I suspect many people who cruise don't have full Covid insurance?

[Interestedcruisefan]

I came across this elsewhere on this forum (which is very specific about special Covid insurance you now need for cruising with MSC)

 

"To ensure peace of mind, MSC Cruises requires all guests to have a specific and mandatory Covid-19 insurance policy to embark, covering against COVID-19 related risks, i.e cancellation, interruption, repatriation expenses, quarantine, medical assistance and related expenses, as well as hospitalization. A proof of the specific COVID-19 coverage insurance policy - which must be in one of the following languages: English, Italian, German, French or Spanish - must be presented at embarkation or boarding will be denied."

 

When we did a Britannia staycation in August we were contacted by P and O several times to say we too would need to prove we had special Covid insurance to be allowed to board.  I must say the P and O email was nowhere near as detailed as the above. 

 

We used the link from P and O to book to be sure it met their needs. On embarkation I had it ready to show the greeters but they just had a very quick glance at the insurance confirmation

 

From many comments I've seen on here posters often say they have cruise insurance already in place. I do have to question if their policies have all of the above special Covid insurance in place tbh. And unless greeters on embarkation day have time to scrutinise every policy in detail I suspect passengers are cruising without the specific cover in place 

 

insurance is such a minefield. 

 

What do you think guys ?

[Bgees]

This is on the P&O website:

 

Travel insurance

It’s mandatory for all UK guests to have comprehensive cruise-specific travel insurance when you sail with us. Whilst we hope you never have to claim, the policy will ensure you’re able to relax and enjoy your holiday knowing you’re protected should you need it. When travelling with us, your insurance must include medical cover of £2 million minimum and cover for emergency evacuations and medical expenses related to COVID-19. You must also ensure your policy includes cover for repatriation, 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.

You will be asked to confirm you have travel insurance at the terminal/airport and you may need to provide proof of your policy. It is your responsibility to ensure you have appropriate cover in place. Unfortunately you will be denied boarding, at your own expense, if you do not arrange insurance. P&O Cruises has partnered with Holiday Extras to offer appropriate comprehensive travel insurance cover for our holidays. For more information regarding travel insurance requirements please visit www.pocruises.com/travel-insurance

 

 

[daddyfixit]

I tried but their site was down; So I done the usual comparison sites and prices are mad !!  I have 2 existing conditions so I tried my own bank (Nationwide) who I have never even thought of actually--their quote was 1/3rd of the comparison sites and I will be paying it on Saturday as they are giving up on taking on any new travel insurance apparently.

[evitacruiser]

On 10/8/2021 at 12:53 PM, daddyfixit said:

I tried but their site was down; So I done the usual comparison sites and prices are mad !!  I have 2 existing conditions so I tried my own bank (Nationwide) who I have never even thought of actually--their quote was 1/3rd of the comparison sites and I will be paying it on Saturday as they are giving up on taking on any new travel insurance apparently.

If you have a FlexPlus account with Nationwide you get free travel insurance and various other cover for £13 a month. We claimed on it when my husband had a detached retina and couldn't fly and they were fantastic. You are 'allowed' two pre existing conditions before they add an extra premium.

[Interestedcruisefan]

15 minutes ago, evitacruiser said:

If you have a FlexPlus account with Nationwide you get free travel insurance and various other cover for £13 a month. We claimed on it when my husband had a detached retina and couldn't fly and they were fantastic. You are 'allowed' two pre existing conditions before they add an extra premium.

Lots of us get FOC insurance from our banks etc

 

I cannot imagine it covers us for the special Covid insurance cruise lines are now advising us and requiring us to book

 

Hence why I started this thread in the first place

Edited October 9, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[evitacruiser]

4 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Lots of us get FOC insurance from our banks etc

 

I cannot imagine it covers us for the special Covid insurance cruise lines are now advising us and requiring us to book

 

Hence why I started thus thread in the first place

I think that it is available as an extra costing £40. Obviously, the full T&C's would need to be studied to see if it fully complies with what they are demanding.

 

This is the extra to the cruise cover which is standard on the policies and which does include Covid cover (again, this may not be what each individual deems sufficient)

 

Cruise cover

This upgrade includes extra benefits specifically for a cruise trip that is not covered as standard. For instance, missing a port departure and compensation if you're confined to your cabin or if a port stop on your schedule is cancelled.

[Mark36]

HI Just returned from PO IONA today after 2 weeks around Spain. We took out PO advertised cover and price was about the same as we used to pay with Staysure,  PO Holiday extras insurance has all covid cover required that we needed. Happy with price. 

[molecrochip]

There is no Covid special insurance required for P&O. It is just a requirement that your insurance will cover Covid as a condition. At the start of the pandemic a lot of the insurance companies would not cover Covid therefore the current guidance is written how it is.

 

I hold one of the few travel insurance policies that has covered Covid throughout the pandemic and since summer last year, I've been able to request a specific letter which confirms that Covid is an included condition. I travel with this letter; in fact its the only bit of physical paperwork I take with me.

