Another Insurance

[JohnGc]

3 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

Hi John, I bought an annual policy from Cover More last week. It's my understanding that they cover evacuation due to covid reasons from a cruise ship. Some of their clauses are contradicted by other clauses. They say they won't cover pandemic related stuff but go on to say that if you read clause 'number whatever' it tells you they will in fact provide it. SO they do cover it but say it in a very roundabout way.

 

That's my understanding anyway - it's the sort of stuff that makes your head swim when you're wading through all these documents. Hopefully I'm understanding it correctly and haven't just done my dough on the policy (which got quite high when I added cruise ship and pre-existing).

 

I thought most of them had that sort of cover that I looked at - I was comparing the policies on other things such as pre-existing illness, amount of cover in $$$ for cancellation due to covid reasons. It's all become another level of confusing.

 

Pretty sure the ANZ credit card complimentary insurance covered it as well.

 

PDS are a real pain. I think they designed to confuse. This from 1 Cover.

If your query is in relation to the Coronavirus, please be aware that our policies have a general exclusion for pandemics and epidemics. This means that claims relating to the COVID-19 are unlikely to be covered. However, you are still entitled to lodge a claim, and all claims are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Yeh right, lodge a claim and be assessed !!!

[cruiser3775]

My 1Cover policy says:

Medical Covid Cover Included
This is to certify that the above-mentioned covered travelers listed on the Certificate of Insurance are insured under this policy for the destination(s) and period stated. This policy provides cover for overseas hospital and medical expenses if a covered traveller is positively diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical practitioner.
This cover meets the requirements for Australians traveling to countries that have mandated travel
insurance with medical cover for COVID-19 or those that require COVID cover when applying for a visa.
This is a summary of the benefits that have been extended to include cover for COVID-19 for 1Cover’s
international policies. 1Cover policies have a general exclusion relating to epidemics and pandemics which applies to other sections of the policy.
(my underlining).

That statement, which is in big print on the actual certificate of insurance, should  provide the cover, even if they are claiming somewhere else in the fine print that it may not, at least I hope it does.

[LittleFish1976]

3 hours ago, JohnGc said:

PDS are a real pain. I think they designed to confuse. This from 1 Cover.

If your query is in relation to the Coronavirus, please be aware that our policies have a general exclusion for pandemics and epidemics. This means that claims relating to the COVID-19 are unlikely to be covered. However, you are still entitled to lodge a claim, and all claims are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Yeh right, lodge a claim and be assessed !!!

 

If it weren't so frustrating it'd be funny!

 

I've made two or three travel insurance claims over recent times and even if you know you're covered  by their conditions, they still make you jump through months of hoops and more and more proof before they agree to pay. 

 

Come to think of it, some of the inclusions on the annual policy I bought last week were only included because my cruise only goes to New Zealand and Australia. How far afield will your travels take you, John, on the cruise you're looking to insure?

 

 

[JohnGc]

3 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

That statement, which is in big print on the actual certificate of insurance, should  provide the cover, even if they are claiming somewhere else in the fine print that it may not, at least I hope it does.

They are certainly confusing. I did put in for a quote For a Domestic cruise and noticed that a cruise pack does include evacuation but still unsure about the Covid coverage. I have sent off an email to try and clarify the situation. There is no doubt that at my age I will have a $ 3000 excess as will the wife. They also will not cover me for international cruises  ( age related ) punishment for getting older.😪

Edited September 2, 2022 by JohnGc

[JohnGc]

1 hour ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Come to think of it, some of the inclusions on the annual policy I bought last week were only included because my cruise only goes to New Zealand and Australia. How far afield will your travels take you, John, on the cruise you're looking to insure?

At this stage looking at Domestic Australian cruise.

[MMDown Under]

9 hours ago, JohnGc said:

They are certainly confusing. I did put in for a quote For a Domestic cruise and noticed that a cruise pack does include evacuation but still unsure about the Covid coverage. I have sent off an email to try and clarify the situation. There is no doubt that at my age I will have a $ 3000 excess as will the wife. They also will not cover me for international cruises  ( age related ) punishment for getting older.😪

$3000 excess for you and your wife seems excessive for a domestic cruise.  If you did have to be evacuated, your medical in Australia would be covered.  

[NSWP]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

$3000 excess for you and your wife seems excessive for a domestic cruise.  If you did have to be evacuated, your medical in Australia would be covered.  

Indeed it does, huge amount. I got 1Cover for my upcoming domestic 9 day cruise and with 5 pre existing ailments declared and assessed it was a total of $206.62.  $200 excess.

