Cruise insurance yay or nay

[Joebucks]

Travel insurance is like all insurance, a waste, except for the less than 1% of people who need it. (And no, I don't consider CFAR people as "needing" it). The average, healthy, person is going to come out far behind insurance payments in life. Whereas, most people are better off investing that money. Not to sound heartless, but a handful of old people falling, and breaking their hip, is a terrible sales pitch for the rest of society.

 

Those saying you need it more than ever because of COVID, are missing a ton of context. Check your policies to see what they actually cover. Many do not cover pandemic. If they do, you will also pay extra for it. It is a terrible oversight to believe that buying *a* plan insures you at your slightest inconvenience.

 

There are some instances it is worth it. There are multiple options out there. Annual plans can make sense for some (for evac too). There are credit cards with included insurance (my preferred option). Know your coverage. Know what you need. Make a decision. An 80 year old, with health issues, doing a world cruise is a vastly different scenario than a young, healthy, person going to the Bahamas for a weekend. 

[davy jones]

10 hours ago, eagletwo said:

Buying trip insurance is a tough decision. Personally, we always buy it. I'm in the private air charter business. A flight to take me home from Nassau would be over $15K, not counting any fees if I were transported by helicopter from the ship to the closest land based hospital, plus the fees the local doctors charge. 

 

Call it a ripoff, but like car insurance, you really don't need it until you need it. 

I had to reply because of your avatar.

 

We didn't purchase cruise insurance for over 30 years.   We are now that much older and times have changed so we now get insurance.  That said, we do not buy insurance from the cruise line.  We buy insurance from the private market to cover delays, trip interruption, and medical and evacuation coverage.  Fortunately, we have never needed it.  However, a single trip to the ship doctor would pay for the premiums many times over.

[TravelGirlinDallas]

We started buying trip insurance when we had a child. We were worried he might get sick and we'd have to cancel at the last minute. Of course, as we get older, we realize that we could just as easily get sick at the last minute or during the trip, too. When you're young, you don't think of such things. 

 

We use InsureMyTrip. Thankfully, we've never had to file a claim.

[Babr]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

Travel insurance is like all insurance, a waste, except for the less than 1% of people who need it. (And no, I don't consider CFAR people as "needing" it). The average, healthy, person is going to come out far behind insurance payments in life. Whereas, most people are better off investing that money. Not to sound heartless, but a handful of old people falling, and breaking their hip, is a terrible sales pitch for the rest of society.

 

Those saying you need it more than ever because of COVID, are missing a ton of context. Check your policies to see what they actually cover. Many do not cover pandemic. If they do, you will also pay extra for it. It is a terrible oversight to believe that buying *a* plan insures you at your slightest inconvenience.

 

There are some instances it is worth it. There are multiple options out there. Annual plans can make sense for some (for evac too). There are credit cards with included insurance (my preferred option). Know your coverage. Know what you need. Make a decision. An 80 year old, with health issues, doing a world cruise is a vastly different scenario than a young, healthy, person going to the Bahamas for a weekend. 

 

Lots of  people feel as you do and choose to self-insure for cancellation and travel disruptions. It depends on an individual’s risk tolerance and ability to bear the financial loss.

 

Many credit cards offer travel benefits. The cancellation portion is probably enough to cover a seven day Caribbean cruise, but the medical is minimal to non-existant. Even the premium cards max out at $2,500. Medical is the biggest risk, even for the young and healthy. Think of ATV excursions or zip lining.

 

Most policies today do cover Covid as any other illness at no additional cost. There are some that exclude pandemics but have Covid endorsements. Its complicated. Insure My Trip has a search feature that allows you to search for Covid-friendly policies, but it is still important to read carefully and consult a professional if necessary.

 

As far as Covid coverage goes, I do not expect fully vaccinated people to be sick enough to need hospitalization or evacuation. It would be a concern if traveling with unvaccinated children.

