Insurance question please.

[lahore]

I've been reading this with interest.  We don't normally cruise within Australia, although we live here.  Hubby is 77 with pre-existings.  We have ANZ Platinum and pre-covid he used an annual policy with InsurandGo (since refunded for 2020).  

We have a cruise Dubai to Melbourne booked with Azamara in November/December 22.    I am starting to research insurance, didn't see the point previously as everything changing so quickly.  Spent half an hour waiting and half an hour on the phone to ANZ/Allianz yesterday and they are going to phone back to assess his pre-exisiting (pulmonary embolism in 2017).  I'm expecting they will knock him back but I'll let you all know.  They do cover COVID so I'll probably rely on them for myself.

 

In the expectation of a knock back from ANZ/Allianz for him, I also sent a PM on social media to InsurandGO.  They informed me that they will have a cruise policy out in two weeks (as of 20th May, 2022).  So I'll be keeping an eye out for that.

 

I'll update you on what I find out.

Edited May 21, 2022 by lahore

[joejoe 59]

This week after months of pain & discomfort hubby was diagnosed with a Inguinal hernia. Do I need to advise the travel insurer? I realise it won't be covered  when we are away. Or should I try & see if it can be covered if possible? (My preference) Of course hubby says he will be fine & not to worry 😏

Dr says he is fine to travel to Fiji.

[Aus Traveller]

12 minutes ago, joejoe 59 said:

This week after months of pain & discomfort hubby was diagnosed with a Inguinal hernia. Do I need to advise the travel insurer? I realise it won't be covered  when we are away. Or should I try & see if it can be covered if possible? (My preference) Of course hubby says he will be fine & not to worry 😏

Dr says he is fine to travel to Fiji.

Is it possible your husband's condition could result in a medical emergency? If not, take your doctor's advice and have a good holiday.

[NSWP]

On 5/11/2022 at 2:54 PM, dillpickle48 said:

Got a quote from Covermore today. Aged 74 and with pre-existing health problems. This was for a 16 day cruise to NZ. Quote $1548. Yes and there are excess payments for Covid claims. Now I just have to decide if I really want to cruise as a single. Cheapest solo price for a verandah $7500.

Crikey, those are big prices, have you checked out 1Cover? I just got domestic cruise cover from them for $238 with 5 declared pre existing conditions.     ## Which cruise line was the $7500 Verandah price? I just today got a forward verandah (balcony) on Westerdam, 13 days, for AU4655 inc taxes, as a solo traveller and US$200 obc.

[dillpickle48]

Price for Noordam Christmas and New Year cruise 16 days. Cheapest balcony. I know I could have found a cheaper cruise if not over the holiday period but that is the time I wanted to be away. My pre-existing are for multiple heart complaints and one unsolved coma period. They don’t like that. Age 74.

[erewhon]

On 5/22/2022 at 7:20 PM, dillpickle48 said:

Price for Noordam Christmas and New Year cruise 16 days. Cheapest balcony. I know I could have found a cheaper cruise if not over the holiday period but that is the time I wanted to be away. My pre-existing are for multiple heart complaints and one unsolved coma period. They don’t like that. Age 74.

Is there  really a need for travel insurance coming to NZ  where reciprocal arrangements apply. Cheaper to just pay for emergency flight home.

[NSWP]

5 minutes ago, erewhon said:

Is there  really a need for travel insurance coming to NZ  where reciprocal arrangements apply. Cheaper to just pay for emergency flight home.

Medical treatment on board, cancellation for inability to travel. You need it.

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Medical treatment on board, cancellation for inability to travel. You need it.

+ medivac from the ship to hospital.

[Aus Traveller]

10 minutes ago, arxcards said:

+ medivac from the ship to hospital.

That is the really worrying possibility regarding cost.

[NSWP]

Anyone who goes on a cruise without travel insurance is a fool.    I have met a few Americans on cruises from overseas who brag about not having travel insurance.   Irriots.

[Cbtours]

Just now, NSWP said:

Anyone who goes on a cruise without travel insurance is a fool.    I have met a few Americans on cruises from overseas who brag about not having travel insurance.   Irriots.

If you cant afford travel insurance you cant afford to travel.

[Cbtours]

11 hours ago, erewhon said:

Is there  really a need for travel insurance coming to NZ  where reciprocal arrangements apply. Cheaper to just pay for emergency flight home.

I know people who go home to UK for holiday who say the same. What if you get sick on a flight and they put you off in Singapore or anywhere else! It happens because I know someone who did, who fortunately had insurance. Other friends were on cruise round islands, husband got sick and was offloaded at Noumea with his wife of course. He ended up in hospital there for almost two weeks. All their costs including hotel accommodation for the wife were covered then flown back to Australia. Cost of $40K.

