full cover for any and all pre-existing medical conditions worldwide, or as a minimum, in the countries you are due to visit.

Your travel insurance documents will be checked at the terminal and must cover the entire duration of your holiday. Unfortunately you will be denied boarding, at your own expense, if you don’t have appropriate cover.”

 

This is helpful for those who find it difficult to get insurance that will cover COVID issues:

 

"Cunard has partnered with Holiday Extras to offer appropriate, comprehensive travel insurance cover for our holidays. To find out more, visit www.holidayextras.com/cunard or phone 0800 093 3070 and quote CUNHX. "

 

 

I just got a pair of notifications from Cunard about my crossing in May 2022. One says the 2 million GBP minimum insurance coverage (for UK residents, which I'm not) is a "must", the other says "strongly recommend". Checking an insurance clearinghouse, this seems to be more than double the maximum amount available (but apparently Cunard's provider has this coverage, per @david,Mississauga). Any thoughts on this? blockquote widget

[Lakesregion]

1 hour ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

 

I just got a pair of notifications from Cunard about my crossing in May 2022. One says the 2 million GBP minimum insurance coverage (for UK residents, which I'm not) is a "must", the other says "strongly recommend". Checking an insurance clearinghouse, this seems to be more than double the maximum amount available (but apparently Cunard's provider has this coverage, per @david,Mississauga). Any thoughts on this? 

Hopefully that level of crazy will not last long as the premiums for such a huge amount of insurance and the logistics for coverage on say the world cruise will be next to impossible and if possible would run to hundreds of pages. Cunard is over reacting and may have a choice to either pack it in as a company of lighten up. We shall see. 

[Host Hattie]

My annual travel insurance policy has £10 million medical coverage so I don't think the Cunard requirement is crazy or double the usual amount on offer.

[rakkor]

Jane spoke to our insurers regarding the Cunard requirements for our upcoming November Carribbean cruise on QM2 when they first came out, and they were of the opinion that it was not a  problem and coverered by the existing policy - This was specifically about this section

 

"cover for emergency evacuations and medical expenses for COVID-19. Cover must also include
repatriation, cancellation and curtailment and full cover for pre-existing
medical conditions in the countries you are due to visit"

 

She was worried that this might be excluded as it was Covid-19 related - as HH says the cover for £10 milliion seems pretty standard.

[bluemarble]

3 hours ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

 

I just got a pair of notifications from Cunard about my crossing in May 2022. One says the 2 million GBP minimum insurance coverage (for UK residents, which I'm not) is a "must", the other says "strongly recommend". Checking an insurance clearinghouse, this seems to be more than double the maximum amount available (but apparently Cunard's provider has this coverage, per @david,Mississauga). Any thoughts on this? 

 

50 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

My annual travel insurance policy has £10 million medical coverage so I don't think the Cunard requirement is crazy or double the usual amount on offer.

 

I get the impression there is a huge disconnect in travel insurance coverage offered between the UK and the US.

 

When I check the coverage offered in the UK by the company Cunard recommends through their website (Holiday Extras), the policies range from £5 million to £10 million in medical coverage.

 

When I check the coverage offered in the US through Cunard as their CunardCare Guest Protection plan, the coverage amounts are as follows.

Medical Expense Coverage: $20,000

Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation: $50,000

 

If there is a way to purchase travel medical coverage for anywhere near £2 million through Cunard in the US, I'd be interested to learn about the details.

Edited May 25, 2021 by bluemarble

[Lakesregion]

7 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

My annual travel insurance policy has £10 million medical coverage so I don't think the Cunard requirement is crazy or double the usual amount on offer.

Huge difference between the UK and the US, being from the US where personal responsibility is at the forefront of medical issues vs government, no way could we afford or even find insurance coverage that meets Cunard requirements. But then Cunard may understand that and not require such onerous amounts from non-UK residents. As stated we shall wait and see.

[outlawuk]

We are booked on QV World Cruise 2022, booked with deposit paid before COVID caused any restrictions. How do I escape from this disaster! How do I get my deposit back. So Cunard have emailed updated terms and conditions (UK) for this cruise and basically they now require Proof on checking-in (or refused carriage at our expense) of:

Full insurance including all pre-conditions, plus covid cover to include repatriation, cancellation and curtailment, to be min of 2 million pounds.

Basically, in the absence of them as a company offering such insurance at a FAIR price then this holiday is to be cancelled. How would any world cruise passenger afford this? But is such insurance even available?? Surely the insurers and underwriters would run a mile from any policy such as this?

This is really a disaster and I'm now only concerned how I get the deposit back. If we cancel now they will likely refuse a refund but if we leave it to wait and see if They cancel the cruise they will accuse us of having delayed cancellation, so I think we are screwed either way. End of cruising I fear for us. This is very very sad.

[Host Hattie]

I'm not booked on this cruise but my annual travel insurance policy would meet those conditions. 

What insurance cover do you have currently ? I would imagine world cruise insurance is expensive at the best of times.

[Host Hattie]

I've split the insurance discussion out as it deserved it's own thread.

There is also a board specifically for insurance questions.

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

I'm not booked on this cruise but my annual travel insurance policy would meet those conditions. 

What insurance cover do you have currently ? I would imagine world cruise insurance is expensive at the best of times.

