Insurance question please.

[Aus Traveller]

5 minutes ago, Patois said:

I sent a query of to my local member re query re evac from a cruise ship. After the usual pass the buck between departments, i have been advised that medical evac from an overseas operated cruise ship will be billed to the cruise ship. 

What state do you live in?

[Patois]

5 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

What state do you live in?

Qld

 

5 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

What state do you live in?

 

[Aus Traveller]

4 minutes ago, Patois said:

Qld

 

The information you have received is at variance with what Sinbad and I got from Queensland Ambulance, the government body that would organise a medical evac. I am rather puzzled why you would ask your MP. I would not expect them to know the financial arrangement regarding a medical evac from a cruise ship.

 

Which department did you speak to, to get your final answer?

Edited May 9, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[Patois]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

The information you have received is at variance with what Sinbad and I got from Queensland Ambulance, the government body that would organise a medical evac. I am rather puzzled why you would ask your MP. I would not expect them to know the financial arrangement regarding a medical evac from a cruise ship.

 

Which department did you speak to, to get your final answer?

From my experience you get the right answer by going to the top. The reason to go to the MP was that I could not find an answer on either Qld Ambulance or Qld Dept of Health websites. The MP office flicked to the Minister who flicked to the project area of Qld Health who responded today.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, Patois said:

From my experience you get the right answer by going to the top. The reason to go to the MP was that I could not find an answer on either Qld Ambulance or Qld Dept of Health websites. The MP office flicked to the Minister who flicked to the project area of Qld Health who responded today.

I don't go along with bothering my MP, then the Minister, who have to refer the matter to the relevant staff.

 

I will enquire again from Queensland Ambulance and see what they say. I do know what happened in the past (the medival evac from Ql'd territorial waters was free for a Q'ld resident).

 

 

[Patois]

1 minute ago, Aus Traveller said:

I don't go along with bothering my MP, then the Minister, who have to refer the matter to the relevant staff.

 

I will enquire again from Queensland Ambulance and see what they say. I do know what happened in the past (the medival evac from Ql'd territorial waters was free for a Q'ld resident).

 

 

I don't see it as bothering my MP they are there to serve their community , so each to their own.  

[Aus Traveller]

The latest advice (today) from the Queensland Ambulance Service differs from what you were told.

I was told that Q'ld residents are covered for free ambulance transport anywhere within Australia and within territorial waters. A helicopter evacuation from (for instance) the Glasshouse Mountains is free of charge. When I asked about medical evacuation from a cruiseship, the Q'ld Ambulance Service operator read from her notes to say that it would only apply in territorial waters.

 

For transport on land in other states, the Q'ld resident has to forward the interstate invoice to the Q'ld government for payment.

 

We will have to agree to disagree. I will rely on my info 🙂 that I have obtained on two separate occasions and Sinbad has also obtained.

[mr walker]

36 minutes ago, Patois said:

I sent a query of to my local member re query re evac from a cruise ship. After the usual pass the buck between departments, i have been advised that medical evac from an overseas operated cruise ship will be billed to the cruise ship. 

Does the cruise-line know this?

[mr walker]

44 minutes ago, Patois said:

 

Duplicate post

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by mr walker
duplicate

[Patois]

10 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

The latest advice (today) from the Queensland Ambulance Service differs from what you were told.

I was told that Q'ld residents are covered for free ambulance transport anywhere within Australia and within territorial waters. A helicopter evacuation from (for instance) the Glasshouse Mountains is free of charge. When I asked about medical evacuation from a cruiseship, the Q'ld Ambulance Service operator read from her notes to say that it would only apply in territorial waters.

 

For transport on land in other states, the Q'ld resident has to forward the interstate invoice to the Q'ld government for payment.

 

We will have to agree to disagree. I will rely on my info 🙂 that I have obtained on two separate occasions and Sinbad has also obtained.

I don't think it is a case of having to disagree, we both have been relying on advice from a government employee. The written response (email) that I have been promised might have more details than was expressed to me via two phone calls today. 

 

Good question about the cruise lines knowing this.

[Aus Traveller]

8 minutes ago, Patois said:

I don't think it is a case of having to disagree, we both have been relying on advice from a government employee. The written response (email) that I have been promised might have more details than was expressed to me via two phone calls today. 

 

Good question about the cruise lines knowing this.

What department was your written response from?

 

By the way, I also have personal experience of a case where the medical evac from a cruise ship was treated as free ambulance transport.

[Patois]

8 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

What department was your written response from?

 

By the way, I also have personal experience of a case where the medical evac from a cruise ship was treated as free ambulance transport.

I was talking to a the Principal Project Officer from the 

Aeromedical Retrieval and Disaster Management Branch, Prevention Division Queensland Health

 

 

I just thought I would post for general information what I had gathered for my own benefit and I am not doubting any  personal experiences that may be different to the advice I have received.

 

[SinbadThePorter]

On 5/5/2022 at 3:43 PM, SinbadThePorter said:

I emailed the Queensland Ambulance Service for confirmation

 

I forgot to mention that the reply I received was from someone in:

 

Revenue & Debt/Financial Services/Corporate Services/Queensland Ambulance Service/ Qld Dept of Health

Edited May 9, 2022 by SinbadThePorter

[Aus Traveller]

8 minutes ago, Patois said:

I was talking to a the Principal Project Officer from the 

Aeromedical Retrieval and Disaster Management Branch, Prevention Division Queensland Health

I just thought I would post for general information what I had gathered for my own benefit and I am not doubting any  personal experiences that may be different to the advice I have received.