 

Quarantine has not been much of a problem up to this point. I have not seen any reports of people being left behind in Caribbean hotels. Most have been confined to quarters for the remainder of the cruise and released to go home upon returning to port. 
 

There are many choices to protect yourself financially. Review what you have, and add what you need to feel comfortable. A standard comprehensive travel policy should be adequate.

[sanger727]

Just to be clear; alot of people are lumping comprehensive trip insurance with medical insurance by claiming they aren't worried about cancellation, just medical coverage. Medical/evacuation coverage can be purchase by itself at a significant discount compared to "travel" insurance. We have only ever purchased travel insurance once and it was CFAR because there was  chance that I would have to cancel due to work issues. We have purchased medical/evacuation coverage only. Comparing in price; one trip for example that I priced out both (it was a rather expensive 3 week international trip). Full comprehensive insurance was $400+; We got medical/evacuation policy with a limit of 1,000,000 for less than $50.

 

I also think that if the purpose of purchasing trip insurance is due to covid, that you will have to be really careful and read all the fine print of the policy. They may not cover it at all; or may not cover it if you go to place that the CDC says not to travel to.

[GonzoWCS]

13 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

1. Always buy cruise insurance especially now. 
 

2. All the cruise info you could want can be found in the cruise insurance forum. 
 

3. I had to squint to even try to read that horrible font you have . I have a headache now. 

Yes!

[tm_aw_love]

11 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

I also think that if the purpose of purchasing trip insurance is due to covid, that you will have to be really careful and read all the fine print of the policy. They may not cover it at all; or may not cover it if you go to place that the CDC says not to travel to.

This is a major key that many people are not paying close enough attention to right now. Many traditional travel insurance plans are excluding COVID and/or making it secondary coverage to your primary coverage. READ THE FINE PRINT. From what I have read, Allianz is the only company that added an epidemic endorsement to ALL of their traditional policies which will cover basically everything related to the pandemic (medical, repatriation, evacuation, quarantine, etc.)

 

I have never purchased any type of travel insurance in the past. I relied on my credit card coverage for trip interruptions and my private medical insurance through my employer... and yes I have filed claims, and NEVER had any issues having those things covered. However, these are different times and your own personal comfort with risk must be weighed in that decision. 

[AtSeaWithChris]

2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

a handful of old people falling, and breaking their hip

Actually, they usually break their hip and fall. 

[Joebucks]

1 hour ago, Babr said:

 

Lots of  people feel as you do and choose to self-insure for cancellation and travel disruptions. It depends on an individual’s risk tolerance and ability to bear the financial loss.

 

Many credit cards offer travel benefits. The cancellation portion is probably enough to cover a seven day Caribbean cruise, but the medical is minimal to non-existant. Even the premium cards max out at $2,500. Medical is the biggest risk, even for the young and healthy. Think of ATV excursions or zip lining.

 

Most policies today do cover Covid as any other illness at no additional cost. There are some that exclude pandemics but have Covid endorsements. Its complicated. Insure My Trip has a search feature that allows you to search for Covid-friendly policies, but it is still important to read carefully and consult a professional if necessary.

 

As far as Covid coverage goes, I do not expect fully vaccinated people to be sick enough to need hospitalization or evacuation. It would be a concern if traveling with unvaccinated children.

 

Quarantine has not been much of a problem up to this point. I have not seen any reports of people being left behind in Caribbean hotels. Most have been confined to quarters for the remainder of the cruise and released to go home upon returning to port. 
 

There are many choices to protect yourself financially. Review what you have, and add what you need to feel comfortable. A standard comprehensive travel policy should be adequate.

 

While a solid response, there is still way more to consider. That is a huge misconception that travel insurances are "covering COVID" at no additional cost. The very principle of insurance is as risk goes up, so does the cost. Insurance generally covers statistically improbable events. People also see "COVID coverage" and misgauge what that is. When in reality, it might say something like you must be vaccinated and it will cover your treatment if you fall seriously ill. Who is falling seriously ill on cruises at the moment? Or maybe there is trip cancellation if A, B, and C conditions are met. 