As would ours although we'd need an eighteen day extension to the policy allowable ninety days for a single trip

[rakkor]

While Jane was speaking to our insurers Re: the Covid requirements from Cunard, I clicked through from the Voyage Personaliser (My Cunard) to the Cunard insurance offering there and after putting in my details (and I have many preconditions) the cost for the pair of us for 26 nights US and Caribbean was £650ish - A price I would have paid if required. It wasn't, so I'm happy to keep the £650, but I wouldn't have lost deposit and cruise because of it.

Edited May 26, 2021 by rakkor

[Windsurfboy]

Most insurance  in UK covers 2 million medical.  However most are only valid for green list countries,  for amber and red you are insured for zero..

 

Thus Cunard will have to restrict cruises to green list countries or invalidate insurance it insists you have.

 

It's all a bit previous. 

[Smitheroo]

I thought that since the notification gave the amount of coverage in "GBP" it was intended for UK citizens. 

[K_e_short]

The insurance requirement is for all passengers.

 

I am Canadian and received the same notice.

 

I have 2 million CAD coverage on top of evacuation/repatriation, and a few others things I've forgotten (I went on a cruise a month after finding out i'd need my gallbladder out and took my chances I would not have a severe attack while on the cruise) as I researched specifically what I was covered for on a cruise.

 

 

 

[watsonbeau]

Am in UK - am I correct in saying that at present FCDO advice is still to avoid cruises (other than the round UK ones ) as if so then surely at present you would have to take out insurance that covers travel against FCDO advice if you book ? Sorry am confused ! Thank you 

[Victoria2]

8 hours ago, watsonbeau said:

Am in UK - am I correct in saying that at present FCDO advice is still to avoid cruises (other than the round UK ones ) as if so then surely at present you would have to take out insurance that covers travel against FCDO advice if you book ? Sorry am confused ! Thank you 

Very true and assuming, going off previous mailshots Cunard will be following FCO advice to the letter for UK insurances to be valid, my take on travel insurance would be, and I am more than willing to be proved incorrect as I have no definitive knowledge here, is  if the cruise is paid for and subsequently a prospective passenger falls ill or some such and has to cancel before Cunard themselves cancel or rearrange the itinerary to such an extent  passengers have the right to cancel the trip themselves without penalty, then the whole shebang could become expensive.

 

 

 

[majortom10]

11 hours ago, watsonbeau said:

Am in UK - am I correct in saying that at present FCDO advice is still to avoid cruises (other than the round UK ones ) as if so then surely at present you would have to take out insurance that covers travel against FCDO advice if you book ? Sorry am confused ! Thank you 

No that is incorrect the insurance covers you for when you actually do the cruise not the FCDO on the day you take it out. Many travel insurance companies are currently selling travel insurance for Seacation/Staycation cruises and if it was against government advice they wouldnt be doing it. Many cruise lines are currently selling and in fact some sailing at present on UK waters cruises and have been given the go ahead from the government, currently there are no other normal cruises are operating at the moment from the UK.

[Nick&Simon]

From Cunard's FAQ (2nd June):

 

At the terminal guests will be asked to confirm you have insurance. Guests may be asked for proof of their travel insurance so guests should bring either a printed or digital copy of their insurance documentation that confirms cover for the named travellers over the dates of travel.

If we ask to see confirmation of insurance, we will be looking for a travel insurance document that names the travelling guests and confirms cover for the dates of the cruise. We will not be able to check for any specific details of the policy other than the name and valid dates of insurance. It remains the guest’s responsibility to ensure they are adequately covered based on our requirements and their personal needs.

 

 

[TouchstoneFeste]

3 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

From Cunard's FAQ (2nd June):

 

At the terminal guests will be asked to confirm you have insurance. Guests may be asked for proof of their travel insurance so guests should bring either a printed or digital copy of their insurance documentation that confirms cover for the named travellers over the dates of travel.

If we ask to see confirmation of insurance, we will be looking for a travel insurance document that names the travelling guests and confirms cover for the dates of the cruise. We will not be able to check for any specific details of the policy other than the name and valid dates of insurance. It remains the guest’s responsibility to ensure they are adequately covered based on our requirements and their personal needs.

 

 

Thanks for spotting that! From the UK site, no doubt. I don't find it on the US site (insurance is optional, per the FAQ) but at present, UK travellers are the relevant ones.

 

[mcloaked]

On 5/26/2021 at 5:03 PM, Windsurfboy said:

Most insurance  in UK covers 2 million medical.  However most are only valid for green list countries,  for amber and red you are insured for zero..

 

Thus Cunard will have to restrict cruises to green list countries or invalidate insurance it insists you have.

 

It's all a bit previous. 

 

Of course which countries are classified green, amber or red, can change at any time - and of course as the virus gets more problematic with rises in cases or less problematic as countries get their populations vaccinated or bring in measures to reduce the transmission of the virus, then it will remain uncertain until very close to the time of travel. After all if you were on a voyage, and a port of call that was in a green listed country, became amber or red before you got there, then it would be logical to cancel the port of call if the classification went amber or red, since it would mean the risk of being infected, even if fully vaccinated, was higher.  Whilst everyone wants to maintain their individual freedom to choose which places they would be prepared to visit, none of us has the individual freedom to choose to do so if it could make others ill, or lead to other people being hospitalised or passing away - so it is right to restrict individual freedoms to protect the population as a whole. The insurance companies have every right to refuse cover to anyone travelling to a country where the risk of being infected with a virus that could result in significant medical costs is high.