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, Cbtours said:

I know people who go home to UK for holiday who say the same. What if you get sick on a flight and they put you off in Singapore or anywhere else! It happens because I know someone who did, who fortunately had insurance. Other friends were on cruise round islands, husband got sick and was offloaded at Noumea with his wife of course. He ended up in hospital there for almost two weeks. All their costs including hotel accommodation for the wife were covered then flown back to Australia. Cost of $40K.

And UK National Health does not cover all costs, even for Brits, let alone Aussies. Just like Medicare here, they don't pay everything.

[lucymorgan]

On 4/26/2022 at 1:28 PM, JohnGc said:

My wife has had cancer treatment , it will be one year since the Chemo finished when we go on our cruise. When providing pre existing medical answers for cruise Insurance ,depending on the company they will either ( A ) decline your application for all cover if you have had cancer in the last 5 years,  ( B ) not cover you for pre=existing cancer but will for everything else, ( C ) give you the opportunity to pay extra cost to cover it. Now say you have Covid coverage, and you are allowed to be insured for all but cancer and were unlucky enough to catch covid , could they possibly decline a Covid claim by saying you have had cancer and your immune system has been compromised. Just a thought.

Thought I would report back about which insurance I have obtained.  Recap - I had cancer >12 months ago, treated by surgery and radiation and am on long term preventative treatment plus I have a raft of other health issues).  I ended up going with allianz for domestic cover plus cruise pack for a queensland cruise - I rang and checked coverage really covered the cruise (and that I didn't need international).  It does.  They cover cancellation due to the insured people catching covid before the cruise and all medical treatment/evac etc including covid and all the listed medical issues (incl cancer).  It cost about $200 more for the medical issues and I had to fill in a detailed online form.  All up under $450 for 2 people for a 7 day cruise (plus one day travel beforehand).  (edi:  we are in our early 60s)     

Edited June 12, 2022 by lucymorgan

[JohnGc]

8 hours ago, lucymorgan said:

Thought I would report back about which insurance I have obtained.  Recap - I had cancer >12 months ago, treated by surgery and radiation and am on long term preventative treatment plus I have a raft of other health issues).  I ended up going with allianz for domestic cover plus cruise pack for a queensland cruise - I rang and checked coverage really covered the cruise (and that I didn't need international).  It does.  They cover cancellation due to the insured people catching covid before the cruise and all medical treatment/evac etc including covid and all the listed medical issues (incl cancer).  It cost about $200 more for the medical issues and I had to fill in a detailed online form.  All up under $450 for 2 people for a 7 day cruise (plus one day travel beforehand).  (edi:  we are in our early 60s)     

Thank you very much Lucy for reporting back, it is really appreciated. That is great I will definitely follow Allianz up. Did get a fair quote from 1 cover but once you are 80 yrs old ( which I now am ) the excess jumps to $3000 !!!   I notice Allianz do cover any age on their comprehensive policy but  I think I will phone them as you did and find out if there is any extra for 80yr olds. You can now look forward to a well earned cruise. Although we have a couple of cruises booked ( the first one being in Jan 2023 ) we are watching carefully the outcomes from covid. Our age and previous medical problems make us very  vulnerable. Hopefully  the cruising industry will have it all sorted.

 

Cheers John, 

[Russell21]

Thanks to an email yesterday I was informed that InsureandGo are now taking applications for cruise insurance. Grit your teeth folks. Pre Covid we were paying about $480.00 for your typical NZ or Fiji 13-14 day cruise, this price including a $200.00 jump when I turned 75, and a 20% discount which was a combined Seniors/Loyalty beg  thing.

Now that they are back with an admittedly good cover as usual, their silver cover price for a 12 dayer that pokes out into the Pacific but does not land in a foreign country, at 78yo for me and 74 for my wife, I just paid $1,147.00 with a 20% discount, for the same cover with the same personal afflictions, as before Covid. This is a warning not a whinge, just thought I'd get you ready for the shock.

[Cruisers47]

3 hours ago, Russell21 said:

Thanks to an email yesterday I was informed that InsureandGo are now taking applications for cruise insurance. Grit your teeth folks. Pre Covid we were paying about $480.00 for your typical NZ or Fiji 13-14 day cruise, this price including a $200.00 jump when I turned 75, and a 20% discount which was a combined Seniors/Loyalty beg  thing.

Now that they are back with an admittedly good cover as usual, their silver cover price for a 12 dayer that pokes out into the Pacific but does not land in a foreign country, at 78yo for me and 74 for my wife, I just paid $1,147.00 with a 20% discount, for the same cover with the same personal afflictions, as before Covid. This is a warning not a whinge, just thought I'd get you ready for the shock.