 

As for cruise cover add-ons. Take it or leave it; they very rarely increase coverage of medical conditions. As per the example above, you get a cash benefit if you're confined to cabin or a port stop is missed. and it covers if you are late back and have missed the ship. By the time you take the extra add-n cost and excesses off it is not normally worth it.

 

My tip: if you're running late for the ship, phone the port agent and advise them of the status. In most ports there is a few minutes flexibility and if its something serious then P&O are likely to do their best to help. What annoys captains is not knowing.

[Megabear2]

Hi, thanks for the tip.  Does your policy cover you for quarantine if you are removed from the ship without a positive Covid test at the insistence of the port authorities, for instance if my husband tested positive mid voyage but my tests return negative?  I am trying to buy a new policy at the moment and so far have been unsuccessful in finding any such policy in the market.

[jeanlyon]

That appears to be the problem.  I don't think any of them cover quarantine if you are offloaded from the ship.

[davecttr]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

That appears to be the problem.  I don't think any of them cover quarantine if you are offloaded from the ship.

To clarify matters if you are quarantined because you tested positive you have the disease and are covered if your policy says it covers COVID, mine does. If you are quarantined because your travelling companion has tested positive and or because the port authority insist then your case will be assessed on an individual basis. That is what my policy says after reading the 21 places where the word occurs 😵

[terrierjohn]

8 minutes ago, davecttr said:

To clarify matters if you are quarantined because you tested positive you have the disease and are covered if your policy says it covers COVID, mine does. If you are quarantined because your travelling companion has tested positive and or because the port authority insist then your case will be assessed on an individual basis. That is what my policy says after reading the 21 places where the word occurs 😵

I wonder how this is applied when a couple have a joint policy?

[molecrochip]

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Hi, thanks for the tip.  Does your policy cover you for quarantine if you are removed from the ship without a positive Covid test at the insistence of the port authorities, for instance if my husband tested positive mid voyage but my tests return negative?  I am trying to buy a new policy at the moment and so far have been unsuccessful in finding any such policy in the market.

I'm summarising here:

 

Under medical expenses:

• If You have an accident or You are ill during Your Trip, contact Us as soon as You can. By contacting Us, We will, where possible, arrange everything necessary for You including seeing a doctor or other medical professional, admission to hospital and Your medical treatment. We will also pay for necessary expenses which have been approved by Our Senior Medical Officer. When You have recovered sufficiently, if necessary We will arrange for Your travel home
• You will be covered for Medical treatment: Up to £2,000,000 for necessary medical, surgical and hospital costs as a result of You becoming ill. In order for Us to evaluate the facts of the medical situation, You must release Your treating physician and Your registered Medical Practitioner(s) from their doctor/ patient confidentiality.
• Return home of Your travelling companions: The cost of an economy flight or standard rail ticket if their original means of transportation home cannot be used.
• Friend or relative to extend their stay during Your treatment: Up to £150 a night (maximum 10 nights) towards their meals and accommodation costs.

 

Under curtailment:

• You will be covered if You, or a person travelling with You, , having an accident, suffering an unforeseen illness or dying;
• You will be paid up to £7,500 in total for the: a) reasonable, necessary travel costs for You to return home, and to resume Your original, booked Trip within the original planned dates of travel; and

 

[Megabear2]

Thank you. Yes, I have read wording almost identical to this on around a dozen policies. However when I called to double check the cover for Covid as opposed to normal medical emergencies, I have been told that if I am quarantined without a positive test the curtailment section would be on a strictly case by case basis.  Mind you you have £7,500 for curtailment, I haven't been offered anything above £5,000 and a lot gave said £2,000 

[Interestedcruisefan]

Doesn't look like the insurance companies have factored in the cost/risk of lots of people being quarantined who are just close contacts but not positive 

 

Obviously same will apply to all cruises not just P and O

 

Cost of flights home for the non positive could be very expensive as well. Most Caribbean countries you could be off loaded at won't have straightforward ways of getting home from either. Let alone the cost

 

I'm sticking to European or Canaries Cruises for a while

 

Ps let's be honest if your loved one gets Covid then you have to disembark with them even if you are negative. And even if you then have to quarantine separately 

 

Covid is unpredictable 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2021 by Interestedcruisefan

[Megabear2]

Exactly. The trouble is costs could run for weeks if you have to have two negative tests after 10 days quarantine. You are right about the Caribbean. Covid is apparently running riot in some islands at present with all the associated risks that you become inadvertently positive.  Looking at some of the itineraries flights home could well take you via the US, The Netherlands or France.  A couple of the islands have literally only just opened their airports to international flights as well.

 

Assumedly unless you had bottomless pockets you would need a definite insurance clause covering this travelling companion situation.  

 

It seems rather unfair if the insurance companies are leading both the cruise lines and the passengers to believe these so called Covid special policies are all that are required.

 

No doubt any passengers already affected will have been forced to sign some non disclosure agreement so we will probably never know what their outcomes have been. I suppose with a handful of cases so far it will be easy to leave the remainder of us in ignorance.