 

Quite a puzzle. I would think that the person you mention would know the correct info. I spoke to someone at Q'd Ambulance who read from the notes they have to enable them to answer questions. This was where the info about land-based helicopter retrieval and medical evac within territorial waters came from.

[By The Bay]

The way I am reading the discussion is that QLD Ambulance cover is only within territorial waters. Territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles from the coastline. Distances outside this would not be covered. I personally, if I was a banana bender, would not be relying on QLD ambulance cover for medical evacuation from a cruise ship.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, By The Bay said:

The way I am reading the discussion is that QLD Ambulance cover is only within territorial waters. Territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles from the coastline. Distances outside this would not be covered. I personally, if I was a banana bender, would not be relying on QLD ambulance cover for medical evacuation from a cruise ship.

I'm not relying on the government-funded evac - we have travel insurance - but it is good to know it is there.

[arxcards]

I apologise if this has been covered, as it was briefly on another thread. I am just a bit lazy to screen through 10 pages of posts.

 

I shopped around a few sites, but not all, and the usual candidates required you to purchase an international policy minus US etc for domestic cruises. That made it really expensive for an annual policy - $800 to $900

 

1cover offers their cruise coverage separate to the policy as an add-on pack. In the case of a domestic cruise, it is a domestic policy plus the cruise pack, making it much cheaper than the international policies. It doesn't cover for any cruises visiting overseas ports, as they require international cover There may be similar with other insurers at a cheaper price - I just haven't seen one yet.

 

Annual policy for 2, lets just say under 60, covering domestic travel & domestic cruises for trips up to 21 days, $200 excess  -  for under $300. We currently have 3 domestic cruises for the remainder of this year, and will likely add another, and we have no plans for any NZ or Pacific Islands.

[Aus Traveller]

11 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Annual policy for 2, lets just say under 60, covering domestic travel & domestic cruises for trips up to 21 days, $200 excess  -  for under $300. We currently have 3 domestic cruises for the remainder of this year, and will likely add another, and we have no plans for any NZ or Pacific Islands.

That's a reasonable price. However, credit card insurance is less - only the annual cost of the card. $87 in the case of ANZ platinum visa. Their policy also covers international for that price. Yes, there is an excess in the case of a claim (I think it is $200), but there is with most policies.

[arxcards]

9 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

That's a reasonable price. However, credit card insurance is less - only the annual cost of the card. $87 in the case of ANZ platinum visa. Their policy also covers international for that price. Yes, there is an excess in the case of a claim (I think it is $200), but there is with most policies.

Yeah, I don't need another credit card. I get more mileage out of the 28degree no international conversion charges, and that is still one card too many in my wallet.

 

[Aussieflyer]

On 5/9/2022 at 3:43 PM, Patois said:

I don't see it as bothering my MP they are there to serve their community , so each to their own.  

You are aware though that the MP doesn't do anything - his/her office will send it off to a public servant in a department to write the reply. Due to caretaker conventions, most ministerial correspondences are handled by the relevant department. A QLD govt MP will have a similar arrangement (just no caretaker) as above as well. 

[Aussieflyer]

On 5/2/2022 at 2:46 PM, ~*Lou*~ said:

Am I reading Covermore's website and PDS right - on 20th April they updated their policy and now cover cruising for an additional premium. Anyone else seen that? We're on Coral on 26th June (family of 4, not seniors) so I want to get it sorted soon.

I had a feeling that Covermore do not cover Covid if you get sick on the cruise. The article I read seemed to imply the company actually covered less (for a higher price). May have changed now though.🙂

[Aussieflyer]

5 minutes ago, Aussieflyer said:

I had a feeling that Covermore do not cover Covid if you get sick on the cruise. The article I read seemed to imply the company actually covered less (for a higher price). May have changed now though.🙂

I just looked up the PDS and covid is now covered for a multi-night cruise (new from 22 April) so my info is out of date.

 

Apologies for the bum steer!

[cruisine21]

8 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

That's a reasonable price. However, credit card insurance is less - only the annual cost of the card. $87 in the case of ANZ platinum visa. Their policy also covers international for that price. Yes, there is an excess in the case of a claim (I think it is $200), but there is with most policies.

 

Is it difficult to get an ANZ platinum visa when you are a self funded retiree? How about pre existing medical condition coverage? I have quite a few.

[Aus Traveller]

11 hours ago, cruisine21 said:

 

Is it difficult to get an ANZ platinum visa when you are a self funded retiree? How about pre existing medical condition coverage? I have quite a few.

We are self-funded retirees. The ANZ website says that anyone applying for the card has to have a good credit history (or words to that effect). It does not state a minimum taxable income.

 

Like all travel insurance, there is a long list of pre-existing conditions that are accepted automatically but some have a proviso. As an example - asthma. From memory, it says asthma is accepted UNLESS the person has had emergency treatment for it in the last year or is over 65. Because of my age I have to apply for coverage. This used to cost $40 but I think it is now $75. When I have applied in the past, someone phoned me and asked a few questions. My asthma is very mild and controlled so the only issue was age. I had the feeling my acceptance was virtually automatic.

 

I suggest you read the on-line pds for any insurance you are considering.

Edited May 10, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[Elorac123]

16 hours ago, Aussieflyer said:

I just looked up the PDS and covid is now covered for a multi-night cruise (new from 22 April) so my info is out of date.

 

Apologies for the bum steer!

Read the PDS and you will find you have to pay additional excess if your claim is Covid related $250 upwards.

Cheers Carole