Hi

 

we are heading for a cruise from Amsterdam with a couple of days in Paris before the cruise.   The cruise  is around the Uk.we got a cruise from Southern Cross.   It was about $450.  We are 76 and 75 with no pre-existing.  We have credit card insurance which we have always use, but now it seems to cover very little. Ask for a quote!

 

Eileen

[Aus Traveller]

3 minutes ago, Cruisers47 said:

we are heading for a cruise from Amsterdam with a couple of days in Paris before the cruise.   The cruise  is around the Uk.we got a cruise from Southern Cross.   It was about $450.  We are 76 and 75 with no pre-existing.  We have credit card insurance which we have always use, but now it seems to cover very little. Ask for a quote!

 

Eileen

I haven't found any difference in the coverage by credit card insurance although one alteration is that payment for cancellation is limited to $20,000.

[NSWP]

11 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

I haven't found any difference in the coverage by credit card insurance although one alteration is that payment for cancellation is limited to $20,000.

If a couple have forked out $100,000 plus for a world cruise that cc insurance is as useless as an ashtray on a motor bike.

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, NSWP said:

If a couple have forked out $100,000 plus for a world cruise that cc insurance is as useless as an ashtray on a motor bike.

I have booked the WC as a solo and will pay more than $20,000. I will consider relying on the CC insurance thereby taking the chance that I don't have to cancel but an insurable reason. The CC insurance will cover all the usual factors - health, medical evacuation, hospitalization, theft of possessions etc. The main event I want to insure against when we cruise is medical evacuation, hospitalization in a foreign country, and repatriation.

[bazzaw]

On 6/13/2022 at 12:19 AM, lucymorgan said:

Thought I would report back about which insurance I have obtained.  Recap - I had cancer >12 months ago, treated by surgery and radiation and am on long term preventative treatment plus I have a raft of other health issues).  I ended up going with allianz for domestic cover plus cruise pack for a queensland cruise - I rang and checked coverage really covered the cruise (and that I didn't need international).  It does.  They cover cancellation due to the insured people catching covid before the cruise and all medical treatment/evac etc including covid and all the listed medical issues (incl cancer).  It cost about $200 more for the medical issues and I had to fill in a detailed online form.  All up under $450 for 2 people for a 7 day cruise (plus one day travel beforehand).  (edi:  we are in our early 60s)     

Where/how did you get this Alliance Insurance? - online, at some Alliance office , travel agent or an insurance broker. My concern is more about the complexity of our insurance - me with heart history and her with cancer history  - even more so than the cost of it - can we even get insurance at all??? We have done many cruises Internationally and seen many many passengers , frail, old, very unfit, etc and wondered about their Insurance. We insure our house at great yearly cost these days - but we do so not because we might get some $40,000 repair bill for a small fire - but because the entire house could get burned down and leave us with nothing . In other words, the $40,000 loss would be an annoyance - but the loss of the entire house would be a tragedy!! I look at travel insurance in much the same light. 

[Cruisers47]

I think that the credit card insurance, which I have always used in the past, does not cover cruises now.   At least at this point of time!

 

eileen

[NSWP]

11 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I have booked the WC as a solo and will pay more than $20,000. I will consider relying on the CC insurance thereby taking the chance that I don't have to cancel but an insurable reason. The CC insurance will cover all the usual factors - health, medical evacuation, hospitalization, theft of possessions etc. The main event I want to insure against when we cruise is medical evacuation, hospitalization in a foreign country, and repatriation.

You would be taking a big risk using the 20K max CC travel insurance if you paid out something like 50K or 60K so for a WC. If you had to cancel just prior because of illness you could lose 40K. ouch !  In the past I had two cruises where I or my wife got real crook a few weeks before the cruise and had to cancel, lucky we had the right insurance.

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, Cruisers47 said:

I think that the credit card insurance, which I have always used in the past, does not cover cruises now.   At least at this point of time!

 

eileen

I depends which credit card insurance you are referring to. The one we use did not suspend coverage of cruises and even a few months ago, they covered COVID related claims.

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

You would be taking a big risk using the 20K max CC travel insurance if you paid out something like 50K or 60K so for a WC. If you had to cancel just prior because of illness you could lose 40K. ouch !  In the past I had two cruises where I or my wife got real crook a few weeks before the cruise and had to cancel, lucky we had the right insurance.

I look at this issue differently. After I pay the cost of my world cruise, that money has gone. If I am forced to cancel for medical reasons and I am only covered for $20,000, it doesn't cost me any more, I just don't get the enjoyment I was hoping to for my outlay on the cruise. The fact that I only get back roughly half of what I planned to spend will not break me financially, actually it will leave me better off financially🙂.

 

I take insurance to cover me for major expenses that would impact on my financial position, i.e. medical evacuation, overseas hospitalization and repatriation.

Edited June 16, 2022 by Aus Traveller