 

Also, be careful with the ATV and ziplining accident coverage. Many plans do not cover those by default. Sometimes, it can be added for a small fee. Which, that is probably worth it if you are doing those things.

 

Good discussion. It's always good to know what you are buying, and what you need.

[Babr]

1 minute ago, Joebucks said:

 

While a solid response, there is still way more to consider. That is a huge misconception that travel insurances are "covering COVID" at no additional cost. The very principle of insurance is as risk goes up, so does the cost. Insurance generally covers statistically improbable events. People also see "COVID coverage" and misgauge what that is. When in reality, it might say something like you must be vaccinated and it will cover your treatment if you fall seriously ill. Who is falling seriously ill on cruises at the moment? Or maybe there is trip cancellation if A, B, and C conditions are met. 

 

Also, be careful with the ATV and ziplining accident coverage. Many plans do not cover those by default. Sometimes, it can be added for a small fee. Which, that is probably worth it if you are doing those things.

 

Good discussion. It's always good to know what you are buying, and what you need.

Thanks for your vote of confidence. I agree that prices overall may be more, but I was thinking about the fact that insurance is regulated and any adjustments in premiums were evaluated and approved across each company’s portfolio. If there is an increased cost, it is invisible to the consumer. It was not covered at all at the beginning of the pandemic because it was a known risk that was way too high. Vaccines and treatments have lessened that risk.

 

I also agree that Covid coverage may not be that important since vaccinated people are’t likely to need hospitalization. It is the unvaccinated at highest risk. Lots of people are concerned about having to quarantine in a foreign country, but that isn’t happening as far as I can see. Folks are not even required to quarantine when they disembark at home port. I am aware of only one instance, and that included an unvaccinated child who tested positive.

 

High risk activities are a separate issue. I was just pointing out that young people may want to think about insurance even if they are healthy and strong. Accidents still happen. While checking that list of exclusions, Carnival cruisers who intend to take full advantage of their Cheers package may want to note that falling down stairs while impaired is not covered.  Take the elevator.

 

Always way more to consider with insurance. It is complicated, and policies are so varied that it is hard to speak in general terms.

[floatn]

Are you prepared for the additional out of pocket costs of 10 day isolation or quarantine either in a foreign country of state-side? Hotel rooms, food, miscellaneous expenses, airfare, air change fees? These are the types of things a good insurance policy should cover and there are plenty out there that do so. Every week there are folks at an all inclusive resort in MX or DR that unexpectedly test positive on that required test to fly and end up at the resort in isolation for an additional10 days. Many of the resorts are covering this but I don't know of any of the cruise lines that are. Even if you've done your part and are vaccinated, you can test positive during a cruise with symptoms or can be identified as a close contact of someone who is positive. Insurance is a just in case. And there are lots of just in case situations these days...

[sparks1093]

39 minutes ago, floatn said:

Are you prepared for the additional out of pocket costs of 10 day isolation or quarantine either in a foreign country of state-side? Hotel rooms, food, miscellaneous expenses, airfare, air change fees? These are the types of things a good insurance policy should cover and there are plenty out there that do so. Every week there are folks at an all inclusive resort in MX or DR that unexpectedly test positive on that required test to fly and end up at the resort in isolation for an additional10 days. Many of the resorts are covering this but I don't know of any of the cruise lines that are. Even if you've done your part and are vaccinated, you can test positive during a cruise with symptoms or can be identified as a close contact of someone who is positive. Insurance is a just in case. And there are lots of just in case situations these days...

I hope that they are prepared for additional out of pocket expenses because even with travel insurance you typically must pay first, then seek reimbursement from the insurer. The same thing goes for medical- many providers in the port won't provide treatment until payment is made even if the passenger has insurance, so those costs need to be paid and then reimbursed. We get insurance, but are also aware of the limitations involved.