[cruiser3775]

If the cruise is to somewhere remote like the Kimberleys, then $3000 is just a drop in the bucket of what it might cost to evacuate you by helicopter to Broome or Darwin, and then maybe south to another specialist hospital in a larger city. That's why the insurance companies insist on 'international cruise' cover, even if you never leave Australian waters.

[JohnGc]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Indeed it does, huge amount. I got 1Cover for my upcoming domestic 9 day cruise and with 5 pre existing ailments declared and assessed it was a total of $206.62.  $200 excess.

Unfortunately 1 Cover states that 80yrs and over automatically includes the $3000 excess. I guess you are still a youngster 😊

[NSWP]

5 minutes ago, JohnGc said:

Unfortunately 1 Cover states that 80yrs and over automatically includes the $3000 excess. I guess you are still a youngster 😊

My secret is out young John...a bouncy 74 beans, lol.

[NSWP]

30 minutes ago, cruiser3775 said:

If the cruise is to somewhere remote like the Kimberleys, then $3000 is just a drop in the bucket of what it might cost to evacuate you by helicopter to Broome or Darwin, and then maybe south to another specialist hospital in a larger city. That's why the insurance companies insist on 'international cruise' cover, even if you never leave Australian waters.

The cover I got is described is labelled 'Domestic Cruise Cover.' I hope I do not have to test it's worth.

[JohnGc]

1 minute ago, NSWP said:

My secret is out young John...a bouncy 74 beans, lol.

All I can say is good on you 😄. Enjoy the years you have until you reach the age of 80 when every where you apply for something you are penalised, I mean what a cheek Insurance & Go wont insure you when you turn 80 unless you have some one younger with you to wipe your bum.😂

[JohnGc]

I hope this will be of interest. I must praise 1 Cover for their quick reply to my questions regarding 

evac & covid. I only sent the email yesterday and received this reply today. I find reading the PDS on insurance applications sends me to sleep but thanks to 1 Cover this is what I was looking for.

 

If you're going on an ocean or river cruise in or around Australia (not stopping at any international ports), you'll need to purchase the Domestic policy and add cruise pack to be covered for ship-to-shore medical evacuation as well as claimable medical expenses on board the cruise.

Australian government has made it illegal for travel insurance providers to reimburse medical expenditures incurred within Australia for Australian residents and citizens who are eligible for medicare. If your domestic medical expenses are not covered by medicare or private health insurance, you may be responsible for paying them out of pocket.

Once you have been transported to the nearest medical facility OR have been transported to an ambulance to reach the nearest medical facility. As an ambulance is considered a domestic medical expense, insurance with us does not cover the cost of one.

In relation to COVID 19, we will cover you for your COVID 19 medical expenses onboard the cruise and also cover you for medical evacuation. Not you need to have a positive diagnosis of the Coronavirus (meaning COVID-19 or SARS-COV-2 or any mutation or variation of these) by a qualified medical practitioner on board the cruise and our Emergency Team (First Assistance) must be consulted for any treatment/evacuation received that is more than $1000. 

Friendly reminder that COVID 19 occurrences such as not being permitted to board the ship, being taken off the cruise to be isolated, quarantined, or simply being told to stay in your stateroom are not claimable events. Only medical expenses onboard the cruise (plus evacuation to shore) are covered as per the terms of the policy,

Please let us know if there is anything else we can clarify for you.

 

 

 

 

[Patois]

5 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

If the cruise is to somewhere remote like the Kimberleys, then $3000 is just a drop in the bucket of what it might cost to evacuate you by helicopter to Broome or Darwin, and then maybe south to another specialist hospital in a larger city. That's why the insurance companies insist on 'international cruise' cover, even if you never leave Australian waters.

Not all insurers require international cruise cover for domestic cruises like Kimberleys. NRMA and Medibank ( I think both are underwritten by Covermore) have domestic policies that cover Kimberley cruises without need to add a cruise cover to the policy.

[cruiser3775]

JohnGC, thank you for that quote from 1Cover. It makes it much clearer what they are covering and not covering you for with Covid. I did realise that my cover did not include getting a positive result for Covid just before boarding the ship. I intend to isolate at home as much as possible in the week before I leave, wear a mask when travelling, and hope that will be sufficient precaution.

[JohnGc]

3 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

JohnGC, thank you for that quote from 1Cover. It makes it much clearer what they are covering and not covering you for with Covid. I did realise that my cover did not include getting a positive result for Covid just before boarding the ship. I intend to isolate at home as much as possible in the week before I leave, wear a mask when travelling, and hope that will be sufficient precaution.

Glad it has helped. Insurance is definitely not the most exciting part of cruising. As far as I understand I think most cruise lines will give you a future cruise credit if you catch covid within 10 days of your cruise embarkation day. I think I will be doing the same as you, isolating at home before our cruise. Enjoy your cruise.