[EngIceDave]

Short answer for the TL/DR crowd - No

 

Long answer, I just spent 20 years on the road traveling a lot the world. In that, a bunch of cruises as well.

 

My advice; Plan well and do not buy cheap.

 

What happened with Spirit is what happens with budget stuff.  A large legacy carrier will fix the issue faster and be back up to speed more quickly, and faster to pay you back. Delta had a computer failure and stuck us in ATL. We stayed night in hotel, rented a car and drove home to Port Canaveral area.

Delta credited the flight, hotel and rental to my card.

 

Use reputable vendors, don't buy cheapest and pay close attention to details, like airport layovers (turns). Even with my experience, I want no layover less than an hour. I can make most flights in less. I can get from one end of ATL to the other in less than 30 minutes...I've done it. Few times. 

HAVE YOUR (shoot/shart/poop) TOGETHER - Always verify and triple verify your paperwork, your IDs, tickets and everything, many times. Leave nothing to chance.

 

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by EngIceDave
dorkfinger

[Edhoff]

Bought it, Used it after wife was in intensive care 3 days before sailing.  Your probably going to lose that much in the casino so why no gamble that Something Just Might Happen.

[sanger727]

33 minutes ago, Edhoff said:

Bought it, Used it after wife was in intensive care 3 days before sailing.  Your probably going to lose that much in the casino so why no gamble that Something Just Might Happen.

 

If you add up all the money I've gambled in a casino in my life it wouldn't add up to the price of one trip cancellation policy.

[kona_wahine]

My first thought when I started reading this thread was, when will the travel insurance people start denying claims because of covid. Definitely need to do research and make sure it’s covered.

 

We were supposed to do a cruise 2/2021 for my 60th, which got cancelled of course.  But, while I would have been on the cruise, I ended up with a GI bleed.  Not to say it still would have happened, who knows. But if it had happened while we were cruising who knows what would have happened.  I ended up in ICU with a blood transfusion. My hospital bill was $34,000. I’m very healthy, this was just a freak thing. Don’t think it can’t happen to you!

[originalgeek]

We have been on 5 cruises now and never bought it. We live in central Florida and drive to port and so far there have been no issues.

But we have our 6th and 7th cruises booked for next year.  One is a 6 day from Miami and we didn't get insurance for that one but our big cruise next year is our 36th anniversary cruise - 10-day to Alaska from San Francisco.  It will be our first time flying to a cruise and it seemed like the right time to get insurance so we did.  

I will be perfectly happy if we spent that money for nothing.

[Bo1953]

On 8/16/2021 at 9:04 PM, croix153 said:

All travel insurance is a scam.  Believe me, I've bought it before thinking I was safe only to lose out 75%+ of my fare because of some BS in the fine print for Norwegian's "peace of mind" (or whatever the F they call it) insurance.

 

Here's what you do:

 

Every cruise you book, DONT buy insurance.  Instead, put the price of the travel insurance you'd typically buy into a dedicated savings account (look into online banks that let you create as many subaccounts as you want) for "Travel Insurance".  I guarantee you by the time you actually NEED travel insurance, you will have enough in that account to pay for your lost fare and a free cruise on top of that.

Unless you get ill or hurt in a foreign country and need hospitalization and evacuation home...

 

In health and bon voyage

[sjhanksaz]

So a few years ago we had a cruise planned with some friends.  about 40 days before the cruise my friend's retina detached.  He had to undergo an operation and then had to keep his head down for almost a month and then he could not travel to any elevation changes for another couple of months.  Needless to say he had to cancel the cruise and they lost quite a bit of money.

 

Ever since then we have purchased travel insurance. 

 

We never buy it through the cruise ship or airline.  We find it cheaper to search out companies on the net and get a policy for a lot less that covers the cruise, airfare and much more than just what the cruise ship offers.

 

Anyway I think it's a good deal for a couple of hundred dollars to get at least your non refundable back in the event of something happening.